Elly Roberts reviews
Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings
Just For A Thrill
Distributed by
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 Wyman
continues his blues odyssey with a brand new album. Just For A Thrill
sees the former Stone tackle material from the past and present. Tribute is
paid 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 with
Down Home Girl. Only let down on this track is Georgie Fame’s dreadful
singing, which sounds flat and undisciplined. On most occasions he seems out
of his depth by comparison with other singers. Class kicks – in with the divinely
soulful That’s How Heartaches Are Made (best track of the lot) as
Beverly Skeete takes the lead with her finely tuned dulcet tones, and later on
with a stunning rendition of Garnett Mimms’ Cry Baby.
Funk follows – a classy cover of Johnny ‘ Guitar ‘ Watson’s Booty Ooty
with 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 have
been a smash hit single – but it’s a great retrospective. Fame disappoints
again, to the point of irritation, on a below par Cadillac Woman and
Cry Baby (this is painful listening).
It’s not all covers, as the Wyman / Taylor compositions are a sheer delight,
particularly the dobro – harmonica driven Town Living, and Terry Taylor’s
slide guitar work on Memphis Woman. A ‘ Stax style ‘ You Don’t Know
finds the rhythm and brass section on top form. Recorded live in Southampton,
Jitterbug Boogie is a comparatively weak closure for a solid album – but
far from great.
Produced by The Dirt Boys aka Bill Wyman and Terry Taylor.
More info at
Bill Wyman.com
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
