CD Reviews for 07/13/10 – Andre Williams, Bobby Fuller

Compact Capsules
by Dan Ferguson

Andre Williams
That’s All I Need
Bloodshot Records BS171

Live fast, love hard, die young? For 70-plus year old R&B legend Andre Williams, two out of three is only a plus for fans. With That’s All I Need, Williams proves there’s still ample gas in the tank. Renowned for his legendary Fortune Records sides, Williams returns to the Motor City on this latest featuring backing from members of bands like Outrageous Cherry, Dirt Bombs, Electric Six, and most prominently Dennis Coffey of Motown house band The Funk Brothers. The result is a slow burn slab of soul jams from the deep voiced “Mr. Greasy” with the ever-present salacious streak. Visit www.bloodshotrecords.com.

Bobby Fuller
El Paso Rock, Early Recordings Vol. 3
Norton Records CED-318

He created the rebel rock & roll rebel anthem “I Fought the Law”. While his death in 1966 at age 23 remains an unsolved mystery, thanks to Brooklyn-based Norton Records, Bobby Fuller’s music lives on. Mixing early studio, unissued rarities and live material with his band The Fanatics, Volume 3 of Norton’s excellent El Paso Rock series continues to chronicle Fuller’s formative West Texas days in no frills rock and roll fashion his move to Los Angeles in search of stardom. Copious and colorful liner notes are only icing on the cake. Visit www.nortonrecords.com.

(Dan Ferguson is a free-lance music writer and host of The Boudin Barndance, broadcast Thursday nights from 6 – 9 pm on WRIU-FM 90.3. He lives in Peace Dale and can be reached at [email protected].)<...