Gatemouth Brown has always had a soft spot for songs that breathe the air of his native Southwest. On Back to Bogalusa, he's put together an entire album of them, drawing on the work of songwriters like Bobby Charles ("It ... more »All Comes Back," "Why Are People Like That"), Delbert McClinton ("Lie No Better"), and Hoyt Garrick ("Folks Back Home," "Louisian'"). Cajun echoes drift across the album's landscape--Zachary Richard's accordion, Brown's fiddling in "Breaux Bridge Rag"--and Sonny Landreth puts the raccoons to flight with thunderous slide guitar on Lowell George's "Dixie Chicken" and a couple of other numbers. Some of the songs are either too sentimental or too oblique to suit Brown's plain approach and grandfatherly voice, but his old blues heart beats strongly on Don Nix's "Same Old Blues," and he struts his stuff like a... well, like a Dixie chicken in the defiantly boastful "Bogalusa Boogie Man." --Tony Russell« less
Gatemouth Brown has always had a soft spot for songs that breathe the air of his native Southwest. On Back to Bogalusa, he's put together an entire album of them, drawing on the work of songwriters like Bobby Charles ("It All Comes Back," "Why Are People Like That"), Delbert McClinton ("Lie No Better"), and Hoyt Garrick ("Folks Back Home," "Louisian'"). Cajun echoes drift across the album's landscape--Zachary Richard's accordion, Brown's fiddling in "Breaux Bridge Rag"--and Sonny Landreth puts the raccoons to flight with thunderous slide guitar on Lowell George's "Dixie Chicken" and a couple of other numbers. Some of the songs are either too sentimental or too oblique to suit Brown's plain approach and grandfatherly voice, but his old blues heart beats strongly on Don Nix's "Same Old Blues," and he struts his stuff like a... well, like a Dixie chicken in the defiantly boastful "Bogalusa Boogie Man." --Tony Russell
"This is one CD that keeps me smiling from the opening notes of "Folks Back Home" until the final song, a humorous ode to gators, "Dangerous Critter". Even though Clarence is pushing slowly towards 80 years of age, he can still swing with the best of them. He demonstrates his famous finger picking dexterity on tune after tune and his voice is slightly weathered, but warm and engaging. I find myself constantly singing along on "It All Comes Back" and my favorite, "Breaux Bridge Rag".I guarantee you will sing along with him too. These songs have a swaying, flowing feel, like sipping a beer or lemonade on a hot,lazy summer day and thinking that life is good, that convey the sincerity of this great artist's vocals. He demonstrates that he can still knock out an uptempo tune on the funky "Bogalusa Boogie Man" and my favorite rocker "Lie No Better". Throw in a couple of swinging instrumentals,"Grape Jelly" and "Slap It" and you have the makings of a great CD. In my opinion, there isn't a weak song in the whole set and this is one of my favorite listens. I sure hope we are blessed with many more years of "Gatemouth", because I surely enjoy listening to this and other CD's he's made. I highly recommend you give this a listen...actually, buy it! You will not be disappointed.Every person I have loaned this to has told me they love it."
A NICE SURPRISE
Tom | 08/11/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Every once and a while, I'll buy a cd that I never heard before buying it and this was one of them. It's a good mix of country blues, a little swing and some jazz. Clarence has one of those voices that kind of relaxes you after a long day at work. While I prefer the blues of Buddy Guy, Luther Alison and the like, there is no question that I'll be buying more of "Gatemouth's" cd's. I highly recommend this one."
A Fabulous CD
Tom | 09/09/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I had never heard of Gatemouth before, but I bought the album because of another review. This is a great mix of old style Texas blues done by a master. The CD gives the impression of being in a nice, comfortable blues club, listening to the stories of a lifetime as told by someone who took the long road to get where they are now. There is a depth to this CD not found in many recordings today."
Refined cd of this gentleman of blues scenery!!
Ricardo Neves Gonzalez | Petrópolis-R.J. Brazil-bluesfan@ig.com.br | 04/10/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Another amazing work of this multi instrumentist who's talents abound!!This is really a masterpiece since the first track until the end.Clarence is back to his roots,revisiting some tunes that were listened at that so far distant days of the begining of this fantastic career.The kind and way Clarence makes music is something only we can find in only few excelent musicians.The reason i like so much his music,is because i really like refination in many things specially,music.And this cd is full of refined moments.A gem!!!!Unloss this work,if you really loves excelent music!!!"