Big George Brock - Round 2 (Cat Head)
Reviewed by Ricardo, July 2006

The blurb with this CD acknowledges that there are plenty of excellent blues players these days, but few bluesmen, before going on to assert that Big George is just such a man. On the strength of this CD you have to agree with them.

Yes I've heard more accomplished musicians than Brock, but for a record released in 2006 you'd be hard pushed to find anything which gets closer to the spirit and sound of those great records of the 50's which got many of us into the blues in the first place.

This record follows on from last years equally excellent Club Caravan (read our review here) and although the great Houserockers band, led by the outstanding Riley Coatie (Snr.), appear to have been replaced with what sounds like a slightly slicker group of session fellers, the vibe has been retained. This is proper old school electric blues, and the special guest appearance of 'old friend' Hubert Sumlin on a couple of the tracks only goes to underline the fact.

Vocally, George sounds a little like Howlin Wolf, but he does it without putting on the funny voice that seems to be contemporary shorthand for 'authentic' blues these days. Harmonica wise, it seems he's been working on his tone a little since the last album and in places he manages to pull out a sound that stands up with the best. All in all this is a more accomplished record than before, but without losing too much of it's ragged edge, or glory.

Buy it, it's great.

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