This is one fine modern blues CD - you should just go and buy it.....

Yeah, right, Slam is a friend, so this must be biased, and you can't believe me.....

Sure - but I was a fan, before I became a friend - perhaps I can give just a little more insight to this review - however only you can truly be the judge, by hearing this album for yourselves.

Sittin' In My Window - starts with Slam's guitar -soul then walkin' into blues, with beautiful annunciation. Slam's vocals have this unique phrasing - he calls it soul vocals - but I can recognize it anywhere - this is really something in a world crowded with singers vying for recognition. This is a song about longing - sitting at his window longing for a woman who passes by.

Ain't Nobody Got the Blues Like I Do  - starts with tuning radio sound and getting some blues guitar. The song starts with some BB like guitar, but with Slam's unique vocals - this is a duet with Ray Schinnery. Ray's turn sounds like cross between BB shouting and the late Luther Allison. Some groovin' organ, then Ray takes a lean wiry sounding solo, until Slam says "let me get a little bit of this here" and plays a fuller toned piece - and does one of his trademark things of playing a run down the scale - like someone stretching their singing to the limits.......

Let Love Go  - real good lyrics, done in an unexpected way - showing a very mature attitude - some great use of female backing vocals called for this CD the RaveOn-ettes - should give you an idea. "Sometimes you gotta let love go - sometimes you gotta let it pass on by...." Listen to the way Slam stretches his vocals - brilliant, and not a single guitar solo in sight.......

Clear My Mind - Slam says this is for ole Albert, and does it funky like Albert - I laughed when I figured the wrong Albert - it is pretty obvious which "Albert" Slam means. Well the tone is obvious, but the guitar playing isn't so obvious - I'll let you figure which Albert he means.

Just Give Me Your Love - good lyrics - typical soul rockaballad start - about a "significant other's" possessiveness - Slam asks "Just give me your love - stop puttin' me through these changes" - listen to his singing - how he stretches himself and his phrasing, and you'll also recognize him instantly.

I Just Want You - these are even clever lyrics - "Bought my baby a new car - but she didn't want to ride. Bought my baby a brand new house - but she didn't wanna go inside (no she didn't)" - Nope, not like "How Blue Can You get" - the next line is "She said I want you, I just want you." "Don't need no fancy cars, no diamond rings, told you man, I don't need these fancy things - all I want is yo-oooohoo-u" hear the way Slam does a "Milton note" on the "you" - then says "she don't know, all I want is to do is play this old guitar here, look out now" - you'll hear why Slam is one of the baddest MoFo's in the blues.

Things Sho' Done Changed  - wonderful guitar intro - played like no one else. A slow soul blues - man, this is good. Slam laments how things sho' done changed since you've been gone - but it's given him a chance to become a brand new man - I think you should listen to the words for yourselves. Beautiful guitar solo that just adds to the song including the Slam-O-Run down the scale.

Last One to Know - humorous - when good, bad, any - thing happens he's always the last one to know - here you can hear Slam's casual almost off-hand manner. Let me play this ole guitar here, measured deliberate paced he takes us to the funk side of blues - - and he's a real MoFo on this.

Sometimes You Got to have Rain - this song just simply makes me cry - I don't know why - the lyrics are not explicit and one can even say that they are somewhat mixed up - but that's what makes great lyrics - they are deliberately open for you to personalize it - it's my imagery that makes me cry - it is not the words that have been written to contrive to be a tear-jerker - there's a world of difference.

Everybody Needs Love - live acoustic duet with Bill Sims - nice gentle and touching way to round out this great album.

This is a debut that anyone can be proud of - listen for yourself and know for *certain* the blues are alive and well.

Vincent of the Blues-L
vt@pipeline.com