Customer Reviews

Painted on

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

 

 

A new release by the founder of the T-Birds, Kim Wilson, is always a treat. The last album was the Live album that just nearly made it, but where it was apparent that the band needed to be updated. If nothing else, it could perhaps be seen as a greatest hits collection as a conglomerate between Kim Wilson's blues band and the Birds. So, since that time, Kid Ramos' guitar has been replaced by the great team of Kirk Fletcher and Nick Curran, both recording solo artists. The meeting between Nick and Kim was something I really looked forward to as they both have very strong vocals. Kirk also doubles as the guitar player in Kim's blues revue band. So, how does it sound? Well, the sound has been updated to a modern platform but with plenty of the grit we have come to expect from the Birds. It starts off with two hard rockin numbers and then shifts into Swamp rock and a soul number. In short, the album is eclectic, which is fine, but it really only comes close to the best of the Birds by the end. This is when they return to the blues foundation they do so well. Nick gets to do one vocal on one of them letting Kim rip it away on the electrified harmonica. This last point is as ever a slight critizism, the harp is way back in the background most of the time. When it kicks in, the effect is stunning. Apart from this point, excellent playing all around, tightly produced by Steve Berlin, and probably very tight sounding in the studio. This is a working band and it shows. These are probably the best in the blues today and here they extend their talents to include an electic set of gritty rock, soul and blues. Not a bad deal at all, perfect for the summer party or stepping on it on any road anywhere! The rating should be a 4,5 as it just misses to be a T-Bird classic. Buy with confidence.

Kim Wilson, once again, rolls a new model of T-Bird off the assembly line. Where does he find these guys? Of course, piano pounder Gene Taylor is the most recognizable of this new line-up of Birds, having achieved his own notiriety in the '80s with California's roots-rock heroes The Blasters. But every other player in this new line-up are as adept as Taylor in delivering the raw blues-rock punch that we have grown to expect from one of America's greatest bands of the past 25 years. Top it all off with Wilson's soulful vocals and incendiary harp and you have one great CD. The T-Birds style may not be part of America's mainstream music scene anymore, but their significance in the musical history of this country is reaffirmed and enhanced with Painted On. I am especially fond of the retro "Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line". "Rock Candy" rocks in the same vein as "Rock This Place" and "Two Time Fool" is a hip shaker in the spirit of "I Believe I'm In Love". "Postman" delivers the solid blues groove that long ago established Kim Wilson as one of America's premier blues bosses. "Wild Cherry" features harp playing that would impress even the likes of James Cotton and Junior Wells. The only thing this CD lacks is a T-Birds classic like "Tuff Enough" or "Look At That Look At That". But if you love rock, blues, and soul, Painted On brings home the bacon in a way that few other bands can.

The Fabulous Thunderbirds are back in a major way. This is by far their best album since their earlier recordings. Kim Wilson is in excellent form.
I fully recommend this album to any fan of their earlier work.
Awesome!!!

I think this CD is awesome! My favorite song is Love Speaks Louder Than Words. It is a duet with Kim Wilson and Rachel Nagy and their voices blend very well. Another favorite is Wild Cherry a blues/rock number that is great. I cannot find a song on the CD that I do not like. I don't think anyone that is a fan of the Fabulous Thunderbirds will be disappointed.

After Jimmy Vaughn's departure it seemed the T-Birds were quickly becoming Kim Wilson's vanity project. The cohesiveness was gone, band members coming and going from each album to the next. However there is a new stability to this once vital band. Kirk Fletcher and Nick Curran have brought the birds back to the forefront of contemporary blues on this sparkling disc. Time has done wonders to Wilson's vocals. No longer the derivitive shouter his voice, despite the great instrumental prowess is the driving force. He also keeps things at a lively pace co-producing with Steve Berlin of Blasters and Los Lobos fame. Let's hope the revolving door is closed and a new and exciting chapter in this groups rich history will be written.

Great CD. The guitar work of Nick Curran and Kirk Fletcher is sublime. This is a tour de force of American music like only the Thunderbirds can do. Wilson's duet with Rachel Nagy on track 4 and Nick Curran's lead vocals in track 11 were great surprises.
Kim Wilson never ceases to amaze me.

kim wilson, nick curran, and kirk "eli" fletcher all together. it's definitely worth the money.

This thing Jams, been in my CD rotation since it was released.
Doesn't get any better than this.. Pick it up now.....

Kim Wilson is in good form in a band with great players, but it somehow nonetheless fails to really grab you. The early albums with J Vaughan are a very hard act to follow!

This is a good FT album. The new guitar players add some unique style to the band. Kim Wilson sounds like the KW of old.