Zicazine Review

He was touched by the blues from an early age since Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith is none other than the son of the huge Willie “Big Eyes” Smith known for being the drummer of a certain Muddy Waters for almost two decades, nothing surprising to see that the singer and drummer have managed to surround himself with some of the gratins of the blues scene to deliver us his new album as we notice, hang on your belts, Billy Flynn, Ari Seder, Greg Guy and Guy King on guitars, Felton Crews on bass, Luca Chellini on keyboards, Omar Coleman and Sugar Blue on harmonicas, but also vocal guests like Andrea Miologos, Dana Gordon and Kimberly Johnson. Determined to pay tribute to a traditional blues as it is played on the Chicago side, Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith & The House Bumpers will release some classic lines of their hats but will not go without going either to go to play the card of the renewal and the innovation, even of the sound experimentation by delivering us some very contemporary nuggets in which one will find a huge dose of feeling, of groove and modernism for a result which knows the occasion to ogle to soul, funk, rock and even sometimes and without any ulterior motive towards pop. True album of blues, “Drop The Hammer” will not miss any of the main features of the genre but will strive to reclaim them and put them up to date to arrive at a result that should appeal also well Buddy Guy fans than those of the more modern bands that take place on a stage that needs them to recharge their batteries. Interesting by the topics covered, attractive by the way to do it, originals like “Head Pounder”, “Scratchin ‘Your Head”, “Puppet On A String”, “Second Hand Woman” or “Moment Of Silence” will not miss one moment to make us enjoy the various facets of a blues that advance in its own way, a blues that will reserve us some more surprises with a title track more than ambitious or with the impressive “Hey Daddy” or the three children of the artist gives him the reply. Well seen!