Customer Reviews

Grand Slam

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

 

 

First of all, completely ignore the track listings with this disc. Amazon.com screwed up and they are tracks for some other artist and album. The music is rough and tumble, ragged but potent blues from the always-strong Magic Slim. It's great Rooster Records has re-released this disc which features 11 cuts from a 1982 session and three tracks from 1975. Slim kicks out some raw instrumentals, a couple originals and a slew of well-chosen covers. This isn't pretty, it isn't pop or blues-rock. This is the real deal, more raw than his three recent Blind Pig releases (all good). "Black Tornado" strikes the perfect balance between roughness and clarity; "Grand Slam" might be his second-best album. Give a listen to one of the few great blues artists we have left.

Magic Slim (Morris Holt) is one of the most underrated bluesmen alive today. If you like house rockin' Chicago style electric blues you will like this cd. His style is similar to that of Hound Dog Taylor except he does not play as much slide guitar. This cd is a reissue of his best album which has been out of print for a while. The reissue includes the welcome addition of three bonus cuts from an aborted session in 1975. The band is excellent and they are given ample time to stetch out on a number of instrumental cuts. Magic Slim is a master of not only uptempo boogie numbers but also low down minor key blues tunes. My favorite tunes include covers of Hound Dog Taylor's "Give Me Back My Wig", Buster Brown's "Fannie Mae" and a tribute to his friend Magic Sam "She Belongs To Me". If you have picked up any of Magic Slim's recent Blind Pig releases you will enjoys this reissue as much if not more than those. I hope with this reissue and his current cd "Snakebite" he will finally get some of the credit he deserves later in his career like Luther Allison did. Warning his cds are addicting. If you hear one you may have to get them all.

The man has magic fingers
has everything from close your eyes mellow to pyrotechnic guitar
this crew sound tight and play like pros who love what they do and who they are playing with..
I loved this album from the first time i put it on

Muddy Waters and Junior Wells were both Chicago style Blues leaders and that torch is carried with great care and delivery by Magic Slim & The Teardrops on this cd! Sticking to the basics and delivering with zeal and fire that creeps up your spine slowly and powerfully! With the advent of the more "Pop" and "Rock" influences that have been dominating the current scene it is refreshing to find an artist still sticking to the tried and true formula while adding his own style and energy to his music! Adds the kind of grit we need every week at The Crazy Coyote Blues Power Show 1490 KOTY AM (1490koty.com) Yakima Nation Reservation Radio in south central Washington state.