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Bobby Bell
'Bout Time
By Steven Fullwood
Robert Cray had better watch out. There's a hellhound on his tail - New
York-based musician Bobby Bell. His first CD is called 'Bout Time, and well, to hear blues
this good, it's about time.
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But let me warn ya; this here ain't your mama's blues.
Bell takes his cue from legends like B.B. King and John Lee Hooker, but with his own
contemporary delectable spin on it. From the first song the crunchy "New Shoes"
to the bring-the-house-down emotion of "Jungle," 'Bout Time is an enjoyable
affair. Bell doesn't overwhelm with a barrage of blues guitar; instead he seems more
concerned with breathing life into a song. So you get rich horns, a funky bass, decent
singing, decent lyricism and a badass bluesman to boot.
Bell pens most of the album, with the exception two rather good covers of classics - Al
Green's "Love and Happiness" and Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues." He
takes "Love and Happiness" up a notch with a Funkadelic-inspired guitar that's
supported by a pick-it-up-and-take-it-somewhere beat. On "Inner City Blues," he
strips the song down so that the funky groove nails down Gaye's social critique without
losing its bite.
On 'Bout Time, Bell distills his influences (Hendrix, Parliament Funkadelic) and each
track bears his personal stamp and emphasizes his musical diversity. Bell coos his way
through "Every Second With You" and "Winners" and cuts loose on tracks
like "Stroke" and "Love and Happiness."
That's enough, now go pick up 'Bout Time. It's sure to set fire to your soul.
M
December 2000
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