Sinner Street

Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers

Blind Pig – 5065

reviewed by James Middlefield

I won this CD in a drawing at the last Blues Society meeting and WBS President Leslie Fleury demanded a review as she handed me this prize. So here’s what I think about Jimmy Thakery’s latest recording effort.

Although I have heard a lot of this kind of blues style from some of our West Coast favorites (read that Lloyd Jones, Tommy Castro etc.) I, and I hope you, never tire of strong, funky, hot guitar and sax , on top of a tight rhythm section, performed by professionals like the Drivers. I for one will do my best to catch their next show in our region.

This CD is heavy groovin from the get go. Starting with ‘Grab The Rafters’, Jimmy and the Drivers move into a funk that lifts you up and makes you want to jump up and grab those rafters with him. The second cut called ‘Bad News’ swings with a casual cool groove, fun lyrics and a sense of humor to match.

‘Sinner Street’, the title track, sounds like the intro track from a detective movie. You can picture your favorite super hero struttin’ down the wet pavement of a New York side street in a long black leather coat to the strong sax and guitar movements in this song. The next cut called ‘Lovin’ My Money’ takes you down another road with jangley guitar meeting vocals that sort of leave you wanting the down and dirty grooves of the first three cuts. For me this song follows too tightly to the chord changes and metronome consistency of the drums before heading to a guitar solo just for the sake of it. The call and response form of the melody and leads gets a little repetitive or did I all ready say that.

To get back on the right road track no. 5, ‘Chained to the Blues Line’, gives you the funky rhythm that Jimmy and the Drivers are so good at and takes you back to the grind that blues lovers appreciate. But you won’t stay there long because half way through the CD, ‘Detroit Iron’, written by John Cook and sung by drummer Mark Stutso, is one of those tunes that blues purists might think belongs on a rock CD, like maybe something by Bruce Springsteen.

The next three songs on the CD are a roller coaster ride from the poetic shuffle and familiar sounding territory of ‘Hundreds Into Ones’, to the Chuck Berry feeling of ‘Never Enough’ to the rocker “Million Dollar Bill’ which also feels more suited for the arena than the blues club.

But all is not lost, track 10, ‘Havin A Heart’ offers more of that bluesy mood and those smart ass lyrics that make blues fun. And, the final cut on the album may be the musical highlight of the compilation. ‘Blues ‘Fore Dawn’ closes out a fine, although somewhat circuitous CD with a great instrumental track. Sometimes blues instrumentals say much more than song. If you are into Lloyd or Tommy you’ll enjoy Jimmy but maybe not all 11 cuts.