Everything here is squarely within twelve-bar convention, so there aren’t really any musical surprises (though “Dearest Darling” is a bit of a seldom-heard left-field choice). Shuffles and stomps dominate - check out the controlled fury of “H.M. Stomp” or the irresistible beat that drives the title track – though the boys dig deep indeed for “You Can’t Trust Nobody” and “The Tables Have Turned,” both straightforward blues tunes with the requisite hint of menace. It’s classic stuff, played with abandon tempered with taste, rollicking and real.
Material as soaked in time-honored tradition as this can all too easily sound stale and uninspired. James and Rynn show just how timeless it can be, though, when the feel – that most intangible yet important of ingredients – is right.
This one’s got feel – joyous, exuberant, and blue through and through - in every groove. Great stuff!
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