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Popa Chubby - How'd a White Boy Get the Blues? Audio CD

A fair review of the Popa Chubby "How'd a White Boy Get the Blues?" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Popa Chubby reviews here, or go back to the Popa Chubby tabs.

Popa Chubby Band: Popa Chubby
Title: How'd a White Boy Get the Blues?
Rating:
Release Date: 2002-01-29
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Daddy Played the Guitar and Mommy Was a Disco Queen 2: Black Hearted Woman 3: Carrying on the Torch of the Blues 4: Time Is Killing Me 5: Savin' My Life Up for My Lover 6: No Comfort 7: It's a Sad Day in New York City When There Ain't No Room for the Blues 8: Goin' Down to Willie's 9: Since I Lost My Leg 10: How'd a White Boy Get the Blues?

How'd a White Boy Get The Blues?
This album smokes and maybe music fan should do that before listening to it again. Music fan from Flushing,NY is an idiot. Popa Chubby is GOOD!! for your mind and soul, not to mention your feet.


Monstrous
It was quite a sight--Cholak must've been 9 or 10 feet tall with that monstrous thing on his head. Anybody remember "Yukon" Moose Cholak, the 300-pound pro wrestler of the 50s and 60s? Cholak would draw ooohs and ahhhs from the wrestling fans in the arena by wearing an actual moose head and shoulders atop his own head and shouders. However, when the match began and big Moose was forced to take off his flashy headgear, he could barely move. There was no THERE there. Recently, I had the chance to hear this CD and realized that Popa Chubby is just like ol' Moose used to be--all shock and flash and sweaty, disgusting grunting, but when you step back and really listen, there's nothing going on. The wholly dumb and derivative guitar playing should draw huge chuckles from anyone who ever read a Mel Boy training book. Chubby just about murdered the NY blues club scene with his loutish stage shows, but that never prevents blues record labels from signing him for yet another new record, which always sounds just like the last record. Well, sometimes there IS justice in the music world, and nice guys may not finish first, but bad music always finishes last.


Back With A Winner!
He was initially discovered and signed by Sony records in 1994 for the release of "Booty and the Beast". Popa Chubby, the name coming from what happens to a man that gets aroused from playing the blues, has had somewhat of a roller coaster career.

Apparently, artistic differences led to a termination of that contract shortly thereafter and he then signed with the French label, DixieFrog, and took his show overseas where he has developed a substantial following. On his release, "One Million Broken Guitars", he hints that his problems with gaining a modicum of success in the States is attributable to his on stage scuffle with former President Clinton's brother, Roger Clinton ("Oh Roger") one night while performing in a NY night club.

Unable to find any major label support in the States, Popa started his own label on which he released his own songs over the internet and even signed a couple on NY local talents including the very good harpist, Casey Mason. This CD was released overseas by DixieFrog last year and now, is being released in the States by BlindPig records.

The disc itself is slightly different from the blues rock CD's that Chubby released previously. This is a concept record in which the ever talented Chubby autobiographically describes just how a white boy named Ted Horowitz, Popa's real name, gets the blues. Don't be surprised to see him produce an off broadway play of this same name. In any event, this is a very good blues CD which incorporates some thoughtful, sometimes comical, lyrics with sampled loops combined with live lead and ryhthm guitar. The music is a little blues, some rock, some funk and some pop, but always interesting.

This man has an abundance of talent and deserves to be heard. Hopefully, he will take a break from his overseas touring and get a little exposure here in the US.


POPA'S GOT A BRAND NEW LABEL
Except for a couple songs here, he doesn't veer too much from his usual funky style of blues found on his previous efforts. Popa Chubby has finally gotten himself on a bigger and better blues label, Blind Pig. What is a little different about this, is that half of these songs are strictly a solo effort where Chubby plays virtually every instrument. On the other half, he has a full band backing. Chubby's guitar is in fine form throughout. Also of note is Mike Lattrell's first rate piano and organ work on some of these tracks. A few of the strongest cuts off this are: "DADDY PLAYED THE GUITAR AND MAMA WAS A DISCO QUEEN". This is some wicked straight blues. At least as straight as Chubby gets. Great full sounding acoustic guitar and dobro work on this one. "BLACK HEARTED WOMAN" reminds me a little of that old song by Ringo Starr "Back Off Bugaloo", it has some nice female vocals that sing along with Chubby. "IT'S A SAD DAY IN NEW YORK CITY" is a catchy 7 minute tale about Chubby's adventures in the Big Apple. The whole band plays on this one and gives us a generous helping of saxes and honky tonk piano. Judging by the cowboy hat he's wearing on the cover, it looks like the big city Chubby has been bitten a little by the country music bug. He does his country song here with "GOIN' DOWN TO WILLIE'S and offers up some fantastic rockabilly guitar pickin'. Along with Lattrell's piano and mandolin work, this is a killer tune, and my favorite. Except for a couple weak tunes where Chubby teeters a little too much on the dreaded hip hop, he pretty much delivers the goods with his trademark blues with a funky edge. If your a Chubby fan like myself, this one shouldn't dissappoint.


You can see a complete list of all Popa Chubby discography, or go back to the Popa Chubby tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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