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Review (++++)

After "Come back baby" Jimmy Dawkins stopped recording and cut down on his touring. It´d take five years before he returned to a recording studio. The odds that this should be a good album where not high. It´s done during an European tour with very little time in the studio. One fact that turns it into such a good album is the band, Richard Kirch and Sylvester Boines, both who had played with him for years and Jimi Schutte on drums. They make a great band! Around 1980 Isabel recorded several very interesting albums, the one that comes immediately to my mind is Buddy Guys "Blues Giant" album where Buddy for the first time ever managed to play in the studio what he had done on the road for years. It´s interesting to compare Buddy Guys and Jimmy Dawkins Isabel albums - Buddy Guy works up a frenzy and intense climax, Dawkins plays more soft and laid-back than he ever had done before. The fastfinger guitar with a killer tone is gone. Now Jimmy plucks the strings with his bare hands and the tone is relatively soft. Instead it´s his voice which is the important factor. Never before or after have I enjoyed Jimmy's singing more than on this album. The liner notes by Armand Meignan tells it all: "Dawkins has no wish whatsoever to dazzle, he possesses the highest degree of the art of eloquence and relevance."
This is actually the first Jimmy Dawkins album I bought, in the summer of 1987 I think, and since then it´s been one of my favorite LP´s. (I still prefer to play my LP collection!)

• You just a baby child (6.00)
  The LP gets a killer start, this song is intense without being heavy. No screaming guitars, no heavy drums, no grunting and moaning from Jimmy. Just a plain West Side guitar riff and Jimmy's thoughtful guitar and for the first time ever, Jimmy's Voice. If you just have heard the intense 90's Dawkins you might not like it, but please, give it a try!
• Ruff Times (5.40)
  Ruff times gives a glimpse of the political side of Dawkins. Over a semi-quick shuffle Jimmy comments the bad times in the states. Interesting lyrics and overall a great song.
• Welfare Line (8.30)
  All the aggressiveness from the version on "Blisterstring" is gone. Instead Jimmy and the band turns the song into a long meditative piece without flashy solos. A masterpiece!
• Kold Actions (7.25)
  The tempo from "Welfare line" is slowed down... This is sloooowblues. Jimmy plucks the strings one by one, creating a "doomy" feeling. This track is almost absurd in its slowness - but it works. Meditation in Blues.
• Roc-kin-sole (5.10)
  Well, this is a kind of dance tune, but the lazy drums, soft guitar and the sad singing gives the tune a weird feeling. You either get intensely bored or youŽll fall into a trance.
• Peepers Music (4.50)
  Another up-tempo number with some nice rhythm guitar from Richard Kirch. Now the concept of the album starts to get a little boring. Jimmy plays even softer guitar than he have done before on the album.
• My Way (5.15)
  The weakest track on the LP also ends it. Jimmy welcomes the listener to see him in Chicago and the band churns out a funky soulbeat. Nothing to get too excited about.