CD Review
Omar And The Howlers
Big Delta
(Blind Pig Records BPCD5072)
by Dick Houff
Review date: March 2002
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1999 KBA Award Winner
Achievement for Blues on the Internet
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Omar Dykes is a multi-talented road king. He's comfortable in just about every style imaginable-remember "Swingland?" A whole lot of jump and jive with a fine mix of West Coast meets the Delta! Blind Pig chose a fine first release for the year 2002, with Omar And The Howlers. This is also their 25th anniversary year, and what a kick-off! "Big Delta" is one fine piece of work with twelve remarkable prime cuts. The first song is a brilliant rendition of "Linin' Track. A traditional field song that very few people have covered outside of Leadbelly, and Koerner, Ray, and Glover. The band follows along in quick order with "Monkey land"-check out the heavy drums followed by Omar's gravel and guts vocal! Track #3: "Muddy Springs Road" opens -again - with some heavy drumming, and some damn nice slide! You get a breather on track #4: "Life Without You," this is the song you want at the halfway mark-slow dance with your partner or find somebody. Track #6 and #7 are my two favorites; "Wall Of Pride" (6) is loaded with power E chords and plenty of rhythm-love it! Check out "Pushin' Fire"-totally loaded; sexy and spooky. Omar's version of "Mississippi Queen" with slide and vibrato-too much. I'd put it up there with the original. The band follows into the next track with a swampy feel-pure Louisiana. The final three tracks are equally brilliant-a very tough package.
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This review is copyright © 2002 by Dick Houff, and Blues On Stage at: www.mnblues.com, all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited without written permission.
For permission to use this review please send an E-mail to Ray Stiles.
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