BLUES REVUE ISSUE # 110, Feb/Mar 2008

TOO SLIM & THE TAILDRAGGERS

The Fortune Teller

Underworld 13

By Hal Horowitz

The pride of Spokane, Washington, checks in with yet another quality album – this makes 13 of them – that further begs the question of what it’s going to take to get Tim “Too Slim” Langford and his Taildraggers some national respect. The trio, led by guitarist/singer/songwriter Slim, is received well in Europe, but their home country barely recognizes them. They’re the kind of guys who open for a major headliner and leave audience members asking “Who were they? They rocked!”

If there’s any justice, The Fortune Teller will put the Taildraggers on the map. From the sparse swamp-funk of “Baby Like To Ride” and “Ain’t It Lonsome” to the familiar Chuck Berry/Stones/George Thorogood riffs of “She gives Me Money,” and even some acoustic guitar and accordion on the lovely closing tune, “Lonesome Alone,” Slim and his bandmates shift styles effortlessly while staying true to their blues-rock spirit. His guitar drives the tunes with fiery yet surprisingly subdued precision reminiscent of ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons.

Even with tight playing, any band worth their three sweaty sets a night needs quality tunes, and Slim has no problem providing this album’s 11 original cuts. While nothing here reinvents the roots-rock wheel, each track has a catchy chorus you’ll be singing along with after a single spin. Better yet, Slim’s lyrics – all reproduced in the booklet – are sharp, funny, and much smarter than they need to be. The melancholy tale “Cowboy Boot” features a protagonist with no more money hidden in his footwear. The song’s loping midtempo melody and killer riff connect with Slim’s deep voice as he talk-sings his way through lines like, “Now I’m way past 30 and I’m gettin’ tired/ I got nothin’ to show for my ramblin’ life/ But a bunch of gray hairs and an achin’ liver/ And A million promises I couldn’t deliver” If those lines hit close to home, it’s because Slim sings with the “been there, done that” honesty of a blues journeyman who deserves a better hand in life than the one’s he’s been dealt.

ALL MUSIC GUIDE REVIEW

The Fortune Teller

By Hal Horowitz

Although generally lumped into the blues-rock arena, Tim "Too Slim" Langford and his band fall into whatever category a combination of Tom Petty, Creedence and ZZ Top would create. Perhaps swampy Americana is closer to the trio's sound, especially on this terrific album. Slim's been at it for quite a while; nearly two decades, yielding a dozen or so releases when this disc appeared in 2007. But that hard work has paid off, big time. Langford writes melodies and especially lyrics that show him to be an under the radar talent who has gone unnoticed for too long. Vocally his gruff voice is somewhat similar to Top's Billy Gibbons and this album is a good example of what that Texas band might have sounded like if they hadn't cheesed out with synths and dance pop in the '80s.

Its bluesy swagger on the simple but energetic T. Rex styled boogie of "She Gives Me Money" and the greasy sex of "Baby Likes to Ride" are remarkably effective due to Slim's suggestive vocals on the latter ("she don't like no automatic, gotta be a stick") combined with his slithery slide guitar and the band's in the pocket backing. Meanwhile, Slim's smooth yet edgy slide playing also kicks "Spell on Me" up a few notches. There seem to be a few subtle overdubs but most of the album connects with just the three piece working through arrangements that make the most of the trio's abilities.

At six minutes, "Givers and Takers" is the disc's longest cut and its most philosophical. Here Slim resigns himself to a world of "total disregard for other people's needs" played against a mid-tempo groove, aided by guest Oleg Schramm's dramatic organ fills, that heats up as the song winds on. He returns on the closing tune, this time playing a stark accordion that makes the already melancholy "Lonesome Alone" even more heartfelt and moving.

While there is plenty of boogie, Slim's evocative words and distinctive growling vocals bring surprising introspective depth to music that could easily deteriorate to bar band grind status. This album is several levels above that. Even with all the miles already on Slim's life odometer, there is plenty of gas left in his tank. His journeyman experience makes these songs resonate more passionately than what's on the surface and connect on a deeper level.

~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide