Black Joe Lewis – Scandalous (Lost Highway Records, 2011)

by Dave Sharp on Mar 07^th, 2011

Two years after he gave us Tell Em’ What Your Name Is! Black Joe Lewis bestows upon us another album full of scorchers with his latest release, Scandalous.  This LP dripping of grit and soul seems to have come right out of Stax.  From Joe’s raw voice, to the smooth horn section and every mean bass line in between, this album is ready to spontaneously combust.

The album’s first sin”gle, Booty City,” is a self-indulgent thrill that will have you moving whether you like it or not.  Joe howls like it’s the only way to pay the bills in the contagious “Black Snake.”

“So Scandalous” seems to be stolen from a 60s R&B club with it’s bow-chick-wow-wow vibe about a dangerous vixen.  Then there’s the rousing little blues tune “Messin’” that conjures up visions of Delta Blues veterans.

Joe hustles through the raunchy “Mustang Ranch” trying to get his “ham glazed” for about 20 bucks.  Only to find Jesus a few tunes later in the album’s final fiery pleading track, “Jesus Take My Hand.”

The album teems with elements of classic blues, soul and R&B, while somehow managing to have a fresh sound, rather than sounding like a reissue or recreation of old favorites.  For any serious soul man (or woman), “Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears” needs to be in your vocabulary, and music collection.

Reviewer: Ashley Curtis