Smokin Joe Kubek & Bnois King-Blood Brothers-2008

A 60-minute one-nighter in Montevideo, Uruguay, or a six-oΓÇÖclock show at SamΓÇÖs Burger Joint in San Antonio, TexasΓÇösome small club or roadhouse, anywayΓÇöthatΓÇÖs where guitarist SmokinΓÇÖ Joe Kubek and singer/rhythm guitarist Bnois King have been kicking up a storm since first meeting in 1989. If there was actually someone working quality control on modern electric Texas blues recordings, these boys would be gold-certified and stamped. Each album, and thereΓÇÖs been a fewΓÇöthough Blood Brothers is their first for ChicagoΓÇÖs Alligator RecordsΓÇöis always a solid affair that makes you wish you were right down front with a cold one in your hand. Blood Brothers is no exception. Highlights include the guysΓÇÖ trademark, almost jazzy, fluid call-and-response guitar interplay ("My DogΓÇÖs Still WalkinΓÇÖΓÇ¥ and the recordΓÇÖs only cover, a lengthy workout of LightninΓÇÖ HopkinΓÇÖs ΓÇ£Stop Drinking") and KingΓÇÖs ability to switch from guttural, blues shouter ("DonΓÇÖt Lose My NumberΓÇ¥, ΓÇ£Troubled Dreams") to shuffle-groove soul wailer ("Out on a Limb"), while shades of Booker T and the MGΓÇÖs can be heard on the backbeat of rollicking instrumental ΓÇ£Freezer BurnΓÇ¥. As long as these two guys are out there, you can bet someplace, somewhere will be rocking tonight.