Too Slim & The Taildraggers

Anthology
Underworld Records

Anthology is a superb collection of tracks from one of the Northwest’s (now based in Nashville) most beloved blues-rockin’ outfits, Too Slim & The Taildraggers. After nearly 30 years on the scene, band leader Tim “Too Slim” Langford has compiled a double-disc release with 34 of his favorite songs, including three new tracks, from the past 15 years showcasing the band’s years on the Underworld Records label. Filled with Tim “Too slim” Langford’s burning guitar work, it carries between the heavy hitting numbers the band is best known for from their raucous, party atmosphere performances, to the softer, acoustic side that comes across just as well with Langford’s greasy, gravelly vocals.

Favorite numbers like “Three Chords,” “Blue Heart,” the gritty Delta infused “Wash My Hands” in the muddy Mississippi, “Devil In A Double Wide,” “Daddies Bones, “the tantalizing appeal of strippers in “Dollar Girl,”  the scary tale of the family dog with the unfortunate ability of “She Sees Ghosts” and the even more frightening thought of riding on that “Last Train” with the manic Hunter S. Thompson as the engineer doing the driving.

Guest vocalist Curtis Salgado is outstanding on “Everybody’s Got Something,” as is Lauren Evans on “The Light.” Jimmy Hall also soars to great heights with his vocals on the slow blues “Good To See You Smile Again” with one of the most dynamic guitar solos Too Slim has ever laid down.

The three new tracks were all co-penned by producer, drummer and songwriter Tom Hambridge who has worked with many of today’s best blues musicians including Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter, Susan Tedeschi, B.B. King and Delbert McClinton. The heavy hitting “Wishing Well” and the softer “Big Ole House” with its guitar/piano/drums intermix were shared writing duties between Hambridge and Langford. The song “Little Gun Motel” that gives a more realistic view of the seedy side of Memphis along Elvis Presley Boulevard was a collaboration of Hambridge and Texas-based bluesman Jim Suhler.

Anthology is the perfect collection for anyone who loves Too Slim & The Taildraggers’ music and wants those favorites all in one place. It is also the direction to point anybody who may not be familiar with the band. One listen to these songs and you know something will appeal to them. Too Slim covers it all and it’s all well done. This is the ultimate Anthology of a band of road dogs getting it done night after night.

Total Time: 2:35:36

Wishing Well / Mississippi Moon / Last Train / Stoned Again / Wash My Hands / The Fortune Teller / Little Gun Motel / When Whiskey Was My Friend / Walk On Water / Givers And Takers / Cowboy Boot / Mexico / When You Love Somebody / Devil In A Doublewide / Been Through Hell / Wish I Was Fishin’ / She Sees Ghosts / Everybody’s Got Something / Blue Heart / Shaking A Cup / Daddies Bones / La Llorona / Inside Of Me / Good To See You Smile Again / Dollar Girl / Three Chords / Lonesome Alone / Big Ole House / Peace With The Maker / Throw Me A Rope / The Light / Too Cool / Bucerius / Princeville Serenade