Reviews
Bootleg Glues Guitar - red lick records - u.k. Here's one for you guitar freaks. Texas Son is one of the hottest bluesmen in New York at the present time and this is his first album. Originally influenced by Johnny Winter and Billy Gibbons, he now gets his inspiration from the blues of Clarence Edwards. But don't expect to hear any pure downhome blues here, this boy likes to rock out! He puts me in mind of the Texas guitar legend Bugs Henderson in his approach. He leads a powerful trio who thunder along on the straight Texas boogies like "Leavin' you Baby" but provide the right smoky atmosphere on the slow, smoldering blues of "Ghost Blues" or "Chester's Blues". They are a perfect rhythm and they don't get in the way of Texas Son and his snappy, forceful style. And does he like to let loose! Just listen to the funky stabbing lead guitar on "Sugarsweet" (you get two chances to hear it on this disc, the studio version has it just over the live one i think) and he gets a nice fat Jimmie Vaughan tone on the rockin' instrumental "Rattlesnake". He may live in New York but his heart is in Texas. There's hints of Freddy King, and Stevie Ray Vaughan at times and he even has a bash at a Z.Z. TOP tune, but once he's got that outta the way, Texas Son does his own thang and does it in style. This is an impressive debut album. The packaging is pretty basic - well, it's called "Bootleg Blues Guitar" - but it's the music that counts and fans of heavy blues guitar will be knocked out with this one. Copyright © 2008 Texas Son - All Rights Reserved. tex@texasonblues.com