Customer Reviews

Dirty Pool

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Let's start with the downside... none of the songs on this album are original songs. That being said, ALL of the songs are BREATHTAKING. Melvin Taylor plays his guitar stunningly well, and the man knows how put mountains of feeling and soul into it. Not only is his guitar-playing fabulous, but the man knows how to sing the blues, too. If you like the blues, or think you might, or even suspect that you merely don't *dislike* the blues, then buy this album. It may be one of the best musical purchases you ever make, from the funky rendition of "Ain't Superstitious" to the brilliant cover of "Born Under A Bad Sign" this is modern blues as it should be.

Awesome guitar player. Closest person since SRV to really capture the magic. He by far blows away KWS, Jonny Lang, and Mato Nanji from Indigenous. If you ever see him live or if you can find any video of him you will know what I am talking about.

4 stars only because it isn't quite as good as RING THAT BELL. This is a bit more traditional ( as much as traditional is possible for MELVIN ) than RING THAT BELL, I therefore find it a bit less exciting. Where RING THAT BELL is an electric blues CD in the GARY MOORE mold, this is more lay back. It still reaches the same hights, just not as often. I don't think MELVIN TAYLOR could produce anything but outstanding CD's. He is bursting with so much talent as a vocalist and guitarist, that everyone of his CD's is a must have for BLUES fans. He sounds like a mix of the best of BUDDY GUY, a large dose of SRV and a pinch of GARY MOORE.
I am just sad that I will never see him live.

Excellent tape, it is different from his first two works. I am looking forward to his next CD.

Let me steal/paraphrase a line from another review, Melvin Taylor plays the ever-loving-s**t out of his guitar! This may turn off Blues purists who stick to less=more but gosh darnit this dude is WICKED talented. Melvin loves that wah-pedal. Dirty Pool (Track 2) is, to me, the highlight track. His bassist is down and dirty on the 5-string and the whole band meshes in a way that most only dream to, it's very impressive. Other standouts: Track 3, Track 7. I gave it 5 stars and while I DO stick by that rating, I can do without the Merry Christmas Baby song (last track).

Dirty Pool is a blues release by Chicago-based bluesman Melvin Taylor, and it is a delight. I had just about burned out on audiophile blues recordings, having been subjected to a bunch of them that just sounded formulaic and uninspired, but along came this CD one day, leading to yet another instance of playing a recording grudgingly, out of a burdensome sense of duty, only to find myself smiling with delight. Taylor and his band sound a lot like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, but with a lighter touch that makes them more appealing. On some cuts, Taylor and his band sound like the Old Jimi Hendrix Experience, but with a more natural feeling for the blues. Dirty Pool is HDCD-recorded (so you can hear every little bit of ambience from a guitar plugged directly into a mixing board?), the self-titled CD is not (by the way, the Slack Band on the first album does not consist of the same two guys who back Taylor on Dirty Pool), but both sound pretty good.

If you like the blues, Stevie Ray Vaughan, or Jimi Hendrix, I'd recommend that you pick up a copy of Dirty Pool and see whether you like it--but I'm pretty confident that you will; in fact, you'll probably wind up purchasing the first CD, too. They're both good.

Heard a song from this CD on the radio and purchased the CD. Upon hearing the entire CD, was very glad I purchased it.

this cat can play! definitely a jimi hendrix and stevie ray vaughn diciple. he takes what they gave us to the next level. the term "original covers" seems like an oxymoron, but melvin plays the tunes his own way. he wails!

An unnecessarily loud monotonous drumbeat on most all the songs puts a damper on this otherwise excellent blues album.