Customer Reviews

Tales From Austin Motel

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After disappointing releases in '97 and '98, I was afraid this talented lady would never again come close to putting out anything like her '93 debut, "Picture This". Well, here it is. The guitar solos are back, the blues feeling is back, the good cuts are back and the rhythm section is the backbone with Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton on board. A must have for blues lovers. Grab it now.

Backed by Double Trouble (Stevie Ray Vaughn's band), Debbie Davies is back on track. Upbeat tracks remind you of her album Picture This. She adds her own style to songs like I Just Wanna Make Love. Solids riffs shows she's recovered from her foray into country on her last, forgettable album.

It shouldn't surprise anyone that another great female blues artist should come out of Austin. It has produced Marcia Ball, Angela Strehli and Low Ann Barton. If you're ever in town, you've got to check out Antone's, the best live blues in the Lone Star State. This has been the incubator for some of the best blues artists in Texas. Debby Davies can step into this category with this great album.

If you love blues music, then playing in Albert Collins' band counts for something in my book. I feel it is her best music yet, and she really seems comfortable with the well chosen material. Two other recent collaborations are "Homesick For The Road", with Tab Benoit and Kenny Neal and "Grand Union", with Otis Grand and Anson Funderburgh. Having listened to a radio interview of hers, I think her music on this CD shows her dedication and love for that which she has paid some dues.

This is the best CD I have listened to in years. This ladie can really play and sing the "Blues". She is the closest thing to a female Stevie Ray Vaughn that I've ever heard. She is my new favorite singer.

GREAT TEXAS BLUES FROM THE OPENING RIFF TO THE LAST ACOUSTIC RIFF DEBBIE DAVIES AND DOUBLE TROUBLE RIP IT UP. GREAT COVERS OF AS THE YEARS GO PASSING BY AND I JUST WANNA MAKE LOVE TO YOU DEBBIES VOCALS AND GUITAR PLAYING ARE AT TOP OF THE GAME.

Agree with review by "johng"; her last recording would have prevented me from buying this. I caved in when I saw who was backing her on this album. I've seen several reviews critical of her guitar talent and would disagree. She has a feel for "just enough" without unleashing a barrage of sound that overwhelms the song. The match with Double Trouble seems to be made in heaven; if only they continue for another album.

Boy am I disappointed! Proof positive of the error of letting the artist co-produce her own record. I can just hear the guys in the studio saying "Now Debs, lets do the guitar track just one more time (yeah like about take 753) It comes off as too studio perfect, and frankly sickly. You never get the impression that somethings about to happen, that she's gonna cut loose and surprise us with a little energy.

This lady has a great voice! and the songs mostly click but I needed to hear a hell of a lot more real emotion. Patti Rousou? and Ellen Foley who backed Meatloaf, had that kind of raw voice power and pent up emotion that blasted through. Don't waste your time with this unless you like sweet background muzik masquerading as blues!

I can however, recommend the other album that I bought at the same time "Picture This" see the review.

I bought this CD adter hearing a couple of songs on the radio. I'm glad I did. Debbie is an up-and-coming star with the potential to replace Stevie Ray Vaughan. Her skills are great and her voice has the strenth and energy as good as Billie Holiday or Rosemary Clooney. But it's her instrumentals that are the best. "Behind Your Eyes" is a haunting example of her skills.
"I'm a Woman" is a strong statement of herself with a hint of sensuality lying underneath the lyrics.
I like this CD and Debbie. I think that, as she matures, she will grow and become even better.

I just discovered that I'm addicted to the blues, and in my search for new stuff to listen to I bought "Tales from the Austin Motel" because Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon were on it. These two were the rhythm section of Double Trouble, the band that backed Stevie Ray Vaughan. Now I'm no expert on the blues but for my money these two could back a pair of soup cans and it would sound good. What I hadn't expected was that Debbie would blow me away! After all I bought this CD to hear the rhythm section and I wasn't overly concerned with how this Debbie girl sounded, but with the first cut, "Just Stepped In The Blues", I was hooked. With "Bald Headed Baby" I knew I'd found another CD that would not be coming out of the changer. By the time I got to the last cut I was looking in Amazon for more Debbie Davies CDs. Talk about a lucky find!