Soul Sensation
Artist: Carol Fran & Clarence Hollimon

The new sweethearts of the blues' debut for Black Top is an uncommonly varied affair, the pair performing blues, jazz, and every stylistic stripe in between. Hollimon's red-hot licks are seldom short of amazing (his instrumental showcase "Gristle" is a stunner), and Fran's full-throated vocals shine on everything from a Gulf Coast-styled "My... Read More

Fear No Evil
Artist: Robert Ward

One of the most amazing comeback stories of the modern blues era was ignited by this astonishing album. Robert Ward hadn't recorded as a leader in close to a quarter century, but his melismatic, almost mystical vocal quality and quirky, vibrato-enriched guitar sound utterly vital and electrifying as he revives some of his own obscure oldies... Read More

Test of Time
Artist: Ronnie Earl

Test of Time collects the highlights from Ronnie Earl's six Black Top albums. The 18-song compilation showcases one of the finest blues guitarists of the '80s, picking nearly all of his finest material, which happen to include duets with Robert Jr. Lockwood and Hubert Sumlin. The album is an excellent introduction to Earl, as well as his most... Read More

Triple Play
Artist: Lucky Peterson

Even more impressive than his previous Alligator set, thanks to top-flight material like "Don't Cloud Up on Me," "Let the Chips Fall Where They May," and "Locked Out of Love," the fine house band at Greenlee's King Snake studios, and Peterson's own rapidly developing attack on two instruments. ~ Bill Dahl, All Music Guide Read More

I'm Back
Artist: Dutch Mason

Dutch's album is full of gems from Albert King and Albert Collins songs to Bo Diddley's classic "Who Do You Love." My favorite is "I Ain't Drunk (I'm Just Drinkin')." ~ Chip Renner, All Music Guide Read More

Peace of Mind
Artist: Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters

Peace of Mind features some nice, swinging stuff. ~ Bill Dahl, All Music Guide Read More

Teasin' You
Artist: Snooks Eaglin

The best of Eaglin's terrific series of Black Top efforts so far -- song selection is absolutely unassailable (lots of savage New Orleans covers, from Lloyd Price and Professor Longhair to Willie Tee and Earl King), the band simmers and sizzles with spicy second-line fire (bassist George Porter, Jr. and drummer Herman Ernest III are a formidable... Read More

The Ultimate Collection
Artist: Albert King
Community Score: 10.00

Rhino's 1993 double-disc set The Ultimate Collection remains the greatest-of-all Albert King collection, gathering the best of his recordings. True, the collection is tilted toward his Stax recordings, somewhat shortchanging his '50s and early-'60s recordings, but it is also true that the late-'60s/early-'70s recordings are the cornerstone of... Read More