Working Girl Blues is an album by the American musician Phillip Walker, released in 1995.[2][3] It was his first album for an American label in seven years.[4] Walker supported the album with a North American tour.[5] Working Girl Blues was a hit on blues radio formats.[6]
| Working Girl Blues | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1995 | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Label | Black Top[1] | |||
| Producer | Hammond Scott | |||
| Phillip Walker chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editProduced by Hammond Scott, the album was recorded with two different bands, in New Orleans and in Los Angeles.[7][8] It combined regional musical influences from Louisiana, California, and Texas.[9] Walker employed a horn section on some songs.[10]
The title track was written by Jimmy Johnson in the 1960s.[11] "The Hustle Is On" is a cover of the T-Bone Walker song.[12] "Hello, My Darling" is a remake of Walker's 1959 debut single.[13]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [14] |
| Chicago Tribune | [8] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [15] |
| MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide | [7] |
The Edmonton Journal praised the "beautifully crafted" songs that twist "through R&B, swing, blues and country blues, with a zydeco number thrown in for good measure."[5] The New York Times deemed the album "excellent," and noted that Walker "is part of the Texas and Louisiana school of blues."[16]
Guitar Player determined that Walker's "quick bends and slow, plaintive releases tread the elusive middle ground between big Texas blues and West Coast cool."[17] The Los Angeles Times stated that Working Girl Blues "reaffirms his place as a first-rate bluesman in styles ranging from shuffles and stomps to zydeco and ballads."[18]
AllMusic wrote that "Walker remains in fine form on this recent set, a mix of remakes of past triumphs ... and fresh explorations."[14]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Special Built Woman" | |
| 2. | "Hey, Hey Baby's Gone" | |
| 3. | "Working Girl Blues" | |
| 4. | "Bad Luck" | |
| 5. | "Brother, Go Ahead and Take Her" | |
| 6. | "Thanks a Lot (For the Offer)" | |
| 7. | "Beatrice, Beatrice" | |
| 8. | "The Hustle Is On" | |
| 9. | "Hurry Back Home" | |
| 10. | "A Thing Called the Blues" | |
| 11. | "I Got a Problem" | |
| 12. | "How Long Must I Wait?" | |
| 13. | "Hello, My Darling" | |
| 14. | "My Baby's Gonna Wash Me Down" |
References
edit- ^ Komara, Edward M. (October 19, 2006). Encyclopedia of the Blues: K-Z, index. Taylor & Francis US.
- ^ "Phillip Walker Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ "Phillip Walker obituary". The Guardian. August 10, 2010.
- ^ Convey, Kevin R. (October 20, 1995). "Discs". Boston Herald. p. S15.
- ^ a b Levesque, Roger (18 Aug 1995). "Walker, Texas player". Edmonton Journal. p. C10.
- ^ "Former Guitarist for Little Richard". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. April 5, 1996. p. 13W.
- ^ a b MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 379.
- ^ a b Dahl, Bill (21 Dec 1995). "Phillip Walker Working Girl Blues". Chicago Tribune. p. 13C.
- ^ Maestri, Cathy (February 23, 1996). "On the Go". The Press-Enterprise. p. AA15.
- ^ Kuelker, Michael (December 12, 1996). "A Lifetime of the Blues". Get Out. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 12.
- ^ Prentiss, Findlay (19 Oct 1995). "Walker has those 'Working Girl Blues'". The Post and Courier. p. D14.
- ^ McLennan, Scott (2 May 1996). "Phillip Walker's back on top". Telegram & Gazette. p. C5.
- ^ Boehm, Mike (11 Dec 1995). "Walker: Blues Potency, but No Star Power". Los Angeles Times. p. F2.
- ^ a b "Phillip Walker Working Girl Blues". AllMusic.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 484.
- ^ Watrous, Peter (30 Oct 1995). "A Bluesman Reaches Back to a Time Before Rock". The New York Times. p. C16.
- ^ Isola, Gregory (Nov 1995). "Phillip Walker's lifetime of blues". Guitar Player. Vol. 29, no. 11. p. 24.
- ^ Seigal, Buddy (7 Dec 1995). "His Time to Shine". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 2.