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Elly Roberts reviews
Just For A Thrill
R&M
- Year: 2004
- Rating: 5/10
- Cat. No: RAMCD007
Track listing:
- 1. Disappearing Nightly
2. Roll ‘Em Pete
3. Down Home Girl
4. Mississippip Flyer
5. That’s How Heartaches Begin
6. Booty Ooty
7. Cadillac Woman
8. Town Living
9. This Ain’t United Nations
10. Memphis Woman
11. Taxman
12. Just for a Thrill
13. Cry Baby
14. You Don’t Know
15. Jitterbug Boogie (live bonus track)
Ten years after leaving the Rolling Stones, Bill Wymancontinues his blues odyssey with a brand new album. Just For A Thrillsees the former Stone tackle material from the past and present. Tribute ispaid to great writers such as Butler and Lieber on track 3 – Down Home Girl,Meade and |Russell on track 13 – Cry Baby, George Harrison on track 11 –Taxman, Spencer and Bohren on track 1 – Disappearing Nightly.
After a ropey start with some boogie woogie (which includes Mark Knopfler),they sound like your average pub band. Eventually they get into a groove withDown Home Girl. Only let down on this track is Georgie Fames dreadfulsinging, which sounds flat and undisciplined. On most occasions he seems outof his depth by comparison with other singers. Class kicks in with the divinelysoulful Thats How Heartaches Are Made (best track of the lot) asBeverly Skeete takes the lead with her finely tuned dulcet tones, and later onwith a stunning rendition of Garnett Mimms Cry Baby.
Funk follows a classy cover of Johnny Guitar Watsons Booty Ootywith Mike Sanchez taking over from Skeete. Had it been released 20 years ago(during the disco time of Kool & The Gang and Earth Wind & Fire) it would havebeen a smash hit single but its a great retrospective. Fame disappointsagain, to the point of irritation, on a below par Cadillac Woman andCry Baby (this is painful listening).
Its not all covers, as the Wyman / Taylor compositions are a sheer delight,particularly the dobro harmonica driven Town Living, and Terry Taylorsslide guitar work on Memphis Woman. A Stax style You Dont Knowfinds the rhythm and brass section on top form. Recorded live in Southampton,Jitterbug Boogie is a comparatively weak closure for a solid album butfar from great.
Produced by The Dirt Boys aka Bill Wyman and Terry Taylor.More info atBill Wyman.com
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.