HOWLIN' MAT RAW ROOTS VOL 2
IN THE WIDER BLUES COMMUNITY HOWLIN' MAT MAY NOT BE THAT WELL KNOWN, BUT TO THOSE IN THE KNOW HE IS THE REAL MCCOY. A TRUE BLUES TROUBADOUR NEVER SHORT OF A STORY OR TALE OF HIS NEAR 15 YEARS ON THE ROAD. FROM THE HIGHS TO THE LOWS HOWLIN' MAT TELLS THE TALES WITH BITTER IRONY AND HONESTY AND YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE LIVED THESE TIMES WITH HIM. NOTHING IS OF THE TABLE TO SEE ONE OF HIS SHOWS IS A MASTERCLASS IN SHOWMANSHIP.
SO, WITH THAT IN MIND I EAGERLY OPENED UP THE SECOND ALBUM RAW ROOTS VOL 2 AND PRESSED PLAY, I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED.
THE SECOND ALBUM LIKE THE FIRST CONTAINS A 9 TRACK MASTERCLASS IN THE BLUES. ALTHOUGH NONE ARE ORIGINALS HOWLIN' MAT FEEL AND LOVE OF THE MUSIC TAKES THESE TRACKS AND MAKES THEM HIS OWN.
HAVING SEEN HOWLIN' MAT RECENTLY I CAN CONFIRM THAT HAS GOOD AS THESE TRACKS SOUND ON RECORD THEY TAKE ON MORE OF A LIFE WHEN PLAYED LIVE.
THE FIRST TRACK KICKS OF THE ALBUM AND FROM THE BEGINNING YOU KNOW YOUR GONNA LOVE IT. BABY PLEASE DONT GO IS NICE AND SHORT AS IT SHOULD BE NO TEN-MINUTE OPUS BY THE LIKES OF TED NUGENT OR VAN MORRISON HERE NO 1.57 ITS THERE THEN ITS GONE BUT YOU WILL WANT TO LISTEN TO IT TIME AND AGAIN.
BABY WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO SHOWS HOWLIN' MAT BLUES VOICE OF PERFECTLY WITH A NICE BIT OF GUITAR SLIDE THROWN IN FOR GOOD MEASURE.
CAN'T BE SATISFIED IS A SURE JOY AND SHOWS HOWLIN' MAT AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME. THE NICE TOUCH OF IT SOUNDING AN OLD RECORDING AT THE BEGINNING JUST ADDS TO THE FEELING OF THE TRACK.
DRINKING MUDDY WATERS IS ONE OF HOWLIN' MAT BEST VOCAL I HAVE EVER HEARD, IF THIS WAS TO APPEAR ON LATER WITH JOOLS HOLLAND IM SURE THIS WOULD HAVE THE SAME EFFECT AS WHEN SEASICK STEVE WAS ON AND THIS ALBUM WOULD BE SOLD OUT IN HOURS.
THE PLAYING ON DUST BROOM IS UP THERE WITH ANY BLUES PLAYER ON THE SCENE AT THE MOMENT, YOU CAN FEEL THIS IS A MAN WHO KNOWS HOW TO PLAY THE BLUES, AND YOU CAN FEEL THE DELTA COMING OUT OF YOUR SPEAKERS.
THE PACE IS KEPT UP ON FOLSOM PRISON WITH A GOOD SOLID BEAT YOU CAN FEEL THAT TRAIN COMING DOWN THE LINE.
WHILE CLUTCH GRAVEL ROAD IS GOOD HOWLIN' MAT TAKES IT AND TURN IT INTO AN OLD 1930S BLUES SONG AND IN DOING SO MAKES THE SONG HIS OWN.
HOW MANY VERSIONS OF HOOCHIE COOCHIE MAN DO YOU NEED IN YOUR LIFE, WELL APART FROM THE ORIGINAL AND MAYBE MOTORHEADS VERSION I WOULD SAY YOU NEED THIS ONE AS WELL.
ROLLIN AND TUMBLIN FINISHES OF THE ALBUM IN FINE FORM, AND THEN ITS GONE SHORT AND SWEET BUT WHAT IS SAYS IN THESE 9 SHORT TRACKS IS HOWLIN' MAT IS ONE OF ENGLAND S GREATEST BLUES MEN AND HES NOT EVEN DEAD.
THIS IS ONE ALBUM ANY PERSON EVEN WITH THE SLIGHTS INTEREST IN THE BLUES SHOULD OWN.
HOWLIN' MAT RAW ROOTS VOL 2 IS AVAILABLE ON ONE MAN BLUES RECORDS NOW
WORDS BY PETER STOCK SEPTEMBER 2022 onemanbluesrecords@gmail.com
