Bang That Bell is an album by the American musician Melvin Taylor, released in 2000.[2][3] He is credited with the Slack Band.[4] Taylor supported the album with a North American tour.[5]
| Bang That Bell | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1999 | |||
| Studio | Ardent | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Label | Evidence Music[1] | |||
| Producer | John Snyder | |||
| Melvin Taylor chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editProduced by John Snyder, the album was recorded at Ardent Studios, in Memphis.[6][7] Though mostly blues, it is marked by more prominent jazz, funk, and rock influences.[8][9] Eric Gales played guitar on the album; Sugar Blue played harmonica.[7][10] "Trick Bag" is a cover of the Earl King song.[11] "If You're Goin' to the City" was written by Mose Allison.[12] "Even Trolls Love Rock & Roll" is a cover of the Tony Joe White tune; "A Quitter Never Wins" is by Tinsley Ellis.[13][14]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [15] |
| DownBeat | [16] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [17] |
| The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings |  [6] |
JazzTimes noted that "for sheer guitar heroics and fretboard flash, it’s hard to beat Melvin Taylor."[11] The Daily Herald opined: "With its cartoonish cover artwork and more party-oriented songs, it sounds specifically tailored to a rock audience impressed by more bland guitar technicians like Kenny Wayne Shepherd."[18] The Star Tribune determined that Taylor's "funk is fiery and fertile, his rock is about punch and substance rather than idle flash, and his jazz detours are potent and legit."[19]
The Toronto Star wrote that "a galloping four-piece group primes Taylor continuously, Norris Johnston making keyboards wail hard, and the boss ... is quick, uses the axe's full range and specializes in hard-bent notes."[20] The Detroit Free Press determined that "Bang That Bell sees him inching closer to Robert Cray territory, where blues meets soul for some serious storytelling."[13] The Dispatch–Argus opined that the Slack Band "are as tight as any band around."[21]
AllMusic wrote that "Taylor is undoubtedly blues-oriented, but his music is also fueled by bursts of jazz, R&B, funk, and distorted wah-wah-inflected rock."[15]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bang That Bell" | |
| 2. | "Love Is a Gamble" | |
| 3. | "Another Bad Day" | |
| 4. | "It's Later Than You Think" | |
| 5. | "My Life" | |
| 6. | "Trick Bag" | |
| 7. | "If You're Goin' to the City" | |
| 8. | "Don't Cloud Up on Me" | |
| 9. | "A Quitter Never Wins" | |
| 10. | "Even Trolls Love Rock & Roll" |
References
edit- ^ "Melvin Taylor & the Slack Band Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Hunter, Jr., Al (May 19, 2000). "No Slack in Taylor's Guitar Virtuosity". Features Yo!. Philadelphia Daily News. p. 68.
- ^ Hanson, Karen (October 28, 2007). Today's Chicago Blues. Lake Claremont Press.
- ^ Komara, Edward M. (October 28, 2006). Encyclopedia of the Blues: K-Z, index. Taylor & Francis US.
- ^ "Melvin Taylor to bring the blues to Muncie Civic Theatre". The Star Press. June 23, 2000. p. D1.
- ^ a b The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books Ltd. 2006. p. 633.
- ^ a b Ellis, Bill (April 1, 2000). "Your Feet Will Have a Memphis Tap with These National Releases". The Commercial Appeal. p. F8.
- ^ Dicaire, David (December 19, 2001). More Blues Singers: Biographies of 50 Artists from the Later 20th Century. McFarland.
- ^ Christiano, Nick (May 19, 2000). "A Young Blues Man On the Rise". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. W30.
- ^ Andrews, Marke (June 17, 2000). "Blues". Vancouver Sun. p. E21.
- ^ a b Milkowski, Bill. "Melvin Taylor and the Slack Band: Bang That Bell". JazzTimes.
- ^ Beebe, Mike (April 21, 2000). "Blues". The Buffalo News. p. G16.
- ^ a b Lawson, Terry (June 4, 2000). "Blues". Detroit Free Press. p. G5.
- ^ "These 2 New Releases Offer Something Different". Telegraph Herald. AP. June 8, 2000. p. B14.
- ^ a b "Melvin Taylor & the Slack Band Bang That Bell". AllMusic.
- ^ Point, Michael (September 2000). "Melvin Taylor: Bang That Bell". DownBeat. Vol. 67, no. 9. p. 64.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 68.
- ^ Guarino, Mark (April 7, 2000). "Taylor tailoring". Time Out!. Daily Herald. p. 4.
- ^ Surowicz, Tom (September 22, 2000). "Blues". Free Time. Star Tribune. p. 10.
- ^ Chapman, Geoff (May 6, 2000). "Guitarist no ordinary slack artist". Toronto Star. p. M9.
- ^ Kell, Ellis (April 2, 2000). "'Bang That Bell', Melvin Taylor and the Slack Band". Life. The Dispatch–Argus.