Blues
Well, those guys at Blues Boulevard Records have done it again – another couple of good issues keeping the blues alive in Europe and beyond.
Better Off With The Blues was a 2000 issue on Lucky Records, and it’s had four bonus live tracks added to it, much as Rick Moore did on his last album on Blues Boulevard, Slow Burning Fire – these four tracks were all recorded at The Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar in Nashville, and they add some nice flavour to the album, bringing the atmosphere of the bar into play.
The album opens with “Satisfied Man,” a track written by Rick Moore, as are most of the 17 tracks on the CD. The listener gets treated to some good rocking blues, with a foot tapping beat showcasing the piano work of Tim Hinkley. Things slow down with track two, the title track, a blues ballad, “Better Off With The Blues.” Great lyrics again from Rick Moore, and some inspired harmonica playing from Will Rhodarmer cutting through Moore’s fiery guitar work.
Track three, “Take It Down To Memphis,” is another rocking blues, but with the addition of The Memphis Horns, and a hot sax solo by Jimmy Hall. Flavours of Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band come through here, and it’s GOOD!
All the way through the album, there’s a mix of good blues in different tempos, and with different flavours and influences, some with the horns and some without, but all good music to listen to. Track 13 is an absolute gem, “Fire In The Delta,” with the band stripped down to a minimum – acoustic slide guitar, harmonica, good lyrics, pure blues – my favourite of the lot!! I’d love to hear Rick Moore do a whole album of this style of music.
By Terry Clear.
**
This, the second CD from Rick Moore &Mr. Lucky, simply reeks of Memphis soul and down-home blues. The CD is filled to the rim with straight-ahead rhythms, melodic hooks, stinging guitar, and Moore's throaty vocals, all melting together to form a smooth, impressive recording. Comparisons can be made to such diverse artists as J.J. Cale, Delbert McClinton, and Little Feat during the first and second listen, but by the third spin, it was obvious that Rick Moore is most assuredly his own man, with his own unique style and Southern accent. They say 13 is an unlucky number. Not so with Mr. Lucky, whose 13 tracks herein, 11 of which were penned by Moore himself, are all winners. "Take It Down to Memphis" rocks with some superior saxophone from guest artist Jimmy Hall and scorching slide guitar. And speaking of guests, Moore enlists a few other heavy hitters to add to the mix, including Jack Pearson, Wayne Jackson, and Jimmy Nalls. Albert King's "I Wanta Get Funky" is one of only two cover tunes on the album, and both it and B.B. King's "Sell My Monkey" are treated to new, almost Southern rock style arrangements at the hand of Moore, who is obviously as good at producing and arranging as he is at guitar and songwriting. On one of the album's most outstanding tracks, "Dark Before Daylight," Will Rhodarmor blows some of the meanest harp ever committed to disc, and the set opener, "Satisfied Man," is a real barnburner. Hats off to Rick Moore and Mr. Lucky for creating one super-fine blues album that is sure to leave you "satisfied."
By Michael Smith, All Music Guide.
**
Jimmy Hall- Saxophone, Percussion
Jimmy Nalls- Guitar
Tim Hinkley- Piano
Nick Buda- Drums
Jack Pearson- Guitar
Mike Caputy- Drums
Joe Warner- Hammond b-3 organ
Sam Stafford- Guitar
Rick Moore- Vocals, Guitar
Jerry "Snake" King- Bass guitar
Will Rhodarmer- Harp
**
01. Satisfied Man 3:13
02. Better Off with the Blues 3:53
03. Take It Down to Memphis 3:54
04. Good Man Gone Bad 2:08
05. (I Wanna) Get Funky 6:53
06. Hello Darkness 3:10
07. Come and Go with Me 3:52
08. She's Alright 3:59
09. Act of Faith 3:41
10. Dark Before Daylight 6:04
11. Memphis Stripper 4:58
12. Sell My Monkey 5:03
13. Fire in the Delta 1:54
14. Guilty 6.31
15. Chicken House Blues 5.05
16. I Wanna Get Funky 7.41
17. Let Me Down Easy 5.40
**
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