Omar & The Howlers: Muddy Springs Road


Omar & The Howlers : Muddy Springs Road
RUF 1105

More about Omar & The Howlers

10.00 Euro


Re-Release

Release date

3/2005

Release Notes

Finally available again! The legendary album "Muddy Springs Road" from OMAR & THE HOWLERS as a re-release. Originally released on Watermelon in 1995 and recorded with the master formation: Omar Dykes, Gary Primich, Bradley Kopp and Mark Hallman.

"His best album yet." (Living Blues 9/1995)

"Possibly the best blues record of the year." (Cake #38, 1995)

"Kent "Omar" Dykes has rid himself of the annoying mannerisms which spoiled his earlier blues-revival albums. The Texas-based bluesman has stripped down his arrangements and disciplined his vocals to pare away the excessive, self-aggrandizing flourishes. What remains, on Muddy Springs Road, is a single-minded emphasis on rhythmic grooves and on Dykes's deep, raspy baritone. For this album, Dykes abandoned his customary trio format to lead a septet of Austin all-stars, including such notables as harmonica player Gary Primich, keyboardist Nick Connolly, and drummer George Rains. The larger number of musicians behind him must have convinced Dykes he didn't have to do everything himself, for he plays and sings with far more restraint than he has ever displayed. From the Hooker boogie of "Midnight Ramblin' Man" and the Slim Harpo swamp sound of "Life Is Just a Circle," to the Chuck Berry riff of "Get Hip" and the Bo Diddley beat of "Hoo Doo Ball," Dykes's rhythms are derivative but admirably executed. Dykes wrote all 11 of the album's songs [...] ." (Geoffrey Himes / amazon.com)


Tracklist

  1. Muddy Springs Road
  2. Black Bottom
  3. Midnight Ramblin' Man
  4. Hoo Doo Ball
  5. Life Is Just A Circle
  6. Life Without You
  7. Exactly What I thought She'd Do
  8. Everywhere I Go
  9. Get Hip
  10. Hurry, Hurry
  11. Dangerous Man