Music reviews. CD reviews. Critically hip!

When Albert Collins sings, he either looks like he’s making love or enduring a really bad ulcer.  His face scrunches up and he closes his eyes.  What spills out of his mouth are some of the best blues that any living musician is playing today.  He has a knack for soulful wailing and killer guitar playing.

Luckily, Collins’ great performance at Montreux was captured by Eagle Records and now on CD for all of our enjoyment.  There are only seven songs, but they'll last for a lifetime.  From the album’s first track, Iceman to its last, Frosty, Collins goes through the motions with skill and precision.

My personal favorite was Honey Hush, though Too Many Dirty Dishes came close to eclipsing all others.  Other selections include Lights are on (But Nobody’s Home), If You Like Me, Like You Say, and Put the Shoe on the Other Foot.

The reason this Collins CD is stellar is because it’s captured sound.  The blues guitarists, including Clapton and B.B. King, need to be heard in person.  How can you listen to a modulated track that has been perfectly sung, and still call it blues?  The Blues needs to be felt, raw and life -- much more real than what would otherwise be perfectly sung. Collins provides that raw feeling with a strength unseen in the music business nowadays!