© Bluestronomical Publishing Inc. 2007

Various Artists
Crucial Rockin' Blues
More Crucial Guitar Blues
Crucial Acoustic Blues
Alligator ALCD 122 - ALCD 123 - ALCD 124

In 2003, Alligator Records – the top contemporary blues record label in the world – launched their Crucial Blues Series. The goal of the series was to introduce new blues fans to Alligator’s best-known artists and their countless styles. Each of the three new entries in the series come with a less than ten dollar price; 50 minutes of music; and at least 12 songs. All songs have been previously released. None of them appear on any other Alligator compilation.

Crucial Rockin’ Blues features as much energy as today’s rock ‘n’ roll, but the songs come with more sensibility. With a guitar that is loud and in-your-face, Coco Montoya delivers a kickin’ and killer lead off track. Lil’ Ed’s rollicking energy is boundless and his guitar is a fireball. Images of live wires crackling appear while Dave Hole tears it up on slide guitar. Guitar Shorty’s savage blues explode with fierce attitude. Tinsley Ellis and his band are fueled on rock power. The Holmes Brothers emit redemptive vocal harmonies on a stripped down and basic track. Shemekia Copeland won a Blues Music Award for ‘It’s 2 A.M’. It may well be the best blues/rock song of the 21st Century to date.

On More Crucial Guitar Blues, no songs are repeated from the first Crucial Guitar collection, but five artists appear on both. Thanks to Son Seals’ ‘No, No Baby,’ this disc’s selected recordings encompass 29 of the label’s 36 years, which is the most comprehensive of the three. The most powerful song is Luther Allison’s emotional and expressive lament about equality. Roomful of Blues are not known as a guitar driven band, but Chris Vachon’s punchy guitar and Mark DuFresne’s classy vocals are a highlight. Charlie Baty’s fat-toned guitar is at the core of Little Charlie & The Nightcats’ bouncy sound. With assaulting rhythm and lightening fast guitar, ‘Don’t Cloud Up On Me’ is exactly what Lucky Peterson sounds like in concert.

Alligator’s varied roster of remarkable artists isn’t bursting with acoustic performers, yet the acoustic collection is rejuvenating. The label actually entered the acoustic market in 1977 with a long out of print German live solo album by Blind John Davis. Five of the 13 acoustic gems appeared on full electric albums, where the odd song, e.g., Johnny Winter's ‘Evil On My Mind,’ was performed unplugged. You won’t find glitz or glamour with Saffire. Kenny Neal and Billy Branch prove acoustic blues isn’t slow, sad or boring.

Don’t be fooled into thinking these CDs are simply a commercial for the label’s latest releases. In fact, there are only four selections taken from the newest releases over the past two years. These themed samplers are a testimony to the legacy of a label that has brought us some of the best blues releases in the past four decades.

- Tim Holek -


Southwest Blues CD Review - July 2007

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Crucial Rockin' Blues, More Crucial Guitar Blues - Crucial Acoustic Blues