You might remember brothers Dave and Phil Alvin from their days in the rock group The Blasters. Well, if you do, you’re dating yourself as they haven’t done anything together in 30 years. Here, the bros reunite and deliver a smoking tribute to Big Bill Broonzy that is full of mirth, moxie and movin’ mojos.
You get a mix of both guys playing acoustic or one switching to electric with a cigarette hanging from the lip team of Gene Taylor/p, Brad Glaub-Brad Fordham- Bob Blaub/b and Lisa Pankratz-Don Heffington/dr. The siblings take turn singing, and they both sound rough, gritty and full of vinegar as they rollick on the shuffling “I Feel So Good” and go rockabilly on “Tomorrow.” Alvin’s husky delivery of “You’ve Changed” sounds like he’s selling a $10 Rolex in Times Square to a shuffling beat, while Dave croons to a Bo Diddley riff on “Big Bill Blues.” Cozy back porch picking is a-plenty,as on ”All By Myself” and the cozy “”Stuff They Call Money” and they deliver an instrumental closer of “Saturday Night Rub” that is as much fun on the frets as anyone deserves. This is picking and grinning at its best. They make the blues put a big grin on the face with this beaut, making feelin’ bad feel good.
Yep Roc Records