GUITAR SHORTY
Watch Your Back
Alligator Records

Possibly one of the most dynamic blues record this year, 65 year old David “Guitar Shorty” Kearney gives Buddy Guy a run for his money in his latest flash of blues genius called “Watch Your Back”. Blazing with sizzling hot licks, a la Stevie Ray Vaughan, and old school swagger the man lights ‘em up with “I’m Gonna Leave You,” “Get Busy” and the fiery “It Ain’t The Fall That Kills You”

Known as much for his gymnastic stage performance (flips, somersaults and headstands) as his playing, Shorty unleashes a savage burst of whiskey soaked blues with a hard rock two-step. Aerosmith would do well to take note of the wide-open lick on “Old School” or the sassy lyrics of “What She Don’t Know”. Then there’s the Free-like “I’ve Been Working”, a song just begging for Paul Rodgers.

In 1957, under Willie Dixon’s watchful eye, Shorty mastered the art of meaningful blues that start from the soles of your feet and work their way out in the strings of your guitar. True to form, his remake of Elvis’ “A Little Less Conversation” returns the song to it primal roots and bakes it in the Memphis heat. However, it’s two tracks, “Let My Guitar Do The Talking” and “Right Tool For The Job” that completely capitalize on Shorty’s stock-in-trade. Both share and an intensity for flare and with Jesse Harms (on loan from Sammy Hagar) helping out with the writing they are destined to be classics.

”It Ain’t the fall that gets ya, it’s when you hit the ground.”

Website: Alligator Records


Todd Smith, http://www.thecutting-edge.net