Earl & the Agitators – Shaken & Stirred.jpg)
Foghat Records
http://www.earlandtheagitators.com/
Rating: B+
The Earl in Earl & the Agitators is Roger Earl, the founding drummer in the bogie-rock band Foghat. Yeah…we all know them and love them. “SLOOOOWWW RIIIIDE!” Now that that’s out of our system we can concentrate on the ‘side project.’
The rest of the Earls are Foghat alumni Bryan Bassett on lead, slide and bass guitars, Craig MacGregor on bass and Rodney Quinn on bass and vocals; ten year Buddy Guy alum Scott Holt on lead guitar and vocals; Tony Bullard on guitar; and Mark Petrocelli on percussion.
This album is an obvious labor of love—only it wasn’t labor at all to these guys. Nope, these rock dogs were smiling ear-to-ear and loving every note they played. Before getting into it lets also have a moment of silence as Foghat icon Craig MacGregor is featured on the album. We lost Craig recently and this is a fitting way for him to be remembered. (Miss ya Thunder Fingers!)
This album was created for one reason…because Roger Earl just digs this kind of music. He doesn’t care if it is a Johnny Cash song, or a tune by the Rolling Stones. If he digs it, then he digs it—and this band plays it. And they play it well.
Every note in every song is powered by passion. Guitarist Scott Holt, best known as being the guitarist for Buddy Guy, has plenty of passion in his playing. Bryan Bassett, however, is not to be topped by Scott or anyone else. In fact, this is a collaborative effort, not a competition. These guys set out to make killer music together that made them happy. They succeeded.
“This band was born out of a passion for American Music,” explains Roger. “Rock, blues & country. Scott Holt, who played with BUDDY GUY, one of my musical heroes, for many years, channels this music with a joy and mastery of a seasoned pro. With his fire balling guitar and soulful vocals, we had a blast writing and recording! And since we are all big Johnny Cash fans we also included a couple of his songs for fun. I love making music with Scott!”
“Upside of Lonely” is the opening track. This one leaves no doubt that these rockers love the blues! This is the real deal. Anyone who buys Foghat records will love this…but the appeal goes much, much further. Fans of hard rock, fans of the blues and music fans in general will find themselves drawn back to these tracks again and again.
“Hi-Heel Sneakers” and “Guess Things Happen That Way” are two of this writers favorites. They just have the fun and groove this type of band brings. The best song, however, leans more to the rock side and is titled “I’m Coming Home.” I simply can’t stop listening to this one!
As a bonus, there are five live tracks on this sucker that show the power this band has live. Joining the team for the live set are Foghat bassist Rodney O’Quinn, Tony Bullard on guitar; and Mark Petrocelli on percussion. “Shaky Ground” will get the toes tapping but “Wild Horses” is the best of the live songs. The live tunes are the cherry on top of the Sunday.
This one is simply is a killer mix of rock, blues and even a bit of country. The band shakes and stirs it up and gives each tune their own stamp. The result is an album that drips of integrity, honestly and fun.
Check this one out…it’s worth the time.
Go here to buy it: http://www.earlandtheagitators.com/
Track Listing:
1. Upside of Lonely 4:21
2. Where's the Rock N' Roll 5:56
3. I'm Coming Home 4:20
4. Guess Things Happen That Way 2:38
5. Love Isn't Kind 5:49
6. Fallen Angel 4:21
7. Hi-Heel Sneakers 4:40
8. Linda Lu 3:10
9. Honey Do List 4:38
10. Lonesome Train 3:00
11. Sunday Morning Coming Down 4:08
12. Gone Dead Train 2:50
13. All Because of You 5:11
14. Let Me Love You Baby (Live) 3:54
15. Shaky Ground (Live) 4:12
16. Wild Horses (Live) 5:37
17. Knock on Wood (Live) 3:16
18. Peter Gunn Theme (Live) 7:21
By Jeb “Slow Ride” Wright
