Hitting the Monkey Nerve
Erik W. Wilson | St. Louis | 03/05/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"A perfect introduction to the music of Catfish Keith, "Twist It, Babe!" shows the range of influences on Catfish's guitar playing, from the island sounds of "Brownskin Gal" to the classic blues of Blind Lemon Jefferson's "One Kind Favor". Both Catfish's intricate fingerpicking style (played on a custom built parlor-sized guitar tuned down to E-flat) and his earthy, soulful slide playing (on an old, metal-bodied National Resophonic guitar) are brilliantly executed. His vocals are as energetic and wide ranging, from low, muttering growls to falsetto jumps that remind me a bit of Chris Isaak. Though all of the tracks on this album are excellent, the most moving by far is Catfish's cover of the eerie slide guitar masterpiece by Blind Willie Johnson, "Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground" (a tune that is by the way floating through space on the gold record sent up with the Voyager probes back in 1977). This tune definitely hits "the Monkey Nerve", leaving the listener with no doubts as to why it is called the Blues.If you are interested in Catfish Keith's work, a fan of country blues, delta bottleneck slide blues, or just good guitar playing, pick this album up."
An average listener dug it
David D. Kordahl | Iowa | 01/23/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I'm not an experienced listener of this type of music, but after Catfish Keith played a show at my college, I bought this album and it's grown on me the point that I really love it. His guitar playing is wonderful, of course, and some of the songs are hypnotically unforgettable (Eagle Bird, for one, is great track). I highly reccommend this CD."
Great solo CD !
zenhope | Tainan, ROC | 01/03/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The alternative bass picking of Catfish' style is funcky !...
He must be influenced by many great old bluesman...especially Bukka White...Robert Johnson...Blind Wille Johnson etc.
Anyway..He is a great player of resophonic guitars and a great bluesman. If you play blues, you can not lack this album !..."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1