Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights (2007)

I believe at this point everyone is well aware of my affinity for R&B, Soul, and the Blues. Well, Sharon Jones is my new fav. This whole album is ridiculous, I fell in love right away. She has an incredible voice filled with passion and gut wrenching moans for days, the timing is sublime and on time, like the weather channel people, and cool as a polar bear's nose bro. There isn't one bad song on the album, favorite's are "Nobody's Baby", "100 Days 100 Nights", "Tell Me", "Let Them Knock", and "Something Changed". I first heard Ms. Jones due to Mercy's review of sweet bands and one liners, but was reminded when I was updating my Sam Cooke collection. I feel like maybe Sharon was in the original Blues Brother Movie, and was somehow lost in the editors room. I am thinking that her and Jake shared a scene in prison, you know in the beginning, where she is a guard*, and she breaks out into the song "When the Other Foot Drops, Uncle" after finding out that Jake cheated her in a game of pinochle for smokes. Anyway, class and style for miles, if you're a fan of old school rock, R&B, or Soul check it out, you won't be disappointed, I promise.

*Wouldn't be acting for Sharon as she actually worked as a prison guard at Riker's while recording, no shit.

100 Days, 100 Nights - Sharon ...

Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials – Full Tilt (2008)

On a whim, I bought this album strictly based on album cover alone. Just look at it, with the name Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials? You know they rock. And they do. These guys totally embody everything I think about when I think about the blues. A pimp turned blues man on the vocals, loud horn, egocentric slide guitar, up tempo drummer who knows when to slow it down, and a bass player who looks like his favorite meal is blackened catfish with extra jalapeño cornbread. This band comes through my speakers like a bull in a china shop, making it an absolute certainty that the volume WILL be pushed up when “Hold That Train” starts playin. Lil’ Ed makes his pimp game apparent with songs like “Check My Baby’s Oil” and “First I Look at The Purse”, titles which need no explanation as to what the song’s about. Fabulous musicians who know how to rock the party, then pay tribute to the traditional blues sound are few and far between, but “Full Tilt” quietly says “Hey guy, we got this thing down”. It’s hard to pick a favorite track, however “Life Got In The Way” I feel is a good representation of their style and charm.