Electric Blues
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Son Seals - Live And Burning
Alligator 1992
Review Published Jan 15, 1999
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Track Listing
  1. I Can't Hold Out
  2. Blue Shadows Falling
  3. Funky Bitch
  4. The Woman I Love
  5. Help Me, Somebody
  6. She's Fine
  7. Call My Job
  8. Last Night
  9. Hot Sauce
    EB Rating - 4.5

    Though the CD was released in 1992, Live and Burning was recorded in Chicago in 1978. Playing in his home town, Son Seals pulled out all the stops for this one. This is a very stong set, every song on the CD is a joy to hear, and Son's reputation as a hard working bluesman is evident throuhout the CD. His deep, passionate vocals are in good form, and his guitar playing is excellent, the best I've heard him play. Sax man AC Reed is present, and makes some nice contributions to the music.
    The set opens with the upbeat I Can't Hold Out, on which Son cranks out the guitar riffs, and sets things up for the evening. Blue Shawdows Falling is a blues ballad, and features AC Reed on the sax. Funky Bitch brings things back to an upbeat mood, only to have Son launch into The Woman I Love, the down and dirty, raw blues number of the set. Son's vocal style is particularly well suite to this song.
    Help Me Somebody, She's Fine, and Call My Job fill out the middle of the set, and keep things going pretty well. Then Son slows things down yet again with Last Night, a slow blues ballad. Sax and keyboards are featured on this song. The set closes with Hot Sauce, an up tempo instrumental. My exposure to Son's is somewhat limited. Besides this CD, I've heard his first release The Son Seals Blues Band and the 1996 live recording Spontaneous Combustion. Of these three, Live and Burning is by far my favorite. Son's playing is much more varied and interesting on this CD. He doesn't rely so heavily on the same few riffs, as is the case on the other recordings I've heard. I wholehearted recommend this CD, even if you weren't all that excited about other Son Seals albums you've heard.
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