Roll of the Dice
Singer and harmonica whiz Kim Wilson, the only original member of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and longtime drummer Fran Christina were joined by bassist Harvey Brooks, keyboardist Gene Taylor and guitarists Kid Ramos, David Grissom, and Danny Kortchmar forRoll the Dice. Despite all this turnover, the T-Birds' sound remains remarkably consistent; the emphasis is still on Wilson's rich baritone and a rock-solid groove, and those survive undiminished. It also helps that Wilson has matured into a terrific songwriter, able to come up with witty wordplay and catchy melodies, much like such heroes as Willie Dixon, Rockin' Sidney, and David Porter. Wilson co-wrote seven of the 12 songs onRoll the Dice, and comes up with such memorable aphorisms as "How could something so cold come from something so hot?" and "Life is a '59 Cadillac; I'm looking forward to looking back," and such compelling rhythm/melody combinations as the zydeco-flavored "Do As I Say," the Slim Harpo feel of "Takin' It Too Easy," or the Muddy Waters stomp of the title track. The album's surprising cover tunes are Van Morrison's "Here Comes the Night" and Walt Disney's "Zip a Dee Do Dah," but Wilson and his current bandmates bring a classic T-Bird groove to both of them.--Geoffrey Himes