01.Sweet Tooth Blues - 04:02
02.Love Somebody - 03:40
03.Built To Last - 04:23
04.Thats Who I Am - 03:55
05.Wailing The Blues - 03:25
06.Rock Hauler - 03:26
07.Stop Doggin Me Baby - 03:13
08.Every Time I Go To Houston - 05:02
09.Coyote Moon Blues - 05:17
10.Have Coffee With Me - 03:10
11.Lazy Girl - 02:57
12.Trouble Knockin' - 03:47
13.Jelly Roll King - 03:39
14.Attack Of The Mosquitos - 03:43
15.Too Wild To Tame - 06:37
16.Lightning Boogie - 04:21

Texas Slim – guitar, vocals
Bill Cornish – bass
Kenny Stern – drums
Brian “Hash Brown” Calway – harmonica

Texas Slim is his name and yes, he is a long, lean gunslinger from Texas (born in Dallas, in 1963, his family and friends know him as Robert Sullivan) and has been playing the blues for well over twenty years now and from the highly enlightening sleeve notes of Norman Darwen; we are reliably informed that he is also a well recognised artist playing regularly across Europe and his home country America, he continues to sharpen and hone his musical edges wherever he plays, especially so, in the clubs and pubs in and around the areas of his home town Dallas and Fort Worth.

This is his third album for the Feelin’ Good label and the 16 numbers here retain all the verve, vigour and raw enthusiasm found on his earlier recordings. Long time musical associates helping TS; guitar and vocals, to create this alluring and inviting music are; Bill Cornish; bass, Kenny Stern; drums and Brian ‘Hash Brown’ Calway; harmonica.

TS and the band successfully capture the same happy go lucky, live rocking spontaneous grooving atmosphere that Hound Dog Taylor famously displayed way back in the seventies, in fact due to the high level of energy infused into the performances only eight of them contain any overdubs. Virtually all the numbers are no holds barred solid blues rockers and moaners, with only just enough time between them for you to get your breath back.

Considering the singular fact that Dallas is very much inland some of the numbers such as; the Lonnie Mack and Albert King inspired “Attack of The Mosquitoes” and the Freddie King inspired “Rock Hauler”, contain some wonderful examples of tumbling surfing riffs that effortlessly segue into manically hypnotic sixties drumming while over the top the racing and screaming guitar of TS bestrides the crests of those waves.

The restless and breathless heads down Lightin’ Hopkins inspired “Lightnin’ Boogie” is driven by fasted paced foot-tappin’ drumming with a searing wasp stinging, raw boogie guitar riding scattergun! The pace is somewhat more relaxed and lyrical with the sweetly soaring and satisfying “Trouble Knockin’”, a slowburning shuffling slide driven carpet slider. The pace is yet again picked up with the splendid Frank Frost composition “Jelly Roll King “, a joyously swinging harmonica led shuffler that TS supplies some tasty twanging to.

The slowburning “Too Wild To Tame”, allows TS to bend those strings to heartbreaking effect while a melancholy and lonely drum and bass traipse along in the background.

This is indeed a bumper collection of varied and sparkling blues numbers that will entrance and entertain all that hear it. Highly Recommended!---Brian Harman

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01. Welcome To The Game.
02. See See Baby.
03. Driving Blues.
04. Coffee Shop Girl.
05. High Alert.
06. Mellow Together.			play
07. When It’s Cold Outside.
08. Funky Love.
09. Expresso Girl.
10. Boot Hill.
11. Drama Queen.
12. I’m Good.		play

Line-Up:
Texas Slim - Guitar, Lead Vocals.
Joey Love - Guitar - Vocals.
Bill Cornish - Bass, Vocals.
Jimmy Morgan - Drums.

Digipack.Over the last couple of decades or so, Texas has come to be recognised as the blues guitar centre it has been since early in the last century. Texas Slim fits right in with the tradition, and in fact he has links right back to the music's early days. He told me, "My biggest influences on the styles I play are Johnny Winter, Freddie King, Lightnin' Hopkins, T-Bone Walker, and Little Joe Blue. But I am influenced by all types and eras of blues. Pianist Alex Moore (Paramount Records 1929) is my biggest blues influence and gave me my name - Texas Slim - back in 1982!"It is still important for blues musicians to have paid their dues, and Slim has been an active performer around the local clubs in the Dallas - Fort Worth area too. That mention of Little Joe Blue prompted me to check out the opinion of my friend, guitarist Andrew "Junior Boy" Jones, who told me: "I know Slim very well. He is a very fine entertainer and guitarist.

I can't remember how we met exactly, but I remember after I left Charlie Musselwhite in 1995, he was one of the first to play my guitar that Gibson gave me. He came to one of my gigs and I let him sit in. He is a very good player." Andrew has never let me down yet, and as even the briefest of listens to these tracks confirms, he hasn't here!Even if Slim can't quite put his finger on just what makes Texas so special blues guitar wise ("I don't know honestly, but I am truly proud and honored to help carry on this tradition. It motivates me to play and sing my very best!"), which puts him in some very fine company - Albert Collins, U.P. Wilson, and Jesse "Guitar" Taylor were likewise stumped - he certainly knows what it is all about. Take a listen to how Slim tackles Freddy King's 'See See Baby' - fine, almost relaxed vocals and plenty of fiery guitar, and then it leads into the shuffling title track of Slim's 2009 album, with a typical blues theme and some even rawer playing, rocking into the powerhouse 'Coffee Shop Girl' (Slim does seem to have a thing for a decent cup of coffee - there's an 'Espresso Girl' here too) before slowing things down for "blues time, people" with the high intensity 'High Alert', like the opener, an example of just how skilled Slim is at weaving contemporary references into his material.

Then there is the classic 'Boot Hill' - "Yes, this is an archetypal 'Texas' style blues. I chose this song to perform live in Europe because of its raw power and emotion. Also, I am honored to pay tribute to a true Texas legend - Johnny Winter! I am proud to be a part of the Texas blues tradition!" But I don't want to spoil your enjoyment in discovering this music for yourself... Suffice to say, Slim puts a lot of thought into his show: "I write a set list of the songs I want to perform, making sure I have mostly my own songs with a handful of covers. Then I try to put them in a nicely flowing order - bring it to a full boil a couple of times with a dessert treat at the end.

That is how we 'cook with gas'!"And yes, Slim is cooking here! He was inspired by the setting and audience: "I think European audiences listen more carefully to the music to appreciate it and respect it as a work of art. It is always an honor take your art to another country and be so well received. You feel like a big star when the people cheer for you at the concerts - it makes you play better!" The proof of that last statement can clearly be heard on this CD. And incidentally, with all this focus on Slim's considerable guitar prowess, please don't make the mistake of under-estimating the quality of his vocals ("My goal is to sound pleasant yet powerfully emotional in my own way!") or his excellent song-writing - Slim is indeed an all-round blues master. To close, I can do no better than repeat Texas Slim's closing words to me - "To all fans of the Blues: ENJOY!" With a performance of this quality, that is not difficult, not difficult at all...Norman Darwen, cduniverse.com

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01. Welcome to the game (3:00)
02. Driving blues (3:02)                 play
03. Three bridges blues (3:36)
04. You re hip (3:50)
05. Funky love (5:38)                    play
06. Deville (4:39)
07. When its cold outside (4:35)
08. High alert (4:06)
09. Coffee shop girl (3:48)
10. Cool with the flow (5:22)
11. Country home (3:12)
12. And it is (3:58)
13. Jacquis house bonus track (1:56)

Texas Slim could easily be the reincarnation of a past, soulful singer/guitar-slinger who has returned to carve out another niche in music history. In addition to making his own records with Texas Slim and the Gems and The Texas Slim Blues Band, Slim has record and toured with Cold Blue Steel, Randy McAllister, FOAMY (with members of the New Bohemians), and Freddie King's daughter Wanda King. On his new release Texas is backed by producer/drummer Aaron Comess, pianists Andy Comess and Pat Daughery.

Texas Slim lays down authentic Texas Blues gristle that gets right to the heart; always rockin?, but also soulful, and sometimes sweet. The sassy guitar work that slides off his fingers has "Texas" written all over it. Most guitar players just dream of being half this good.

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