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of ‘The Devil To Pay’, the slower ‘Going Home’, the raw ‘Gonna Dance On Your Tombstone’ or
the tellingly-titled ‘I Grew Up on Muddy Waters’.

Then there’s the country-rocking ‘It’s Coming Back Around’, and the psychedelic blues-rock of
‘The Game’. It all shows that the sound of UK blues-rock is as strong as ever. And if that’s your
bag, check this out. You won’t regret it.

Norman Darwen
(www.hundredseventysplit.com)

The Cadillac Kings—Crash and Burn—33 Records 33jazz294

Wow! It might only be the start of the year but The Cadillac Kings
have come up with an early, strong contender for “Blues Album
Of 2023”. This is a joyous, hot rocking blues set, the band’s sixth,
with that rootsy approach of the Fabulous Thunderbirds and
several others; it’s also guaranteed to get audiences onto the dance
floor.

Singer, slide guitarist and harmonica player Mike Thomas wrote
the bulk of the songs here and this UK five-piece just hits a groove
right from the off and though the tempo might vary, the good
timing vibes don’t, even on the run of bad luck that is documented
on ‘When One Door Closes’. ‘Doubtin’ Thomas’ makes for a spikey, stomping blues opener, and
is swiftly followed up by the Chuck Berry-esque ‘Betty Lou Broke Outa Jail’, making for a great
opening salvo!

Tim Penn’s accordion playing adds a zydeco touch to several numbers (and a Tex-Mex feel to
‘Six Feet From A Rat’), but elsewhere there’s tough rock and roll with the Little Richard-ish ‘Too
Much Stuff’, a powerful cover of Don & Dewey’s ‘Farmer John’, ‘Zombie Walk’ which builds on
Magic Sam, and a different cover of Memphis Slim’s ‘Beer Drinking Woman’, among others.
There’s not a track here less than top-notch.

“Turn it up and boogie” it says on the back sleeve. That’s definitely sound advice!

Norman Darwen
(www.cadillackings.co.uk)

Steve Hooker—Sadie Brown/ Tightrope—Pimphouse
Single 3
Now this is a nicely old-school product from the UK’s self-styled
“Rockabilly blues & soul man”. From Southend-On-Sea – yes,

the Essex Delta - singer and guitarist Steve Hooker and his
“Stripped Down Stompin’ Band” (stripped down to bass and
drums, and stomping indeed) have here a vinyl 45 release,
which is the perfect media for the raw, bruising boogie blues of
the top side (with authentic early 60s sounding production –
and Steve certainly has the right surname for this kind of track)
and the riffing instrumental of ‘Tightrope’ with its nods to
Freddie King, Chuck Berry and Phil Upchurch, among others. This release is probably best
heard blasting out of a real jukebox but it certainly deserves your support anyway!

Norman Darwen