Point Blank from Texas, USA was formed in 1974 and released this selftiteled album in 1976 as their first. They had toured heavily before the album was recorded and continued to do so. They were produced by Bill Ham, more known for his work with ZZ Top. The sound on this album is also close to ZZ Top's with their heavy bluesy boogie-rock deeply rooted in the american south. Compared to the ZZ's this album is harder and with a rougher rockfeel to it and Rusty's and Kim's twinguitarplaying is really really good. When I heard the album for the first time a few years ago I bought it right away and i have loved the band since and I've seen them live twice, something I recommend everyone to do because these guys can still rock! Sadly Phlip Petty died of cancer in 2010 and the original guitarrist Kim Davis also passed away the same year from a shotwound he caused himself. But this album smokes!

1)Free man (8,5) High octane southern rock with a crazy singer, heavy riffing and changes from midtempo to fast that incluedes some great guitarplaying.

2)Moving (8,0) Short, heavy and intense.

3)Wandering (7,0) Varies between nice ballad and chaotic guitarplaying which gets a little too much.

4)Bad bees (8,0) Short and cool boogierocker.

5)That's the law (8,0) A great midtempo southern rocker.

6)Lone star fool (7,5) Slowtempo and as always strong vocals that fits and lifts the music.

7)Distance (7,5) A beautiful ballad that builds up to an chaotic ending.

8)In this world (8,0)

Score: 7,81

John O'Daniel-vocals

Rusty Burns-guitars

Kim Davis-guitars (1952-2010)

Philip Petty-bass (1951-2010)

Peter Gruen-drums

This is Bob Dylan's 32nd album. I have heard some good songs from him in the 60's and 70's but I think most of he's music is really overrated. This album went straight to nr.1 in many countries and has sold over 4 million copies. Talk about living on the past! There has been some dabate about the songs on the album because in almost all songs there are parts of other artists songs and lyrics which Dylan has rearranged and made he's own.

Tony Garnier on bass has played with Dylan since 1989 and has recorded with Tom Waits, Paul Simon and more. Denny Freeman has worked with Stevie Ray Vaughan, James Cotton, Taj Mahal, Percy Sledge among others. He has also released 5 soloalbums with instumental music.

1)Thunder on the mountain (6,0) Uptempo countrylike tune with Bob singing too much and the same tempo continues all through the song. The song sound like The Band.

2)Spirit on the water (5,0) A jazzy mellow song that suits Bob's dark and low singing but it goes on and on for 7 minutes, why? This song would have suited Chris Rea.

3)Rollin' and tumblin' (5,5) Have heard many better versions of this blues standard. Uptempo and nice guitarriff but not much happens.

4)When the deal goes down (4.0) Another boring slow tune.

5)Someday baby (6,0) Uptempo and bluesy. A little better.

6)Workingman's blues (7,0) A nice kind-of a ballad with good singing and good melody.

7)Beyond the horizon (3,5) Jazzy slow tune. Boring.

8)Nettie Moore (6,5) A good Dire Straits-like song. Very simple and low-key.

9)The levee's gonna break (5,5) Uptempo and bluesy and again it just goes on and on and on... I just don't get it.

10)Ain't talking (7,5) 8 minute ending to the album and it's a good acoustic song with very nice celloplaying!

Score: 5,65

Bob Dylan (Robert Allen Zimmerman)-vocals, guitars, piano and harmonica (b.1941)

Stu Kimball-guitars

Denny Freeman-guitars (b.1944)

Donnie Herron-steel guitar, mandolin, violin and viola

Tony Garnier-bass and cello (b.1956)

George G. Receli-drums

In 1968 Mayall had broke up with his band The Bluesbreakers in the middle of a tour because he could not manage to keep a 7-pieceband together any longer. This was he's debut as an soloartist and featured former Bluesbreakers guitarrist Peter Green on two songs and Mick Taylor of Rolling Stones-fame. Taylor joined Stones after this album was released. 

After a chaotic beginning Mayall on this album plays Chicago-blues, sing some wonderful songs like First time alone and Laurel Canyon blues, plays heavy in Ready to ride and jazzy in Miss James. Already in 1968 Mayall was a top performer playing the blues and mixing in elements of rock and psychadelia. The album is about Mayall's 1st visit to Laurel Canyon (where he would later live on and off) and is about what happened there and people he met and is an album well worth having. 

(See also album nr. 9. Mick Taylor-A Stone's Throw 1998)

1)Vacation (6,0)

2)Walking on sunset (8,0)

3)Laurel Canyon home (8,5)

4)2401 (7,0)

5)Ready to ride (8,0)

6)Medicine man (5,0)

7)Somebody's acting like a child (7,5)

8)The bear (7,0)

9)Miss James (6,5)

10)First time alone (8,5)

11)Long gone midnight (7,0)

12)Fly tomorrow (5,5)

Score: 7,13

John Mayall-vocals, guitars, harmonica and organ (b.1933)

Mick Taylor-guitars (b.1949)

Stephen Thompson-bass (b.1950)

Colin Allen-drums and tabla (b.1938)

Jimmy D. Lane is a true bluesman of the 90's and 00's. He's not an old fart but a "young" bluesmusician with the right knowledge and feeling for the blues. Maybe because he's father was the very well known bluesman Jimmy Rogers (1924-1997). The thythmsection of bass and drums consists of Stevie Ray Vaughan's (1954-1990) band and that can be heard on the album. They really play solid and with great feeling and knows haw to support a player like Lane. The production is clear and goodsounding and it's wonderful to hear every note in Lane's guitarpicking. The mix of different musicstyles is also a good thing with the album and I really like the deep vocals from Lane. It can sometimes be a little too mellow and soft and I loose intresest here and there but the good bluessongs are really good, it's Chicagoblues at good quality!

Tommy Shannon played with Johnny Winter in the late 60's and with S.R Vaughan 1980-1990. Later he played with Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Clapton, Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, Buddy Guy, Little Richard but to name a few. Shannon and bassist Chris Layton has played together with many of these artists.

Mike Finnegan has played with many many wellknown artists like Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, Etta James, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Cher and Rod Stewart.

1)What makes people (8,0) This song makes me wanna hear moore! Wonderful guitarplaying and singing in this Chicago-heavy blues.

2)Til I loved you (8,0) Featuring congas and a very nice slow rhythm with feeling.

3)Half love (8,5) Just a great song with a nice steady rhythm and great guitarsoloing.

4)Ain't it a pity (6,5) A slow blues and kind of a ballad. Nice organ.

5)It's time (7,0) Good but maybe too much guuitarsoloing. The song drowns in it.

6)Stuck in the middle (7,0) Slow and low with steel guitar.

7)Hand on the door (7,5) On this one one can really hear the fantastic rhythm section of Shannon and Layton together with Finnegans Hammond B 3-playing.

8)Bad luck (8,5) Great Chicago-blues!

9)My nature (6,5) A nice acoustic song.

10)24-7 (7,0) Typical powerful Chicaco-blues but the song is too short.

11)Bleeding heart (8,0) 10 minutes of real blues! Slow and mellow.

12)Salina (6,5) A rocker.

Score: 7,42

Jimmy D. Lane-vocals, guitar (b.1965)

Tommy Shannon-bass (b.1946)

Chris Layton-drums

Mike Finnegan-keyboards (b.1945)

Celia Price-keyboards