By Phillip Smith
Black Toppin’
by Chicago bluesters, The Cash Box Kings
will have listeners waxing nostalgic in no time. Their sixth release continues the tradition
of infusing their music with the spirit and sound of the Forties and Fifties. Producer/front man, Joe Nosek on harmonica,
alternates lead vocals with Oscar Wilson while Joel Paterson conquers the lead
guitar and Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith masters the drums.
Title track, ‘Black Toppin’’
a catchy little ditty about forbidden love and sneaking around is a pleasurable
treat. Written and sung by Wilson, this
one sounds steeped in old school Blues. Also
dunked in the old school Blues tank, is their spot-on cover of Willie Dixon’s
‘Too Late’, (originally recorded by Little Walter), and the traditional,
‘Walking Blues’. Both of these sung by
Wilson as well. He has a great voice for
the Blues, and it delivers authenticity to the songs.
Barrelhouse Chuck, 2013
nominee for the Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year Award, makes an appearance on four
tracks. Of those, the spotlight really
shines on him in ‘Money, Marbles, and
Chalk’ and one quickly finds out why he was nominated. Bundling Barrelhouse Chuck on organ, with
Nosek on harp, gives ‘My Tinai’ a cool retry Sixties Doors sound.
When the band gets going on
songs like Lou Reed’s ‘Run Run Run’,
one can feel the energy pulsating through the speakers. I might have to go out on a limb and say I
like this version better. The band is so
tight and the Paterson squeezes every note out of his guitar with
precision. This is my favorite track on
the album.
For those fans of the classic
Blues, this one comes highly recommended.
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