Tas Cru 2009 Grizzle n' Bone

Man, this one just swings right from the git (the title cut), with Tas Cru (yep, that's the gent's name) playing and singing with a growl, a blue bounce, and an alley cat yowl. Chip Lamson throws in some jumping piano through the middle eight, with Cru's slide trailing right behind. The song reminds strongly of a Dan Hicks who got tipsy one night and decided to amp up. Then things get funky gospel on ya, Lamson switching to organ and grinding out the hallelujahs and Sunday stomp as Cru waxes a touch Johnny Winterish, the Stacked Deck Singers (Jenny Macri, Meaghan Manor, and Montana Rodriguez—stacked, get it?) tripping in for a little Andrews Sistersy backing vocals...by way of the famed Waters girls.

This CD holds a lot of good-time blues kinda like Elvin Bishop at his best, especially in his days with Butterfield. Tas Cru embellishes and constantly rides the song along but doesn't always advantage himself of solos the way he should…and it's a damned shame, 'cause that slide of his is delicious. Still, with cuts as grooving as what occurs here each and every time out, I cain't hardly fetch a dither, Jeeter, 'cause, Lordy lord, it's some hellaciously tasty shtuff!

The Slow Happy Boys, his and Lamson's backing crew, earn their name on All Good, a lo-burn honeydripper cut, so knock back the Beam, boys, and get those horns on straight, as we all know what Brother Tas is singing about when he proclaims his lady is hard to satisfy…but worth the work. Don't dally too long, however, 'cause Cru revs it back up blue 'n raw on the follower, Can't Get Over the Blues (Again), then just keeps on goin' back and forth until the end of the disc, an eased-up version of the chestnut Higher and Higher that catches fire at the tail end, cruising out to the highway. Thus, in the glow of the ruby red rear lights, we just sit back, take another pull at the bottle, and commence to settle in for the night. (A review written for the Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange by Mark S. Tucker)



Tracklist:

01 - Grizzle 'n' Bone

02 - One Eyed Jack

03 - Woman Won't You Love Me

04 - Tulsa Tornado

05 - Money Talks

06 - Come To Testify

07 - All Good

08 - Can't Get Over Blues (Again)

09 - Let's Just Pretend

10 - Brand New Shoes

11 - Make My Woman Cry

12 - The Prophet Of Lynchburg

13 - Higher And Higher




Download

Part1

Part2



Enjoy the music!