Welcome back the last of four T-birds records, re-mastered and re-released with new liner notes and some outtakes and live cuts as bonus tracks.
The place: The Cotton Bowl, the time: Halloween Night, 1981, the Event: the 'Birds open for the Rolling Stones. Ladies and Gentlemen The Fabulous Thunderbirds have arrived! A few months later their fourth album is released. Produced by brit Nick Lowe, of Rockpile, this offering establishes The T-Birds as the last word in Texas Blues. Across the country and around the world these 11 songs are being heard and seriously taken to heart. The Blues wave has started to crest!!
The influence of Nick Lowe is evidenced in the first tune. It's a straight ahead rocker called I Can't Tear It Up Enough. Next, I like a slow little Blues rocker, My Babe. The 'Birds version of Willie Dixon's Diddy Wah Diddy is pretty cool. I can't help but think of "Fess" (Professor Longhair) when I hear Kim Wilson's Poor Boy. I have to say I don't like this record quite as much as some of the others in this set. It's well done but just dosen't fit the groove I like as much. But hey, they may suit your groove to a T, T-Bird that is.
Jeffrey Clements
jclements@americansofmusic.com
Contributing Writer
