Customer Reviews

Barbed Wire Sandwich

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

most mentions of this album tend to be negative. usually it is a footnote to the career of free (kossoff and kirke were in an earlier black cat bones). this isn't a great disc. for the most part it is fairly run of the mill late 60's british blues, with largely covers. however, the singer has a pretty good voice, and rod price's guitar is excellent in places. feelin' good is probably the highlight of this recording, its a slow bluesy cut with hippieish lyrics that turns into god rest ye merry gentlemen 3/4 of the way through! there's a decent version of the blues classic chauffeur as well and , of all things, a cover of nina simone's 4 women. overall this is a pretty pedestrian disc that lovers of the british blues boom may enjoy and it also has traces of progressive rock as well. some of the guys in this band went on to a group called LEAFHOUND that i'm interested in hearing who are allegedly a really good zeppelin type band that put out an album in 1971

Incredible! This is how I see life. If you wanna feel the blue's, I mean really feel the blues. This recording here will get you. Death valley blues is incredible, the most powerfull blues song ive ever heard. The guitar work is far above stevie ray, or johnny winters or even B.B. King. No disrespect, I more than enjoy all of the above. But this is just a spellbound recording. Let it speak for itself and pick this up please.

Some great hard rockin' blues from 1969. Black Cat Bones isn't one of the better known bands of the era, and when someone does mention them it's only to mention that Paul Kossoff and Simon Kirke were in this group before going on to Free. Well, that's not a bad recommendation in and of itself, but they were long gone by the time this album was recorded. However, the lineup that made this record does feature Rod Price (future Foghat), and Stuart and Derek Brooks (future Leaf Hound)! If that's not enough to make you want to check out this disc, what in the world do you listen to?

While this won't be the best album of this kind you've heard, it still kicks some a$$. Chauffeur and Good Lookin' Woman are cool and heavy blues jams that these great British bands cranked out in profusion in the late 60's and Price is already strongly hinting at what he'd make a career out of while playing guitar with Foghat. Songs like Death Valley Blues are pretty much straight blues numbers, but the band is certainly good enough to hold your interest if you're into this style. Feelin' Good is where they really caught my attention, though. While no one is going to top the vocals Nina Simone laid out on her brilliant rendition of this song, Black Cat Bones certainly deliver a unique version that goes in some interesting directions. The music is kind of dreamy and jazzy with an excellent guitar solo. Again, while you can't compete with Simone, the vocals are still soulfully rendered. Please Tell Me Baby is some great rock'n'roll that musically is some where along the lines of Little Richard, and well, you get the idea. This album rocks!

This is a great disc to add to your collection. If you enjoy Taste, Beck-Ola (Exp), or any of the bands I mentioned above, you should enjoy Barbed Wire Sandwich. Another great record from the 60's British blues boom.

If you're looking for unadulatrated blues played by rock musicians, you can't do much better than this. These guys made their music without the jazz impulse of Cream or the expermental edge of Paul Butterfield,

The album has a live, mysterious sound--completely unlike the clean production of modern blues records-as if your hearing the music standing in a dimmly lit alley outside a small club. Concurently, this music has a scrumptiously dangerous, dark sexuality to it. When the singer sings "I'll save my love for you" it is a threat as well as a vow. Stings bend all over the place, almost to the point of being atonal at times, and this adds to the shady mystequie of the album. this cat really is black.

The playing is excellent, by a band that really understands how to create the gritty mood of Chicago Blues. With a name like Black Cat Bones, what else would you expect. Essential for any blues collection.

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various recordings from the 60's and 70's.

Often left out (Surprisingly so) of the Black Coat Bones history is Rod Price (Foghat) played lead guitar and handled the vocals for the 1970 album "Barbed Wire Sandwich." In fact, Price penned four of the nine compositions on the record.

Fans of early Foghat may find this a fascinating view of where Rod was at musically. The contents don't stand-out enough lyrically. Rod plays well (That is never an issue) and his voice is in solid form. The fidelity of the recording is pleasing. The theme throughout is the blues pure and simple. There aren't any throw away tunes but nothing that distinguishes itself from the myriad of similar releases. When you listen to any Foghat release through "Fool For The City" there not only is a consistency to the songs but a plethora of memorable tunes.

One track that may grab your attention is a cover of the Nina Simone song "Four Women." For the most part the structure of the compositions is in the four to five minute range. The exception on the shorter end is the Rod Price tune "Coming Back." The longest representation is also a Price original "Good Lookin' Woman."

If Foghat has been well represented in your record and CD collection (The way they are in mine) over the years, this will peak your interest.

Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"

London based blues rock band's sole album - originally released in 1970. Tracks here that manage to stand out a bit are "Death Valley Blues", "Feeling Good", the foot-stomper "Coming Back", "Sylvester's Blues" and the well-played seven-minute "Good Looking Woman". Line-up: Brian Short - vocals, Rod Price (Foghat, R.I.P.) - guitar, Stu Brooks (Leaf Hound) - bass, Derek Brooks - rhythm guitar and Phil Lenoir (Steve Peregrine Took's Shagrat) - drums. Ideal for long time fans of Savoy Brown, Foghat, Leaf Hound, Free, Johnny Winter and possibly Cream. Note to collectors and die hard fans: read somewhere this title was reissued by a Japanese label, complete with paper sleeve and a highly-collectible Obi-strip.

Really good late 60's heavy bluesrock that would appeal to fans of British bands like Savoy Brown and Fleetwood Mac. This has some occasional boogie elements as well as some slightly progressive elements in the same way the two mentioned bands did. Rod Price really tears it up on some of the songs (kind of reminding me of Jimmy Page in "Death Valley Blues"). What an underrated guitar player he was, as he did some great stuff with Savoy Brown, and his work with Foghat was great as well.

Anyways, this album is rock solid and recommended

I've had a long interest and love for the blues and recently been delving into the british blues bands of the '60s and 70's. I recently purchased this cd because of the bands history with Paul Kossoff of Free. I was pleasantly surprised and realized I wasn't wrong in pruchasing this cd. It's too bad that this was the only realse of this blues band.

Members of this group went on to be in Foghat,...some left before the recording of this album to be in Free. So,you may say they had the "curse" of John Mayall. That is they spawned more greatness than they revelled in applause.

Sad that too,because this is one tough and cool blues album that ,greatfully, now we all can hear without searching out lost and old vinyl to hear. Get this and think of what might have been for Black Cat Bones had they gone on! I think some members went on to Leafhound...which is no bad thing either.

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various recordings from the 60's and 70's.

Often left out (Surprisingly so) of the Black Coat Bones history is Rod Price (Foghat) played lead guitar and handled the vocals for the 1970 album "Barbed Wire Sandwich." In fact, Price penned four of the nine compositions on the record.

Fans of early Foghat may fine this a fascinating view of where Rod was at musically. The contents don't stand-out enough lyrically. Rod plays well (That is never an issue) and his voice is in solid form. The fidelity of the recording is pleasing. The theme throughout is the blues pure and simple. There aren't any throw away tunes but nothing that distinguishes itself from the myriad of similar releases. When you listen to any Foghat release through "Fool For The City" there not only is a consistency to the songs but a plethora of memorable tunes.

One track that may grab your attention is a cover of the Nina Simone song "Four Women." For the most part the structure of the compositions is in the four to five minute range. The exception on the shorter end is the Rod Price tune "Coming Back." The longest representation is also a Price original "Good Lookin' Woman."

If Foghat has been well represented in your record and CD collection (The way they are in mine) over the years, this will peak your interest.

Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"