If the 10 years these Texas guitarists have spent as a team exploring the world bar by bar has been "research," what they've learned is how to please a crowd. The formula's simple: no-frills songs about women and working f... more »or a livin', set to meat-and-potatoes arrangements that leave plenty of room for their guitars to roam. Kubek's six-string snarls the loudest, hitting Albert Collins-style sustains and grinding out beefy chords. King skirts around the fringes with his sweet-toned, jazz-informed fills or works at groove-level, anchoring things with his basic, chopping, R&B-style chording. King's vocals are really his trump card. They're smooth and slinky when he's romancing in "Make It Right" or gravelly as Kubek's fluid guitar when he's a driven man in numbers like "Runnin' Blind." The album ends with the kind of guitar grand finale that sets a crowd on fire just after last call. The tune, "Standing in My Door," lets both six-stringers sting. Bnois King lays down a red carpet of sliding chords and Smokin' Joe struts through, doing his own dirty take on B.B. King's vibrato-laden style, bending notes and letting them sing. Then Bnois take the lead, his cleaner fretboard diction cutting even closer to B.B.'s lines before he returns to the microphone to sing the closing chorus. Fans of the Lone Star State's blues guitar tradition need to check these guys out. --Ted Drozdowski« less
If the 10 years these Texas guitarists have spent as a team exploring the world bar by bar has been "research," what they've learned is how to please a crowd. The formula's simple: no-frills songs about women and working for a livin', set to meat-and-potatoes arrangements that leave plenty of room for their guitars to roam. Kubek's six-string snarls the loudest, hitting Albert Collins-style sustains and grinding out beefy chords. King skirts around the fringes with his sweet-toned, jazz-informed fills or works at groove-level, anchoring things with his basic, chopping, R&B-style chording. King's vocals are really his trump card. They're smooth and slinky when he's romancing in "Make It Right" or gravelly as Kubek's fluid guitar when he's a driven man in numbers like "Runnin' Blind." The album ends with the kind of guitar grand finale that sets a crowd on fire just after last call. The tune, "Standing in My Door," lets both six-stringers sting. Bnois King lays down a red carpet of sliding chords and Smokin' Joe struts through, doing his own dirty take on B.B. King's vibrato-laden style, bending notes and letting them sing. Then Bnois take the lead, his cleaner fretboard diction cutting even closer to B.B.'s lines before he returns to the microphone to sing the closing chorus. Fans of the Lone Star State's blues guitar tradition need to check these guys out. --Ted Drozdowski
CD Reviews
Texas Blues At Its Best
deepbluereview | SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA USA | 04/16/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"On this release Kubek and King bring some of their best stuff and offer ten all new original tracks of smokin' Texas blues music. The rhythm guitar of King provides the perfect back drop for Kubek's stinging lead guitar and occassional slide. King, whose pipes are smooth and polished, provides all vocals. Overall, an excellent release and not a bad track anywhere to be found."
TOP SHELF TEXAS BLUES
Mark McGarry | Dallas, Texas USA | 02/04/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Roadhouse Research continues the Texas guitar dynasty of Smokin' Joe Kubek and Bnois King. On this CD you'll hear the swinging dialogue between the Stratocaster, played by Kubek, and the Gibson 335, played by King. On tracks 6, 7 and 10 we are treated to extended solos by both guitarists. "Standing in My Door," a slow blues in B flat, is one of the albums prime cuts. At 4:47 of this song, King's solo takes a turn eerliy reminicent of T-Bone Walker's confident jump style. Other highlights include Joe Kubek's graceful yet gritty slide work, and King's unique comping ability, which gives the 12-bar form several layers of depth.BONUS. According the liner notes, this CD features the regaular road band that backs up King and Kubek. What you hear on the CD is what you're likely to hear at a live performance. In other words, what Kubek and King do in the studio, they can do on the road."
Texas blues at is best.
M. Bernocchi | Old Windsor, Berkshire United Kingdom | 03/11/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"With their last issue for Blind Pig, Smokin' Joe Kubek and Bnois King have probably produced their best effort so far. No many concessions to any other gender here, just blues as it should be played. I personally believe that the combination between the two different styles of this two guitarist works very well giving to the sound of the band a very distinctive flavour. The more aggressive and aloud stile of Joe Kubek (that recalls to me something in the between of SRV and Albert Collins) finds a fantastic counterpart in the more jazz infected and relaxed stile of Bnois King. Bnois vocals are excellent throughout the entire album and the rhythm section plays its part in creating a fantastic sound. Having said that all the 10 songs included in this CD are equally good and that I don't think you will be tempted, during your listening, to skip any of them, I would like to mention "Standing in my door" a slow blues in which both of them have the opportunity to show us how their different styles could be blended together with fantastic results."
Back to their roots?.... Almost......
Brian | 05/27/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I pre-ordered this CD on amazon, i'm that big a fan. I own all of kubek's releases, so i hope you think i'm worth listening to, review wise.They go on about going back to their roots for this CD. I'd say they almost get there. The first track's a rocker, which i found an unusual choice... why start with a track like that? My confidence was restored however with the 2nd track: an up-tempo minor tune featuring an absolutely demon rhythm riff from Kubek. It also includes one of the best lines i've ever heard Bnois sing: "Tell me why.... did you let me sample your supply?" Sheer blues poetry!!!However, the third track is similar to the first. Rocky, and pretty much based around one chord. So by half way through the 3rd track on my 1st listening, I was wandering what was going on re: going "back to their roots". Apart from the 1st & 3rd tracks though, the boys do hit the texas style hard, which is what they do best in my opinion. The two slow numbers are terrific, with Bnois pulling out all the stops in a typically quirky solo in one of the slow numbers.So why have I given this a pretty decent 4 stars when i've not exactly been shouting about it from the rooftops so far? For the standard of guitar playing - simple as that. Both boys are on form. I think they could've used a different drummer though, as i reckon some of the drummers they've used on past albums can shuffle better than the guy they used on this one. But hey, we don't know what's going on behind the scenes - band politics etc!! I also think they could've maybe re-arranged the track listing on the album to ease the listener more gently into their rocky numbers. Don't get me wrong, this is a great blues guitar album, it's just taken me a while to get into, that's all. With all the Kubek albums I own, I've been hooked from the first riff on the first track on the first listening. Whereas with this album, it didn't quite hit the spot to start with. I think this album is what's known in the trade as a "grower". I just wish they'd bring out a live one, becuase I don't see them coming to the UK, and I have a feeling seeing this band live would simply blow me away....."
Overlooked
Brian | 06/16/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The talent of this band has been overlooked for years due to other talent that has come out of Texas. Worth a listen, and on the first pass if you like blues or blues-rock, you most likely will appreciate this CD."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1