Larry Garner
STANDING ROOM ONLY
Ruf 51416
available on Rufrecords
This is one very talented blues musician, playing his heart out for you. If you come to it from his prior discs you will have a bit of surprise because he has smoothed up his style and cut out some of the rougher edges. He is sounding more contemporary than his earlier work without losing the soul of what accompanied it like so many others who strived for a more up to the moment sound. This might be because he also is a writer of some formidable songs, that reflect the trials of 'everyman' in his living day to day. He delivers the songs with the conviction of having lived every last bit of them. I have no trouble with his cleaning up his sound, however I do favor his older more Louisiana bayou gumbo as it added a bit more individuality to his music. This is hot and heartfelt music that is played with precision by his top notch band. You can still feel the roots of his growing up in the church, with a gospel meets the blues feel. His guitar flashes but isn't the propelling machine as in a lot of todays blues. What drives his songs is the careful crafting of his stories. Not only will you tap your toes to this music, but his words will get inside your head and cause your thinking to come back to life. He has a good strong sense of story and that combined with his sense of humor, and the feel of the band for the songs, make this a standout. Try it.
Songs, times and writers - All songs written by Larry Garner unless noted
1 A DRIVING WOMAN - 5:85
2 DO YOUR PERSONAL THING - 5:85
3 STRANGERS BLUES - 5:85
4 KEEP THE MONEY - 5:85
5 DON'T START CRYING - 5:85
6 OUT IN THE COUNTRY - 5:85
7 I'LL RUN CROSS YOU - 5:85
8 PMS - 5:85
9 DRIFTER - 5:85 - Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
10 COLD CHILLS - 5:85 - Henry Gray
11 LAST ENCORE - 5:85
Players
drums - Steve Potts (Tyronne)
bass - Dave Smith (Mr. Punctuality)
piano and B3 - Ernest Williamson Jr. (The Blues Bear)
rhythm guitar (2 & 3) - Jack Holder
Angels of Background Vocals - Jackie Johnson and Rebecca Russell
guitar and vocals - Larry Garner
Produced by - Jim Gaines (The Genius)