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Album Details

• Artist: Bobby Lindstrom
• Album: A Lick and a Promise
• Label: Blue Eyed Crow
• Year of Release: 2004
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: rbidet on 2004-11-09

On A Lick and a Promise (terrible title) Oregonian Bobby Lindstrom bounces between blues, old-school rock and straight-up pop. His best weapons are his super gravelly voice and filthy guitar tone but he's also surprisingly adept at writing in each of those styles as well. Though modern attempts at blues often sound stale and quaint, a result of the static nature of the form and the by-the-numbers passion of some practitioners, "What Did I Do?" is a chugging number highlighted by a muted horn section (just one guy, multi-tracked) and Bobby's biting leads, not too flashy, not too rote. The dreaded slow blooze makes an inevitable appearance in "The Main Reason", its dire 12/8 beat plodding along forever reminding the listener of all those aimless, endless British blues bands of the 60s. He's not guilty of any such wankery, but no white man should ever go near that beat again. The pop tunes were unexpectedly good, especially "Turn and Walk Away" with a great hook and Bobby's soulful voice. Personally, I'd like to hear more of that, though rock and roll purists might be more interested in stuff like "Every Once in a While", a Blasters type no-nonsense shitkicker. The lyrics throughout are appropriately randy with liquor, regret and sex prominent, none of which would work if Bobby sang like a choirboy. He doesn't. With a little pruning, Bobby Lindstrom could make a helluva record, until then, this ain't bad.

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