by Paul E. Charpentier "snappythecrab" Williamsburg, VA Reviewed on January 9th, 2005
Every few years some new cat comes out and is designated as 'the best since SRV'(or if you've got your ear to the TX music circuit its is about every other month). Sadly virtually every one of these people are cheap Stevie Ray knock-offs. LLB is no different.
I originally picked up this CD when I thought it was a Los Lobos album. Nope, and back to the shelf it went. I didn't think much of it until these folks graced the cover of some guitar mag. I picked it up and read the article - SRV influence; heavy into blues greats; new blues album; turning on a new generation to blues, etc. So I decided it was at least worth a listen, and the next time I was in the store buying CD's I plunked down my $15 for the album and away I went.
Big mistake. It is one thing to be *heavily influenced* by a musician (a la Herndrix to SRV) and it is a whole other thing to rip a man off. HG has the same sound (and set up) as Stevie. We could let that pass but in addition, and here's the big one, he rips off Stevie's licks. Every time I listen I hear something else. 'Crazy Dream' is probably the biggest 'Cold Shot' ripoff I've ever heard. 'Dime mi Amor' is peppered with licks from 'Scuttlebuttin', 'Pride & Joy', SRV's cover of 'Voodoo Chile' and more. The list goes on and on and on. The one thing these guys didn't steal from Stevie is his song writing ability. Yech! The writing is absolutely horrid. I don't know what is more insulting, the fact that these HG is a SRV ripoff (but completely lacking SRV's spark) or the fact that these guys seem to be getting away with it. But like all other flashes in the pan, these guys too shall fade and a few years from now nobody will remember them.
To anyone who doesn't know better I guess these guys are pretty hot. To anybody that knows and appreciated blues, these guys are plain insulting.
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