Page 31 - BiTS_04_APRIL_2020

R E V I E W S

Albert Cummings - Believe Provogue – PRD PROMO 607

I've long been an admirer of New Englander Albert Cummings,
particularly for his excellently crafted covers and some powerful
originals. This album delivers what one might expect, especially an
excellent take on Red Rooster (just when you thought nothing more
could be done with that he takes it back towards Howlin' Wolf with

a huge performance that I was particularly taken with). Some of the
other covers are perhaps less endearing but originals like Queen of
Mean and Going My Way are strong and well worth a listen. The
album closes with another excellent cover - Me and My Guitar, funky
and fun - nice wah wah. Far from unflawed, but at its best Believe delivers splendidly.
Stan Cockeram

Jason Ricci and the Bad Kind - My Chops are Rolling Ellermedia
/ Ellersoul Records (700261475820)

The title doesn't refer to spilling the barbecue but I imagine to Mr
Ricci's undoubted harmonica skills! The music is strong and varied

in style but never less than engaging. Don't Badger the Witness is
a joyfully stripped back original that stays close to its roots. You
cover Led Zepplin at your own peril but the instrumental version of
Going to California is well worth the risk and shows a more subtle
side to the harmonica - his chops are definitely rolling on this one.
The title track is an energetic and funky blues - like much of the
album it is recorded with plenty of space and excellent performances. Perhaps my favourite track on

the album (and believe me it is hard to choose) is the slow blues The Way I Hurt Myself, a song which
is delivered with typical vocal power and speaks to a darker subject matter which suits the style of
the song. Most of the rest of the album is of a similar quality but markedly more upbeat and with
some odd NFL themed material! A very enjoyable album all around.
Stan Cockeram

Bill Blue – The King Of Crazy Town (Conch Town Music CONCH
0001)

Despite the advice of his parents and friends, as he tells us on the
track ‘Enough Blues To Give You The Blues’, Bill Blue was always
destined to sing the blues – that is his real name. He toured with

Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup before striking out on his own. On this
album London-based guitarist and harmonica player Matt Backer is
among those making significant contributions. Some tracks have
big arrangements, as for example the rollicking opener, the title
track and the closing instrumental, ‘Mojolation’, but sometimes he

plays in a more stripped-down style as on ‘Everybody’s Leaving Town’ – or try ‘Closing Time’, an
excellent minimalist evocation of what happens in the club once the gig has finished and the crowd