Provogue (label)
08 March 2016 (released)
06 March 2016
To be brutally honest, my expectations of this album were not high. Big Boy Bloater has been around a while and it always felt as though he was going for the easy path, not exactly stretching himself.
Never a bad player or performer, it just felt as though he hadn’t really got the ‘oomph’ in him.
On ‘Luxury Hobo’ though things have changed. The sound is harder and there is less cheap-shottery, the band sound more focused and the songwriting definitely has some class about it.
He comes over as a cross between Popa Chubby and George Thorogood with large elements of ‘50’s sci-fi movies and rock & roll rhythms and it all comes together with huge swing and energy.
Big Boy’s guitar playing is very fine and his vocals charge out of the speakers, pinning you to the back wall – on ‘It Came Out Of The Swamp’ he has a great sense of menace and embraces the ‘B’ Movie theme with real verve. His guitar is really harsh and his slide is perfect for the number.
He has a sense of humour – lyrics AND titles – and ‘I Love You But I Can’t Stand Your Friends’ mirrors something we’ve all felt at one time or another.
When he plays it serious – as on ‘The Devil’s Tail’ – you get more great slide but still that underlying sense of fun.
This isn’t the album I was expecting. He really has a new lease of life and it shows on every track, every r&b riff and every lyrical quip. Bloody good stuff.
