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a lost lady love. The gently rocking guitar on the boogie ‘Garry’s Night Out’ possesses
a distinctly warm and uplifting picked feel.

Highly recommended!

Brian Harman.

D.K. Harrell—Talkin’ Heavy—Alligator
Records ASIN ‏: ‎B0F42W4V19

Following his debut album release on the Little
Village label this new record has been snapped
up by Alligator Records but like his debut it was
produced by Kid Andersen at his Greaseland

studio. Also, as in his debut, this new release is
solid blues, based on the sound of the 3 Kings –

Albert, BB and Freddie – with DK’s soulful vocals
and slashing, single string lead guitar, with a
brass-led full band, plus he even dresses formally
wearing a suit and collar and tie like his heroes.

Opener ‘A Little Taste’ is quite funky and the title
track slips very much into Albert King territory with ‘Talkin’ Heavy’ referring to the

current situation in the news “the world is heavy with the blues”. The band features
Mr. Andersen (rhythm guitar), Jim Pugh (keyboards), Andrew Moss (bass), June
Core and Derrick Martin (drums), plus two percussionists, seven horn players and
backing singers - with Kid making everything sound great and DK’s lead guitar really

cutting through the mix.

‘Life’s Lesson’ is very BB King, with DK’s voice more relaxed as he sings over organ
and restrained brass and with some nice tenor sax soloing alongside him. I really

enjoyed ‘Good Man’ which starts off slow with DK’s voice sounding vulnerable as
he sings over just piano backing but the band storms in and we get a pounding
gospel-based track. ‘Vibe with Me’ is a slow blues, ‘Into the Room’ is jazzy a bit like

Boz Scaggs and I really liked the lyrics to ‘Liquor Stores and Legs’ – “the only things
open up late is liquor stores and legs…” The album closes with the nice BB-style
blues ‘What Real Men Do’ and also the wonderful gospel rocker ‘Praise These Blues’

– like something from Sister Rosetta Tharpe. There’s nothing new here but the
beauty of the album is that DK really inhabits the blues of the 3 Kings with his strong,
resonant voice, his guitar playing and also his song writing – these are all original

songs – and this is all enhanced by Kid Andersen’s production which lets DK shine
and even such a large band never overwhelms him.

Graham Harrison