Confessions of a Fanboy

It’s not so much that I’m starting my Best of 2007 list as much as it is I’m preparing for it. A lot of unbelievable music was released this year and and I need to refresh myself on some of it before I can attempt to create any kind of ordered list. I start that process today jumping back in the way back machine to April 2007 to revisit Watermelon Slim & The Workers’ The Wheel Man.

The Wheel Man was the follow up to Slim’s self-titled NorthernBlues debut, an album that earned 6 BMA nominations. When TWM was released, I said this album topped that critically-lauded previous effort. I stand by that.

You see… this is exactly why I do this. As I listen to this, I realize how much I’ve forgotten about it and how good it is. Having a 160GB iPod means I have a lot of listening options. I get overwhelmed by the number of choices I have at any given time. Having a 160GB iPod means when I get in a reflective mood and want to revisit an album or a song, it’s right here waiting for me at the touch of a button.

I’d forgotten what a good song “Fast Eddie” is. I put a notation on it when I first listened to it back in April so I know I liked it then, but I’d since forgotten about it. There is some blistering guitar work on that one. This is an album filled with songs that scream to be played live. I hate that I’ve missed them live.

Where is that live DVD when we need one? I want to see this! The night after Charlie Musselwhite cleaned up at the BMAs — shutting Slim & Co. out — the two were on stage at Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, MS. Man, I would have cut off one of your arms to have seen that! Maybe we still will. I want that live DVD!

Filed under: Tags: Bloggin' the Blues, Watermelon Slim