Damn Good And Ready
VizzTone, 2023
9/10
The San Diego blues/Americana rocker Chickenbone Slim brings his inimitable guitar playing and singing to these 12 originals, where an all star cast of players help him flesh out the energetic anthems.
The thumping energy of “High Ballin’” opens the listen with Marty Dodson’s flowing drums alongside Slim’s booming voice and Lisa ‘Lil’ Baby’s soulful backing pipes, and “Let’s Go Lindy” follows with a frisky demeanor that benefits much from Laura Chavez’s playful guitar that helps cement a retro, dance-floor appeal.
Entering the middle, “Damn Good And Ready” is a bit more calm, but no less melodic, where Justice Guevara’s bass is quite cozy, while “Rock And Roll Soul” welcomes Eric Spaulding’s well timed sax to the hard hitting blues rock that will be forever timeless.
Late in the listen, “Ty Cobb’s Chickets” gets intimate, mysterious even, and burns slow, and “I Don’t Want To Talk About It” exits with Slim’s expressive singing complementing the rich guitars and animated rhythm section for the album’s best.
The always impressive Kid Andersen produced the effort, and it sure does highlight each player’s individual strengths for a rootsy, bluesy, Americana experience you won’t soon forget.
Travels well with: Nick Schnebelen- What Key Is Trouble In?; The Lucky Losers- Standin’ Pat