Billy Price – Dog Eat Dog
12 songs time – 58:34
After releasing a total of 17 albums, CDs and DVDs, Fair Lawn, New Jersey native soul blues singer Billy Price now residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania still has the mojo going on at the age of seventy. Be it one of the eight original compositions or the four covers the same degree of care, energy and musicianship is afforded to each song. Billy’s earnest vocal delivery propels each and every song, be it a smoking soul tune or a slow burning soul ballad. Having a cadre of first class musicians in the studio doesn’t hurt a bit. The rhythm section of Alex Peterson on drums and Jerry Jemmott provides a sturdy foundation for such players as Kid Andersen, Jim Pugh, Jon Otis(son of the late great Johnny Otis) and Rick Estrin among others keep the groove going strong.
The Billy Price-Jim Britton penned “Working On Your Chain Gang” speaks to working for his woman. The narrator tells his old love to get lost in “Lose My Number” that sports nifty organ accompaniment by Jim Pugh and a fine saxophone solo courtesy of Eric Spaulding. “We’re In Love” bops along jauntily with a hipster vibe. The title song “Dog Eat Dog” is a cover of a Rick Estrin song previously recorded by Rick. Estrin adds his masterful harmonica chops and Alabama Mike shares vocal duties with Billy.
The guys tackle a slow horn driven blues with “My Love Will Never Die” behind Billy’s extra emotive vocal. Zippy percussion intertwines with ARP strings, Moog, horns and Mike Zito’s cantankerous wah-wah guitar on the funked-up “All Night Long Café”. Sons Of Soul Revivers provide gospel styled backing vocals to the exuberant soul of “Walk Back In”. The horn groove on “Toxicity” is sublimely addictive.
“Remnants” is a classic slice of cheating woman blues that has Kid Andersen’s crazy wah-wah guitar skittering all over the place. More soothing soul on “Same Old Heartaches” by Melvin and Mervin Steals, best known for writing “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love” by The Spinners. Soul ballads just don’t get better than “More Than I Needed” with it’s seductive synth and organ. The bluesy soul of “You Gotta Leave” with its’ bouncy horn section brings things to a satisfying conclusion. Kid Andersen delivers a stingy guitar solo to tie this one up.
Blues inflected soul music in the capable hands of Billy Price and company is a funky masterpiece to groove you and move you. Added and abetted by multi-instrumentalist and co-producer Kid Andersen and his choice players, you surely can’t miss with this gem. Man that cat Billy has got him some soulful pipes!
