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Back Porch Blues

By Bob Riggle (Reviewer)

Up Close & Personal
Watermelon Slim
Southern Records Group & Management

Looking at some of the song titles on longtime VVAW member Bill "Watermelon Slim" Homans's newest CD, "Up Close & Personal," you'd never guess that he used trucks to make most of his living. With songs like "Truck Holler 1 and 2," "Blue Freightliner," "Scalemaster Blues" and others, Homans shows us that the highway of time "is populated by friends, enemies, lovers and strangers, triumphs and frustrations, elation and despair." Although there were many more, I'm sure, Homans thanks the late John Lee Hooker, McKinley Morganfield and Chester Burnett "in recognition of the eternal process of torchpassing."

Brandishing a steel guitar for "Blue Freightliner," Homans offers up an upbeat perkiness that makes it the closest thing to a road-trip tune on the disc. Again on the steel for Chester Burnett's "Smokestack Lightning," he shows off his talent with some of the best guitar work on the CD.

The raw, almost gritty harmonica work on Sonny Boy Williams's "I Don't Care No More" is what helps give this CD that down-home, back-porch feel. To misquote a car commercial, "This could be your father's blues." While the harp work on "Cynical Old Bastard" isn't as earthy, Homans does cut loose with a far-too-short jam.

"Bridgebuilders" is probably the standout song on this CD, primarily because of the very distinct departure in style from the others. His use of African rhythms highlights their influence on not only the blues, but other forms of music as well.

For those of us who miss John Lee Hooker, Homans antes up "Got My Will Made Out." It's the closest I've heard anyone sound like Hooker in some time, minus the trademark toe-tapping.

A 2004 W.C. Handy Blues Award nominee for "Best New Artist," Homans is currently on tour throughout Europe, Asia and the United States. For tour info, contact Chris Hardwick (405-447-4329, chris@southernrecords.com).