Peter Case “Wig” (Yeproc 2010)

Wig opens with a stomping blues rock number Down to the River and I Dig What You’re Putting Down a dirty guitar infused track with tear it up blues-harp over a driving back beat as Peter Case announces he’s thrown of the shackles of what he defined as a ‘diminished chord mood’ following his emergency open heart surgery, the heart by-pass burdened Case with a six figure medical bill, friends, fans and musical compatriots rallied round and organized a series of benefit shows to raise funds to help him with his medical bills and following his recuperation Case went to work on reissues of earlier albums by his rock bands The Plimsouls and The Nerves, “I had to do the mastering and spent quite a bit of time listening to the old records. It really got me going, hearing those guitars.” – taking inspiration from the past Case teamed up with X drummer DJ Bonebrake and guitarist / songwriter Ron Franklin for this twelve track collection of riff heavy dirty blues rock.

Highlights aplenty on this album, my favourites Words in Red one of the lighter numbers on offer here with it’s infectious guitar and chorus and the foot tapping rhythmic Colors of the Night , of course no blues album can surely be complete without a prison number – Thirty Days in the Workhouse (primal blues) or a lament to a lack of cash – Ain’t Got No Dough (piano and gob iron blues), a man’s wheels – “New” Old Blue Car (punk blues romp) or a indeed a troublesome muse – My Kind of Trouble, you could call it formulaic true – but it’s potent, raw and never dull, an all electric affair save the acoustic closing number House Rent Party, file under essential listening.

Here’s the label sanctioned Look Out

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