The Cadillac Kings – Crash and Burn
33 Jazz
14 songs, 55 minutes
A solid well traveled Blues band recorded simply as they would sound in a smoky bar makes for a great record. These are the kinds of bands who don’t necessarily have a spotlight hogging frontman/woman; they just hit hard. The Nighthawks, The Cash Box Kings, The Phantom Blues Band. Britain’s The Cadillac Kings is one of these crews and on their newest outing Crash and Burn they deliver the goods.
The Cadillac Kings have been at it for 24 years. The only constant is singer/primary songwriter/harp blower/guitar slider Mike Thomas. Since 2012 Thomas has been sparing musically with guitarist Mal Barclay. Thomas and Barclay create a solid interplay that is fluid and locked in. Paul Cuff on bass and Tim Penn on keys have been Kings since 2011 while relative newcomer Jason Reay started banging the skins with the band in 2018. The CD packaging for Crash and Burn has a reviewer ready personnel timetable.
The longevity of this current incarnation is audible in the music. It is reassuring to the listener when the music flows without hesitation, when the musicians perform seamlessly. This can also be said of the song selection. Mostly original material most of the compositions sound like they were churned out of Chess Studios. “Betty Lou Broke out of Jail,” “I Ain’t Smart,” and “Six Feet From a Rat” have as much character and class as the covers “Bona Fide” or “Zombie Walk.”
If you are a traditional Blues lover, listen to this record.
