1 	Stoned Again 	4:36
2 	Daddies Bones 	4:55
3 	Can't Dress It Up 	5:05
4 	In Your Corner 	4:54
5 	I Heard Voices 	0:48
6 	Everybody's Got Something 	5:02
7 	Workin' 	5:57
8 	She Sees Ghosts 	4:45
9 	Inside of Me 	4:29
10 	As the Tears Go 	4:52
11 	Shiver 	4:01
12 	Bucerius 	4:30

Duffy Bishop 	Vocals
Tommy Cook 	Drums, Percussion
Joe Doria 	Hammond B3
Al Gomez 	Trumpet
Sean Holmes 	Vocals
Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff 	Horn Arrangements, Sax (Tenor)
Austin Elwood Langford 	Guitar
Tim Langford 	Guitar, Vocals
Margaret Linn 	Vocal Arrangement, Vocals
John Mills 	Sax (Baritone)
Polly O'Keary 	Bass, Vocals
Curtis Salgado 	Vocals
LaRhonda Steele 	Vocals
Texas Horns 	Horn 

Sixteen albums into a career that hasn't exactly made him a household name, even in his native Northwest, Tim "Too Slim" Langford not only seems reinvigorated but in 2011 released one of the finest albums in his extensive catalog. He reaches outside his trusty backing duo (new bassist Polly O'Keary joins for this set) to add horns (led by the esteemed tenor saxist Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff), organ, gospel backing vocals, and even singer/fellow Northwesterner Curtis Salgado to spice up these already sturdy songs. Perhaps being older and wiser has helped shift some of Slim's more womanizing, some might say banal, lyrics to substantial, even mature fare. That doesn't mean he's left his wildman ways behind entirely, as the opening funky rhythms of "Stoned Again" makes clear, but there is a more pragmatic sense of love and mortality that drifts through the words of "Inside of Me" and the Stevie Ray Vaughan "Cold Shot" shuffle of "As the Tears Go By" (not to be confused with the Stones' "As Tears Go By"). Through it all, co-producers Langford and Seattle veteran Conrad Uno keep the sound lean but not necessarily stripped down. Langford double- and occasionally triple-tracks his guitar, adding fullness to the already swampy blues-rock that remains his meat and potatoes. Blues singer Duffy Bishop guests on the title track, upping the rocking energy considerably and providing Langford's traditional growl with a female counterpart. Salgado is also a welcome addition, infusing his raw soulful voice to a simmering gospel ballad "Everybody's Got Something," resulting in one of the album's undeniable highlights. Langford's slide drives the blue collar concepts around "Workin'," then fades into the background as he lays into a terse, electrifying lead that captures the tune's driving vibe. The closing instrumental finds a lovely melody enhanced by congas and some of Langford's most restrained, subtle playing and shows just how diverse he has become as a musician, songwriter, and producer who understands the importance of space and dynamics. There's plenty of R&B-laced rock here, such as on the horn assisted "She Sees Ghosts," a song about his dog seeing spirits haunting Langford's house, and on "Can't Dress It Up," but the veteran guitarist has learned to use the studio well, keeping these performances crisp, exciting, and more sonically interesting than in the past. ---Hal Horowitz, AllMusic Review

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01. Wash My Hands
02. Minutes Seem Like Hours
03. Blue Heart
04. Make It Sound Happy
05. Good To See You Smile Again
06. When Whiskey Was My Friend
07. If You Broke My Heart
08. New Years Blues
09. Shape Of Blues To Come
10. Preacher
11. Angels Are Back

Jim 'Too Slim' Langford - Guitars, Vocals
E. Scott Esbeck - Bass, Vocals
Jeffrey 'Shakey' Fowlkes - Drums

Blue Heart is the album from now Nashville based Too Slim and the Taildraggers. Blue Heart follows up 2011 release Shiver. Front man Tim “Too Slim” Langford is joined by Scott Esbeck on bass guitar and Jeff “Shakey” Fowlkes on percussion. With 11 studio albums under their belt, Too Slim and the Taildraggers are clear veterans when it comes to blues rock.

The first few chords of “Wash My Hands” let the listener know they’re in for some thick and heavy blues. Langford’s voice brings a dirty and gritty tone to the song, which is fitting with lyrics like “I washed my hands in the muddy Mississippi but the life of sin don’t wash off clean.” The next track, “Minutes Seem Like Hours” is guitar heavy throughout paired with a smoky bass line that makes the song extremely sultry. “Good to See You Smile Again” is jam packed with soul.

What’s an album without a song dedicated to some booze? “When Whiskey Was My Friend” is just that. Reminiscing about the good ol’ days, when whiskey was still on your good side, even if your lady wasn’t. “When Whiskey Was My Friend” brings a little something that most people can relate to. “If You Broke My Heart” comes barreling in with crashing drums and an equally frantic guitar riff. The gritty sound resurfaces in “Preacher” (a Ross Sermons cover), which tells the story of a preacher who “doesn’t even carry a bible.” Blue Heart ends with the haunting “Angels Are Back.” The lone acoustic track on Blue Heart, “Angels Are Back” brings a little bit of the unexpected to the table.

Blue Heart flows nicely. It is consistently thick, heavy and full of rock throughout which leaves any listeners appetite satisfied. Each note and word of the album is well placed, creating a cohesive album that would be lackluster without any of its parts. It’s clear Too Slim and the Taildraggers knew what they wanted to do with Blue Heart. ---Alysha Rendflesh, bluesrockreview.com

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1. Evil Mind
2. Blood Moon
3. Twisted Rails
4. Get Your Going out On
5. Gypsy
6. My Body
7. Dream
8. Letter
9. Good Guys Win
10. Twisted Rails (Slight Return)

Tim Too Slim Langford - Guitar and vocals
Jeffrey "Shakey" Fowlkes - Drums
Sam Persons - Bass, Vocals

If you have not heard of Too Slim and the Taildraggers it is not their fault, as they have done a great job of getting their music out to the masses over the past 30 years. Their efforts have included countless shows, 13 studio albums, 5 live albums, and 2 compilations, so there is plenty of their music out there for you to choose from.

Originally based in the Pacific Northwest, this trio now works out of Nashville, with Tim “Too Slim” Langford on guitar, Robert Kearns on bass, and Jeff Fowlkes on drums (Kearns and Fowlkes also contribute backing vocals). This group has a distinctively hard blues-rock vibe, and though there are some pretty obvious influences in play here, the sound they end up with is all their own.

By now these guys have figured out how to put together a solid record, and Blood Moon is a slick piece of work. All ten tracks are originals that were written by the band, and a few of the tunes fall into the album rock 7-minute range. This project is mixed and mastered well thanks to Michael Saint-Leon who took care of the recording at The Switchyard in Nashville, so all of the basic stuff is taken care of.

The band’s 45-minute set starts strong with “Evil Mind” which sets the tone for the rest of the CD. Though there are only three members in the group they do a great job of filling the stage with a sweet bass ostinato over heavy drums, and background vocal harmonies on the chorus. Langford is a searing guitar hero, and he tears off a couple of epic solo breaks. After this ends there is a neat bit of 1970s-inspired psychedelic AOR blues-rock, and Too Slim does a fine job of channeling his inner Robin Trower with the slow grinding “Blood Moon.” This blues jam has all the right components, including distinctive doubled guitar and bass and a healthy dose of heavy ride cymbal.

“Twisted Rails” brings a lot to the table. It is heavy funk with a touch of psychedelia and strategically placed harmonizing. The lead vocals dig a little deeper and are more aggravated, and Langford brings his wah pedal into play as he lays down more killer guitar leads. This is all good, but the real story is Fowlkes’ drum kit, as at times the final product is more like a drum solo that has a song written over it. After five minutes of this, the tune changes into a more traditional blue rocker for the final few minutes, which is a pretty cool change-up.

But there is more than British invasion blues rock and 1970s sounds going on here, as the Taildraggers also nail down a respectable country rocker with the highly contagious “Get Your Goin’ Out On.” Then there is the bluesy power rock ballad, “Gypsy,” with its heavy backbeat, and the hard-rocking “Good Guys Win” with its insane bass parts from Kearns. Then there is the final track, an instrumental reprise, and “Twisted Rails (Slight Return)” proves to be an interesting coda to an impressive collection of tunes.

These songs are all solid, but there are a few standouts on this disc. The first is “My Body” with its layers of acoustic and processed electric guitars. It has a softer feel with melodic Gary Moore-esque leads that contrast nicely with the raspy vocals. The other is “Letter,” which defies attempts to stick it into any one genre. It is a hard-driving tune with a raunchy intro over a 12-bar blues base and vintage rock do-wop backing vocals. Intermittent surf rock themes give it a fun vibe, which may seem weird on paper but it works marvelously through the speakers.

It should also be mentioned that the band has included liner notes complete with lyrics for the songs, which is almost unheard of these days. This is a nice touch that a lot of bands no longer bother to deal with, and the Taildraggers’ efforts are appreciated.

Too Slim and the Taildraggers’ Blood Moon is a hard set with blues, rock, and country influences, and the songs are well integrated into a single entity. It is some of their best studio work yet, and their live show is equally enthralling. Be sure to check out their website, as they have a lot of gigs coming up throughout the spring and summer, as this trio has to be seen to be believed! ---Rex Bartholomew, bluesblastmagazine.com

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