The CASH BOX KINGS

Holler and Stomp

Blind Pig Records BPCD 5142

By Al Finley

Living in the home town of the Cash Box Kings, you would think that I would have run across this Chicago band before now.  However, their new Blind Pig release Holler and Stomp was my introduction to the band and it is a revelation.  Holler and Stomp is easily one of the best sounding recordings I have heard in ages.  Recorded and mixed by Alex Hall in Jimmy Sutton’s Hi-Style Studios, the recording has all of the atmosphere and warmth of your favorite vintage blues recordings without the scratches and hiss.  Of course, a beautiful recording only gets you so far.  In this case, it’s only the icing on the cake because the originals and covers found on Holler and Stomp will keep you coming back to the recording time and time again.

Lead vocals are mostly shared between band founder Joe Nosek and Oscar “43^rd Street” Wilson.  Joe kicks it off in high style with the self-penned title track and Oscar answers with his own tune (co-written with guitarist Joel Paterson) “That’s My Gal”.  It’s a one-two punch that should have everyone under the spell of this recording.  If not, the easy charm of Jagger/Richards’ “Off the Hook” will do the trick.  Other highlights include Oscar’s crowing “Barnyard Pimp” and bassist Jimmy Sutton’s cover of Ray Sharpe’s “Oh My Baby’s Gone”.  By the time Barrelhouse Chuck’s organ lifts Joe’s “Tribute to the Black Lone Ranger” into the stratosphere; you realize that you have discovered a real find.

While the band is new to me, most of the members beyond the two lead singers are in numerous other roots oriented projects around Chicago. The ensemble also includes blues guitar great Billy Flynn (who played on the soundtrack of the Cadillac Records film along with countless blues CDs) and drummer Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith, son of late great blues artist Willie “Big Eyes” Smith.  All are stellar musicians; Google any one of them and you’ll find impressive resumes. But the real trick here is that producer, harp player and band leader Joe Nosek, along with help from prime guitarist and co-producer Joel Paterson, has crafted an album that sounds like a cohesive band endeavor that effortlessly captures the sounds of bygone days without getting stuck in a retro strait-jacket.  I can’t wait to see if the Cash Box Kings can pull off this magic live and I suggest everyone with an interest in blues or roots music of any kind give this release a listen.  It is truly off the hook!

Al Finley hosts two shows on WNUR 89.3 FM: “Both Kinds” and “The Blues Show”.

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