THE MANNISH BOYS "SHAKE FOR ME" Source: Muzik Reviews Date: 04/2010 Writer: Abbey K. Davis

The Mannish Boys are less of a band and more of a royal jam session. Every big name around today in blues is (or has been) involved with the band, and their latest release, Shake For Me, shows their combined talents off even more impressively than their previous four albums together.

Blues legends litter the lineup for Shake For Me, including: Finis Tasby, Bobby Jones, Randy Chortkoff, Kirk Fletcher, Frank Goldwasser, Willie J. Campbell, and Jimi Bott, but special guests add even more: Rod Piazza, Kid Ramos, Mitch Kashmar, Nick Curran, Mike Zito, Arthur Admas, Johnny Dyer, Lynwood Slim, Rob Rio, Fred Kaplan, Andy Kaulkin, and “Big Pete” van der Pluijm.

Their expertise shows and almost each track is perfect – you can tell that these musicians are not only stylistically similar, but that they enjoy playing together. The lyrics are funny and smart, and sung with extreme style from each of the three vocalists. “Well you say you can't go on living/if you can't be by my side/gonna send you a drink of poison/please commit suicide” the singer on “You've Got Bad Intentions” says. Other tracks are an ode to having fun, like “Champagne & Reefer.” Others are about life (“Too Tired”) and love (“You Can't Be Beat”), but all of them make a specific point.

The entire album is full of songs that make you want to dance; there are always guitar parts that make your mouth drop, harmonica parts that add an addictive melody, bass lines that add a particular groove, and drums that make the whole thing swing. It's as near to perfection as you can ask a band to get – and what else would you expect from the Mannish Boys?

Key Tracks: You've Got Bad Intentions, Way Down South, You Can't Be Beat