Hill Country Revue
(Razor & Tie)
From the drawing of the topless biker girl that adorns its cover to the abundance of sinewy grooves, Make a Move seems intent on affirming a birthright to the blues. That's not surprising given the fact that Hill Country Revue guitarist Cody Dickinson and his brother, guest guitarist Luther Dickinson, are the offspring of session man extraordinaire Jim Dickinson, and that accompanying guitarists Garry and Duwayne Burnside were sired by blues legend R.L. Burnside. So too, the Dickinson boys and bassist Chris Chew are moonlighting from their day jobs with the North Mississippi Allstars, a band who's gritty, swampy approach has always affirmed their authenticity.
Still, authenticity doesn't always equate with originality. Based on the evidence offered here, Hill Country Revue retreads some well-worn turf. Echoes of the Allmans (the sprightly "You Can Make It") and ZZ Top (the deep-fried boogie of "Ramblin'" and "Alice Mae") reside alongside obvious hints of Hendrix (a wailing "Let Me Love You" and "Highway Blues") as part of these sonic set-ups. Even the titles tell all; naming their songs "Ramblin'," "Let Me Love You" and "Highway Blues" leaves little doubt that Make a Move will be steered towards basic boogie. Fortunately though, cocksure confidence and southern spunk make any division between attitude and aptitude all but disappears.
Standout Tracks: "Alice Mae," "You
Can Make It:" LEE ZIMMERMAN
