REVIEWS

Blues Matters

 

Album 'Slick Blues': The Mudbirds have really surpassed themselves with this 13 track acoustic Blues album in the purest Blues roots tradition, the kind which makes you tingle all over.

You cannot but be impressed by the quality of this CD, there is such spontaneity here and the sound gives the thirteen tracks a kind of infernal roots magic, we’d even go as far as saying it’s come straight from the devil himself, and the devil is never far from the Crossroads, right? And to make the mixture as sinful as possible, Alan Laws (acoustic guitar, vocals and harmonica) and René Tweehuysen (dobro and acoustic lap steel guitar) slip in, amongst their own compositions, four traditional songs beautifully rearranged such as the superb ‘Blood Red River’, ‘Lovin’ In My Baby’s Eyes’ by Taj Mahal and an excellent version of ‘Whipping Post’ by Gregg Allman. Not only those two great birds are sensational guitar and harmonica players, they are also extremely talented songwriters. How can you not be moved by the superb ‘Vanishing Point’ written by René Tweehuysen, then let yourself flow into the sensational ‘Mud Slide’ and its incredibly captivating harmonica. After such an experience, you will believe that these two have actually written classics such as ‘Come Back Baby’ or ‘Beautiful City’. These birds must have come across who you know at the Crossroads because the album is devilishly good. Devilishly good indeed.

 

Frankie Bluesy Pfeiffer and Nat Harrap

Blues Matters issue 59 (may 2011)  www.bluesmatters.com