3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
spare, groove-based bluesy r'nb, July 8, 2000
This review is from: High Water (Audio CD)
Now that the Fab T's are (is?) just Kim Wilson plus backing band, I'm a little surprised at the changed sound on this release, probably in part due to working with different musicians to his usual working band. Very different to his solo traditional blues albums under his own Cannonball label.
For a start, there's a definite hip-hop, almost drum-and-bass feel throughout, as if Kim's been listening to a few G Love or Little Ax albums. Repeated drum and keyboard loops are used, lead guitar is minimal, and the harmonica doesn't solo conventionally, rather the riffs mesh with the overall groove.
This has both benefits and drawbacks - in songs such as "Too Much of Everything", the incorporation of hard-edged rhythms and swampy blues work well. Likewise in "Do Right by Me", the repeated keyboard figure give the track a brittle funk, while "High Water" has a dignified, powerful gospel feel, here the harmonica wails and bubbles under the groove, answering the righteousness of the lyrics.
But the downfall is a reliance of too-similar beats and songs which occasionally sound half-finished. Too often the song choruses are merely the title chanted over and over, and few bridges and rhythm changes are used - even rap and hip-hop have breaks to mix-up the beats. Also the spare feel asks much of the vocalist, and Wilson, although one of the better white blues/r'nb singers around, is found lacking in variation once or twice - and to my ears, he often "over-souls" a little too much, his melismatic touches often sound contrived.
That said, the ballad "Promises" has a gorgeous feel, helped by a fine guitar figure and heartfelt vocal - when he hits that final falsetto he sounds like a man brought to the edge.
So a flawed effort, but often compelling enough to be worthwhile.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
rockin' roots blues, February 22, 2000
This review is from: High Water (Audio CD)
Yeah, we all miss Jimmie Vaughns contribution to the T'birds. But I miss Kim Wilson's turban too! However, neither one of them detracts from the fact that this an outstanding CD. This version of the band provides a solid rythym section and Kim Wilson's harp playing and vocals are some of his best.If you like the 'birds and their brand of boogie blues you'll like this CD! OK, maybe I do miss Jimmy's guitar a little bit.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
ignore the negative reviews, February 6, 2000
This review is from: High Water (Audio CD)
This is one of the best roots rock efforts I've heard in a long time. Kim Wilson recorded some demos with drummer Steve Jordan (formerly with Keith Richards) and guitarist Danny Kortchmar (James Taylor, Jackson Brown). The demos were so strong that he just put them out. Good idea! Jordan and Kortchmar wrote most of the songs and mixed blues and soul influences with an occasional touch of reggae to set up Wilson's vocals, which are typically strong. Highly recommended.
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