Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials: Jump Start (Alligator)

 |   |  <1 min read

Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials: House of Cards
Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials: Jump Start (Alligator)

When Bruce Iglauer founded Alligator Records in Chicago 40 years ago it was to release albums by the likes of Hound Dog Taylor and Albert Collins who were burning up local clubs with their incendiary and tough minded playing.

In 1986 singer-guitarist Lil' Ed and his band were invited to record a song but, treating the studio like stage, they stormed through a whole set which became their debut album Roughhousin'.

That's Lil' Ed, just plug him in and stand back. And this 14 song collection is in the classic Chicago style of barbed wire guitar, tough lyrics about hard times (smoking crack) and luckless love.

Lil' Ed (who is indeed very small) is close to 60 but there's no suggestion he's slowing down – his solo on House of Cards alone could peel paint – but when he pulls the pace back for slow-fuse ballads he delivers with a rare passion and injects his playing with melancholy (the weeping tone on Life is a Journey or the funereally-paced If You Change You Mind).

But mostly what is here kicks in with drilling drums and swooping bass behind his piercing slide which comes on like Elmore James in a drag race.

Light the fuse, stand well clear.

Like the sound of Alligator blues? Then check this out.


Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   Blues at Elsewhere articles index

Shemekia Copeland: Uncivil War (Alligator/digital outlets)

Shemekia Copeland: Uncivil War (Alligator/digital outlets)

Although this daughter of the great Johnny Copeland had 20 years and more than half a dozen albums behind her, we didn't hear her until her impressive, socio-political America's Child two years... > Read more

Dani Wilde/Victoria Smith/Samantha Fish: Girls with Guitars Live (Ruf/Yellow Eye)

Dani Wilde/Victoria Smith/Samantha Fish: Girls with Guitars Live (Ruf/Yellow Eye)

As mentioned about a previous album of this concept of gals with guitars, there's nothing like giving 'em what it says on the box. And yep, these three are blues-rock women with guitars and that... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

LEONIE HOLMES AND EVE DE CASTRO-ROBINSON CONSIDERED (2018): Classical, contemporary and beyond . . .

LEONIE HOLMES AND EVE DE CASTRO-ROBINSON CONSIDERED (2018): Classical, contemporary and beyond . . .

Leonie Holmes and Eve de Castro-Robinson would seem to have much in common. Both are composers, both are lecturers in composition at the University of Auckland's School of Music, both have... > Read more

David's Spanish lamb and red pepper stew

David's Spanish lamb and red pepper stew

David says this is a deliciously simple recipe that can withstand a few variances in the amount of ingredients used, the only caution being that you use very good quality paprika. The Spanish brand... > Read more