Review: Kim Wilson – Slow Burn
Kim Wilson – Slow Burn
Format: CD – Digital / Label: M.C. Records
Release: 2025
Text: Pascal Wilhelm
Mr. Wilson did it again. Another great one. Recordings from 2014 and 2020, mixed and mastered by the great Nathan James with him playing guitar on seven of the twelve tracks (and bass on one other song). There are a few originals on this album, but most of the songs are cover songs. Billy Flynn, Jon Atkinson and Nathan taking turns on guitar, Richard Innes, Marty Dodson and Malachi Johnson alternating on drums, Larry Taylor and Troy Sandow playing bass, Barrelhouse Chuck and Bob Welsh playing piano, and Johnny Viau adding horns on two tracks. Man, what a line-up! Unfortunately, some of them are no longer with us (Richard Innes, Barrelhouse Chuck and Larry Taylor), in a way this record also honours their contributions to blues recordings and live performances over the years.
“Just do it, just do it” you hear Kim say at the start of The Time Has Come. With such an all-star line-up, you can easily trust things will come out fine. And they do, this is just good blues. Playing is great, sound is great (kudos for Nathan), period. And sometimes, at the end of a song, you can hear they feel the same way. Love that, suddenly hearing the musicians cheer while standing in the recording room just after finishing a song. It is like you are there too for just a very quick moment. On So many roads you can even hear them become excited during the cut.
‘Slow Burn’ is Kim’s ninth solo album since ‘Tigerman’ (1993) and he has appeared on many records of famous other blues musicians like Ronnie Earl, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray and Buddy Guy. His work with The Fabulous Thunderbirds is of course well known and this band is still fronted by him up until this day.
The album could easily be regarded as a collection of “leftovers” from other sessions. But even if this is case, who cares? I imagine these guys cut tracks so easily, there is just an abundance of material on tape waiting to be released. And blues fans should be glad about that. How many more is there waiting in the treasury?
Slow burn can refer to a slow building up of anger, but a slow burn relationship is one that gradually builds up over months or years. I remember being blown away by the T-birds when I first heard them, but Kim’s solo work has been slowly burning into my ears over the years. He made it to the point where, anything that he cuts or anytime he plays live, he reaches that point where it all comes together.
Another record for under the Christmas tree this year.
Tracks:
01. I’m Tryin’
02. Leaving You Was On My Mind
03. Sweet Little Angel
04. Boogie In E
05. Howlin’ For My Darlin’
06. Keep Our Business To Yourself
07. The Time Has Come
08. Lowdown Women
09. Easy Baby
10. Gotta Have A Horse
11. Kansas City
12. So Many Roads
Website: https://fabulousthunderbirds.com/