Customer Reviews

A Truckload of Blues

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I came across this album completely by chance while browsing in a local record shop specialising in blues. As I wandered around the racks it was being played over the shop hi-fi. I heard one track and thought "Hmmm, interesting". I heard the next and thought "Wow, two good tracks on this album". By the time I'd heard 4 or 5 tracks I couldn't resist - I went to the counter and asked to buy it, still without knowing who it was. That's how good this is. It turns out Bob Brozman is an expert historian, lecturer and author on the blues who has done a considerable amount of research in to all manner of traditional acoustic guitar playing styles. But don't think this leads to a stuffy high-brow academic approach to his music. This is an album full of music above all, not dry research information. Bob's playing is technically excellent, and he really lets his slide technique and National resonator guitar sing throughout. His voice is suitably gruff and full of typical blues slurs and drawls. It might sound to some as if he is simply imitating the masters of deep Southern blues he so obviously admires, but I think he stamps his own mark even on such well-known (cliched?) tracks as 'Kitchen Man'. I played this CD over and over when I got it, and have since acquired several other BB albums. Try the free MP3 downloads to get a flavour of his music. I can only say that good as they are, they aren't even my favourites on the album - that's how good it it is!

I ran Kicking Mule when Bob Brozman recorded an lp for us. I thought then what I think now. He is the greatest acoustic blues guitarist living, and one of the all time greats. Unfortunately he did not record Truckload for us. I believe he did it for Sky Ranch, a French company and later Rounder released it in the US but I'm not sure. I wish I had released it because this CD all by itself would justify my quarter century in the music business.

I'm a lawyer now and sold the record company over 10 years ago, but I still do a radio show and I play tracks from this CD from time to time.. I recommend to you the "Backwards Blues". It is not only a great parody, it is a great piece of music. "You Set the Market" stands out, too. Listen to tracks from this CD if you've never heard of Bob Brozman. If you like the blues, you'll like his music.

Well, any album you buy from Brozman has got to be good, this one kind of takes you back to a time when the blues was the blues.