Search - Joe Grushecky :: End of the Century

Rhythm and Blues - Alive and Well

dev1 | Baltimore | 04/19/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Whatever happened to rhythm and blues? Did it crawl away quietly to hibernate in Alaska, or has it been reinvented by Puff Mommy and the Little Puffers? Neither. Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers do a fine job of ensuring that R&B doesn't just fade away. Joe fronts the Houserockers with a soulful voice that's as smooth as the hood of a Porsche 911. He reminds me of Johnny Lyons (Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes), but slightly heavier on the romantic side. Actually, Joe is a dead ringer for the voice of Willy DeVille (Mink DeVille).`Talking To The King,' `No Man's Land,' `Oh Kathleen' and `Lighten Up' rock with a Steven Van Zandt/Mick Jagger bad-boy attitude. A touch of gentle saxophone mellows the affectionate `She's My Everything,' and the gospel harmonies of `Don't Give Up The Ghost' are a fitting ending for The End Of The Century. I also admire the sparse production - the CD has a live barroom sound. Despite the end of the millennium, Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers show that rhythm and blues are alive and well."