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REVIEWS


                                                 The  Boneshakers—Live  To  Be  This—Gulf
                                                 Coast Records

                                                 This is the eleventh album from the Boneshakers
                                                 and a cracker it is too. Produced by John Wooler
                                                 the  power  behind  their  breakthrough  album
                                                 “Book of Spells”, Randy Jacobs and Jenny Langer
                                                 are  joined  by  a  stonking  horn  section  of  Ron
                                                 Halloway  and    Joe  Sublett  on  saxes  and  Mark
                                                 Pender  on  trumpet.  They  give  us  a  blend  of
                                                 Detroit rock, Memphis soul and Muscle Shoals’
                                                 R&B.

                                                 The opener ‘I’ll Kick A Brick (For My Man)’ is a
    powerful, funky brass driven delight while ‘Evil No More’ is a powerful blues with
    an outstanding contribution by Charlie Musslewhite. Other guests include Bobby
    Rush, Coco Montoya and Jimmy Carpenter. For me though, the outstanding tracks
    are two versions of a song called ‘Dobro Jones’.  The two versions are subtitled
    ‘Delta  Mix’  and  ‘Low  Country  Mix’  and  are  demonstrations  of  Randy  Jacobs’
    outstanding skills as a guitar player. My, Oh My!

    Wonderful stuff all round. Get it NOW                                  See Gig Guide 30th September 2025

    Ian K McKenzie


                                                 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
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