Reviews: Gritz  Magazine Online

Allstars Vol. 2
Various Artists
(King Mojo Records)

King Mojo, the label of the late great Dru Lombar and Grinderswitch, dishes up a killer sampler of some of their other artists and there is some major talent here folks.

Beau Hall is first with an acoustic -electric "Hell and Ecstasy," a really good song with some very pleasing vocals and arrangements that breaks through Top 40 boredom with sheer originality.

Each artist tosses out two tunes, with Diane Durrett getting downright sultry on the blues "Side Squeeze," and her breathless delivery of "Hanging On A Rainy Day" is equally compelling.

Big Shanty serves up some nice blues, Bill Stewart and the ATL buy down some downright greasy funk.

The Mike Lowry Band is a jelly tight blues ensemble, and The Polk Street Blues Band is very reminiscent of our aforementioned friend Dru Lombar. Dustin Sargent pulls out some old school sax driven jazz, and Little Phil brings it all back home with a pair of blues nuggets, the soulful "Too Much" dominating.

King Mojo has some mightly fine artists, and this is a helluva sampler.

-Michael Buffalo Smith