This is the new release from the Dutch sleazy rockin’ blues trio. I reviewed their first album ‘Wine, Whiskey & Wimmin’ in 2021 and it was a doozy. Can they do it again? Let’s see.

Track by Track:

Jelly jam

The great blues upright bass player Willie Dixon has been responsible for writing or playing on many of the genres greatest recordings so it’s not surprising that Little Hat have chosen one his tunes to kick off the album. It swings in easy and could well open the live set.

Stop for the red light

The boys take on Lil’ Son Jackson’s 1951 release and turn up the dirt dial, that greasy guitar sound takes us to Chicago and then some. Add Willem Van Dullemen’s stylistically authentic guitar fills, pop in some great call and response vocals and you have a surefire hit.

Little Sally Walker

A traditional skipping song via Chicago bluesman Hayes Ware is next to get the Little hat treatment and its funky indeed with energetic harp trills that really push the pace.

She’s gone 

The opening notes to ‘She’s Gone’ led me to think that this was gonna be a cover of that great bluegrass fiddle standard ‘Chicken Reel’ … and why not? However it soon develops into a driving blues rocker.

Rhythm rocking boogie (John Lee)  

And a boogie it is indeed! More call and response action in the chorus and Machiel gets up close and personal with the vocals.  

 

My Goose is Cooked 

Mining obscure R and B titles must be a Little Hat hobby, but why not if you unearth such gems as as this one? The trio heads into Chuck Berry territory with a  rockin and rollin version of Bob Williams 1958 Debonair release.
  

Travellin’ mood 

A slight change of pace here as, inspired by James Wayne’s original recording, Machiel swaps his harp for a whistling solo over a hypnotic slow Bo Diddley style tremolo beat. It works!

Chicago breakdown

No blues harmonica based album would be complete without at least one single chord workout and the boys serve us up a crackin’ version with a relentless drivin’ groove complete with overdriven harp and energetic whoops that does justice to Dr Ross’s 1953 Sun records B-side.

It’s Mighty Crazy 

Written by Otis Hicks, better know as Lightnin Slim, the original Excello cut of ‘It’s mighty crazy’ may well have featured Slim Harpo on the harmonica though the groove here owes more to Muddy Waters. Whichever way you look at it, it’s sure to become a Little Hat classic.

Rockin’ this Joint Tonight

And here we are at the title track, does it live up to its billing? Hell yeah it does. The shear energy of the Little Hat Trio comes blasting out of the speakers. The treble heavy / bass light treatment of Machiels voice sounds like he is singing through a well worn Shure Bullet harp mic (he may well be!) and It lends a live urgency to the track. Nice to hear Paolo de Stigter stretching out on the drums too. 

Made It Up In Your Mind
      

A slinky beat gets us going here and nicely underpins Machiels soulful vocals. For a bass less Trio It’s a cool touch to hear  Willem Van Dullemen’s tuned down guitar adding a rolling low line, keeping things funky.

Slam Hammer 

Slam hammer or Tequila slammer? Its a great workout for the trio with some outstanding harmonica playing that is sure to be a dance floor hitl

One More Kiss  

Nice production and authentic reverb lends this earworm a filmic air it’s nice to hear the Little hat boys venturing into different territory.
 

This Is The Blues (Cornelius Green III)  

Every blues album needs at least one slow blues and here it is, Little Hats version of ‘This is the blues’ originally written and recorded by Lonesome Sundown (the excellent blues moniker of the equally excellently named  Cornelius Green III). Break out the whisky and settle yourself down it’s a good one.

I’m Gonna Keep What I Got 

To finish the album we have a rolling rhumba style blues originally made famous by the great Slim Harpo. Machiel Meijers vocals really shine here and as usual our Little Hat heroes are not afraid to get down and dirty with the rhythmic underpinnings.

So, I began this review by asking if Little Hat could again produce an album of blues classics in their own inimitable style. The answer is a resounding yes! With a large dose of Chess and Excello records blues authenticity, helped in no small way by the fine production of veteran bluesman Little Victor Mac. Machiel, Willem and Paolo are the real deal and have been tearing up blues festivals all over Europe. See them if you can, check this album out if you can’t. Hell, why not do both.

Andy Brodie

Buy a copy of ‘Rockin This Joint Tonight’ here