THE MANNISH BOYS "LOWDOWN FEELIN" Source: Juke Joint Soul Date: 10/2008 Writer: Ben the Harpman

These three criteria usually tip me off to disaster on new albums that I get. Delta Groove’s Mannish Boys’ formula has beaten it just about every time since they first got together back in 2004. With a rotating group of cast members, the Mannish Boys have turned out 3 great releases. This release, entitled Lowdown Feelin’ , may leave some a little in doubt of this previously successful formula.

Less is more. I’ve always said it and will probably continue to say it. With five critically-acclaimed guitar players sprinkled throughout the disc, some newcomers to blues might get hit over the head with some of the lick-laden tracks like Willie Cobbs’ “You Don’t Love Me,” and the heavily borrowed “Green Onions” riffs of “Rude Groove.” Yet on other tracks, like the title track Kid Ramos drops some nasty slow-burning West Coast riffs or the take on Albert King by Kirk “Eli” Fletcher on “If the Washing Don’t Get You, The Rinsing Will.” Frank “Paris Slim” Goldwasser also adds an eerie take to Muddy Waters’ “The Same Thing” with a creepy opening slide riff.

Most of the album gets lost in its lowdown groove, slowing its pace to samey sounds and qualities at times. If you are a hardcore traditional fan, this album should be appealing to you for the crispness and honesty for trying to reproduce the sounds of the masters they cover throughout the disc.

Though these guys get really comfortable, there are some real hot spots and fun moments on this disc. Bobby Jones’ evocative vocals are powerful, true, and soulful. “Chocolate Drop,” “Figure Head” (which is my personal favorite of the entire album), and “Dead Letter Blues” wouldn’t have been the same without Jones’ singing. “Figure Head” is also one of the finest pieces of clever, double entendre songs I’ve heard in quite some time. “Chocolate Drop,” “Washing,” and “The Woodchuck” are very heartwarming moments on this disc. You can hear the musicians really cutting loose and if you listen close, may even hear them smiling. How could I not give this at least three stars when you can hear something like that in the music?

David Z & Randy Chortkoff could’ve suffered a little bit more uniformity or even left off a few of the tracks on the disc and it would’ve been just as solid an output this go around. The album, even with its low points, has plenty of highs that are sure to keep fans coming back for more. They sure got the lowdown feelin’ down pat.