Artist: Wildcat O'Halloran Band
Album: Lead Me Not Into Temptation, I'll Find It Myself
Release: 2024
Website: https://wildcatohalloran.com/
The latest release from Wildcat and company is an 11 song set of the blues he has become known for. Musically the band tends to wade in the traditional side of the blues, but lyrically "Cat" always tells a fun and interesting story that is atypical of the blues. He is undoubtedly a skilled wordsmith with a great sense of humor. His guitar playing is derivative of 60's Clapton, choosing taste and restraint over guitar acrobatics. I suspect he is more of a Peter Green and Matt "Guitar "Murphy fan than the players that came to the blues scene with a Hendrix influence.
The first song Temptation is a fun lyric that perfectly sums up his approach to writing lyrics. It's always a story that leaves the listener needing to hear it to the end to see how the story plays out. His lyrics are simply entertaining and light hearted at every turn. His guitar playing on this cut tips the hat to the great Otis Rush in more ways than one, borrowing heavily from the classic "All Your Loving". Not a bad source to grab some licks!
The slow blues My Own Fault is a 7:32 master class in taste and grit, reminiscent of the kind of blues you would hear in one of the alleys on Beale Street. It's not pretty, but it is 100% real. The pretty stuff is inside the club under the lights, but the real stuff is on the street with the dirt. The harmonica and guitar leads are a throwback in time to a "less is more" approach that there isn't enough of in the modern blues scene. This is the space in which this band shines. It would be a mistake to even attempt to polish it. It would be like trying to class up BBQ and coleslaw. It is meant to be consumed on a paper plate at a picnic table in an alley.
Always a sucker for a straight simple shuffle, the track Don't Get No Further scratched that itch. With distorted harp that howls and moans throughout, this one lands right in blues central. There is nothing new or groundbreaking here, which I mean as a compliment. Just solid blues being played on top of a freight train shuffle. It has everything that fans of gritty blues live for. The performance is nasty, but mature. Nothing complicated, just damn good.
This album feels like it could've been recorded in the 70's with the dry production that was prevalent in that time period. It is a sound that is dated in a great way. A time before the bass was buried in the mix and barely audible. Each instrument sits comfortably in the mix complimenting the ensemble. If you like a traditional approach to blues, this is a great place to find it. Not only is it traditional musically, but seems to be recorded in a traditional manner, leaving the grease in it right where it belongs. It is also a fantastic intro into the world of the Wildcat O'Halloran Band. With almost 20 records in their catalog there is a lot to dig into and this album is a great first scoop.
