Album Reviews

Alec “Rice” Miller isn't the real Sonny Boy Williamson, but whatever, when the original “One Way Out” (later covered by The Allman Brothers) screams from your mono system (okay, your stereo system in mono) you'll know he's real whatever his name is.

Miller/Willamson (the real Sonny Boy Williamson was murdered in 1948) made it to Chess studios at 2120 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago in the mid-fifties and recorded these tracks for the legendary label between 1957 and 1964 backed by the cream of the Chess roster including Otis Spann, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Little Milton, Willie Dixon and many others. No Rolling Stones fan should be without this album (and many other Chess classics) for it is from the loins of Chess that the band sprung, musically, and in the early days, sonically.

With the exception of Willie Dixon's “Bring It On Home,” and “That's All I Want,” all of the tunes are Miller/Williamson originals delivered with sly, raw vocal intensity and a harmonica so juicy you'll be wanting to sponge off your speakers when the side ends.

The less said about this music the better. It's meant for listening, not analysis. That said, the grooves these guys laid down are for eternity. They set the stage for the white-boy '60's blues/rock scene from The Stones, to Eric Clapton and Cream, to The Allman Brothers and on and on.

The sound is classic Chess: the rhythm section hangs back, lurking in the reverb mud, ready to explode when necessary, with the bass line fat, heavy and prominent. It's mono, but a great expanse of space gets laid out, front to back. This is meant to be played loud and when you turn it up you won't be disappointed. The louder you play it, the bigger it becomes.