The Underdogs
Unleashed
Howlin' Muse

From the opening harmonica lick of this CD, I was hooked on the Underdogs. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that I'll personally duke it out with any member of the Excuse/Stubble staff who tries to get this CD back from me. This is some kickin' blues!

Bill Garrett on lead vocals (while playing bass, mind you) is a blues fan's dream. His slightly raspy voice shows an unusually good range for a blues singer, and I loved it the moment he started to sing on the first track. Where blues bands have a tendency to let the harmonica take over (TOO LOUD, that's what I'm saying!), JAB Wilson has the concept of the harmonica as accompaniment to vocals down to an art. Dave Cousar's sweet guitar licks and Case Cooper's perfect clock on the drums round out this great combo.

The Underdogs' covers of "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Cry to Me" were two of my favorites on this CD, but I can't possibly pick out a track I didn't like. Song after song, the Underdogs deliver!

Spencer Bohren fans will get an extra kick from this listen, too, since the Underdogs feature Bohren playing guitar and singing harmony on "Another Day," a song written by Bohren.

I won't say how many times I've listened to this CD in the last two days, ‘cause that'd just be embarrassing. I don't think I can make my feelings clearer than to say, if you like blues and you don't buy this CD, YOU'RE AN IDIOT!

-M.H

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