True Blues's delectable new offering is like Forrest Gump's big ol' box of chocolates -- a tasty sampler filled with so much variety, you savor each and every mouthwatering morsel. This ain't your Daddy's redundant little blues record; it has a whole lot of everything -- from the big, full-bodied, blues-rock of "Is It True?" to the rockabilly/swing-tinged "I Wanna Play the Blues" to the lounge-flavored pastiche of "That's Why I'll Never Get the Blues" to the slick country-slide interpretation and total ownership of Robert Johnson's "Crossroads" to the neo-Piedmont stylings of "Lazy Summer Day," a tune so evocative you feel like you're smack in the middle of a Southern afternoon hot enough to consider giving up your hound dog just for a frosty glass of sweet tea.

    The confident baritone and lean lead-guitar work of Joey Gunter, backed by his veteran, tight-as-Spandex rhythm section, Cash brothers Joe and Pete, on drums and bass, respectively, along with the delightful addition of keyboardist/guitarist Bill Pappas, all work together to make this the most cohesive yet divergent, playful yet thoughtful, energetic yet careful ... well, the most all-round, rock-solid blues album I've heard in the last five years. And I've heard a lot of blues albums in the past half-decade. Most of them give those same three-blues-chords runs such a bad whuppin' that by the end of the second or third track, let's face it -- you can't take another bite.

    Not so with this CD. It really is like that box of chocolates: In this one, you look at the next piece and say, "Hmmm. Last one was so good, I ... think ... I'll ... try ... this ... one ... too!" Next thing you know, the whole box is gone. The only difference between True Blues's record and the chocolate sampler is that you get to play this ear candy as often as you wish!   Sweet!

John Jeter

THE HANDLEBAR

True Blues  Past Due --  A Review  

11/9/04