Rising Son
Talk about having some big shoes to fill. There's some question as to whether it's really a good thing to be the son ofMuddy Waters, the legend, one of the founding fathers of Chicago blues, et cetera. One listen to "The Same Thing" off of Big Bill Morganfield's impressively solid debut, though, and all questions are answered. Morganfield's guitar playing is the sort that defines a genre; listening to the foot-stomping "I Just Keep Lovin' Her" or the rollicking "Dead Ass Broke," one gets the sense that this is the blues of the highest order. No frills, no pretension, just straight-ahead, rock-solid blues, with a skill on the guitar that makes the difficult sound easy and a voice that growls and hollers with equal ease. There's not a single weak moment on this album, not a note that sounds anything less than perfect. By the time the album closes with the title track, don't be surprised to see smoke coming out of the CD player. It remains to be seen whether Morganfield will be as influential in the blues world as his father, but his talent and skill as a musician are unquestionable.--Genevieve Williams