Canned Heat and The Fabulous Thunderbirds: All Blues

Legitimate practitioners of the blues realize full well their vocation is a life-long enterprise, neither a passing fad to be followed nor a mere whim to be pursued. It is thus simple to recognize the authentic figures in the field in contrast to the posers: the histories of the former encompass decades, not just years or months. And in the cases of Canned Heat and the Fabulous Thunderbirds, the decades of the members in question add up to multiple centuries, during which epochs the purity of these artists' intent, as well as their loyalty to the genre, has not wavered a whit, even in the face of multiple lineups of personnel. Quite the contrary, it is a testament to the inspirational presence of their longstanding members that the output of the current ensembles add to, rather than detract from, their respective legacies.

Canned Heat
Finyl Vinyl
Ruf Records
2024

Under the continuing leadership of drummer Adolfo 'Fito' de la Parra and incorporating the talents of vaunted guitarist/keyboardist/ vocalist Jimmy Vivino (Basic Cable Band for Conan O'Brien, the Fab Faux), Canned Heat circa 2024 also benefits from the talents of long-time manager producer Skip Taylor—he wrote the incisive "So Sad (The World's in a Tangle)"—as well as the Blasters' Dave Alvin who wrote, sings and plays guitar on "Blind Owl" (tribute to late Heat co-founder guitarist/harpist/vocalist Al Wilson). But these eleven cuts, timing in at just over forty-seven minutes, are more about collective effort rather than those of individuals: tracks like the opener, "One Last Boogie," roll steadily along through the all-around push of all the participants. The level of intensity in such cuts elevates every solo from lead singer and harmonica player Dale Spalding, but there is also poise aplenty permeating this music too, due no doubt to the wealth of cumulative experience at this band's command. Hear "When You're 69," complete with some vintage slide work, and the exotic motifs of "East/West Boogie:" whether or not the latter selection constitutes a homage to the original Paul Butterfield band, it evokes a bountiful era to which both those bands contributed and to which Canned Heat continues its contributions with this well-heeled enterprise.

The Fabulous Thunderbirds
Struck Down
Stony Plain Records
2024

On their first studio album in eight years, the Fabulous Thunderbirds draw upon their simpatico with kindred spirits to delineate the range of styles they've honed to a fine edge over the course of the group's half a century together. Still, even as the current configuration, including founding member Kim Wilson on vocals and harp, aligns itself with ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons ("Payback Time"), Elvin Bishop ("Whatcha Do To Me") and Bonnie Raitt, Keb' Mo', Taj Mahal and Mick Fleetwood ("Nothing In Rambling"), they retain a distinct collective identity. "Struck Down By The Blues" sounds perfectly true to life in its litany of personal woes, but no more so than the upbeat (self-referential?) "Won't Give Up." Both cuts sound authentic emotionally and stylistically, testament to Wilson's leadership in setting a tone for his accompanists to maintain throughout this thirty-five minutes plus of ten cuts. There may be nothing genuinely new in tracks like "That's Cold," but the T'Birds have always excelled more as stylists than innovators and they continue to fulfill that role here with no little variety: hear the acoustic/harp arrangement of the aforementioned "Nothing In Rambling." The audio mix by engineer Shelly Yakus (Don Henley, Warren Zevon) captures with unvarnished clarity the resonant authority in numbers like "That's Cold."

Tracks and Personnel

Finyl Vinyl

Tracks: One Last Boogie; Blind Owl; Goin' To Heaven (In A Pontiac); So Sad (The World's In A Tangle; East/West Boogie; Tease Me; A Hot Ol' Time; You're The One; When You're 69; Independence Day; There Goes That Train.

Personnel: Dale Spalding: vocals, harp; Jimmy Vivino: vocals, keyboard, guitar; Richard 'Rick' Reed: bass; Fito de la Parra: drums.

Struck Down

Tracks: Struck Down by the Blues; Don't Make No Sense; Payback Time; Nothing in Rambling; Won't Give Up; The Hard Way; Whatcha Do to Me; I've Got Eyes; That's Cold; Sideline.

Personnel: Kim Wilson: vocals, harmonica; Bob Walsh: piano, keyboards, guitar; Terrence Simien: accordion, washboard; Johnny Moeller: guitar; Steve Strongman: guitar; Elvin Bishop: guitar; Billy Gibbons: guitar; background vocals; Keb' Mo': guitar, vocals; Bonnie Raitt: vocals, acoustic guitar; Dean Shott: guitar; Taj Mahal: vocals; Chris Ayries: vocals; Steven Kirsty: bass, saxophone; Rob Szabo: percussion; Rudy Albin Petschauer: drums, percussion