Sun Spots : The Sun Studios Sessions
2025 – self released
Current fans of KFFA’s King Biscuit Time Radio Show will most likely recognize the band name Big Train and the Loco Motives. Jimbo “Big Train” Madsen can often be found in the chat room of nearly every episode which runs weekdays between 12:15pm and 12:45pm. Hosted by Thomas Jacques, King Biscuit Time featured Big Train and the Loco Motives last August for a live on-air performance in their studio located at the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, Arkansas. I was there in-person and it was an extremely fun time. Madsen also has a huge following on social media sites. His fans chomp at the bit every morning to read his daily posts featuring moments of Blues Music history, and hear his This Week in the Blues podcast. Madsen, the entertaining ringleader of Oklahoma City’s ‘red-dirt’ blues band Big Train and the Loco Motives holds down the fort with guitar in hand and mic in front. His band is comprised of Bill “Top Dog” Cummins on harmonica, Nathan “The Possum” Johns on bass guitar, and Mike “Pinebox” Lander on percussion. August 7, 2024, the day before the band played at King Biscuit Time last year, they recorded this six-track album at Sun Studios in Memphis Tennessee.
“A Place Called Jimmys” cracks the record open with a groovy beat and crunchy riff, slathering out a nod to jukes anywhere whisky, guns, dancing, and loud dirty blues is likely to draw the attention of the local sheriff. It’s cool to hear the studio version of their glutenous favorite “Baby, I Ain’t Skinny No More”. Originally this song landed on their Live From Ground Zero Blues Club album recorded in 2021 at Ground Zero in Clarksdale, Mississippi. It’s a track Grandpa Jones would absolutely love. I sure do. With every listen, I’m hankering all of those Southern delicacies which remind me of my Arkansas roots. Sometimes love just isn’t in the cards, and Jimbo sings all about it in “No Vacancy Sign”. This ultimate rejection letter-in-song brilliantly covers a slew of his favorite pick-up lines, and their sharp retorts. I love how Jimbo pours the grease all over this one while Top Dog keeps the harp fired up. The roof is aflame on “House Party” as it closes this shindig down in a most-swinging way. Madsen plays this splendidly clean on a bed of grits and greens, and rice and red beans.
Sun Spots is a really fun disc which I recommend for all blues fans to check out. Give them a follow on your social medias too, you’ll definitely learn something.
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For more info on Big Train
and the Loco Motives, visit their website at https://bigtrainblues.com/
Read my previous reviews for Big
Train and the Loco Motives > https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=Big+Train+and+the+Loco+Motives
Available on Bandcamp
