Search - Smokin Joe Kubek :: Steppin Out Texas Style

100% no-messing blues

Brian | 08/25/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As soon as I bought this album, it immediately became the most tightest, bluesiest, blues album in my (large, guitar based blues oriented) collection. These guys don't mess around, with every track being of standard 12-bar structure. The rhythm section is superb, with Phil Campbell on drums, who shuffles like a dream, and solid as a rock bass playing from Greg Wright. Bnois King's vocals surprised me at first - I thought they were pretty 'un-bluesy'. However, after listening through the album they grew on me, and I now consider his voice to be one of the best I've ever heard on a blues album. His rhythm playing though, is what does it for me. Unbelievably tight, and unashamedly repetitive. Repetitiveness though, is what I believe it HAD to be in a 2 guitar situation. Due to the fact that Bnois keeps it simple, and Greg Wright and Phil Campbell just 'sit' on the groove, it leaves space for the monster that is.... Smokin' Joe Kubek.Quite how this man can play the guitar the way he does with guage 13 strings, I'll never know. His tone is absolutely monstrous, and his playing shows that he knows you don't have to be a flashy player to gain credit. His playing may sound simple at times, but it's definately deceptive. As a blues player myself, I've tried to learn a couple of his licks, and it ain't that easy!Wonderful playing, superbly produced, I could go on....I've only given this 4 rather than 5 stars due to the fact that a couple of tracks (namely "I Wonder Why" and "Lonely Days") are a tad too similar to be on the same album. But that's my only negative point.This is a perfect introduction to someone who wants the answer to the question "What is modern electric blues?". These guys are IT!!"