Too Slim And The Taildraggers - The Fortune Teller (2007)

Too Slim and the Taildraggers recently released their 14th album, Fortune Teller. Despite numerous best-of awards and hall of fame inductions from three Blues societies, this was my first encounter with them. There seems to be a lot of Internet chatter about these guys in the blues genre. Personally, I don't hear it on Fortune Teller. Fortune Teller is a straight forward rock and roll record that mingles seamlessly between southern, swamp rock, Americana, and even a slight calypso-ish sound in Mexico. In the CD booklet Too Slim says that the making of this CD was a very difficult process. You certainly can not tell that from listening to the album. Fortune Teller is a great 'sitting on the front porch with some friends drinking whiskey' album, and I say that having test driven it on just such an occasion. This CD will appeal to fans of Skynyrd, The Drive-By Truckers, and electric blues acts such as the North Mississippi All-stars. I really look forward to diving deeper into Too Slim's more bluesy back catalogue and you can look for them to be featured on Nine Bullets more in the future. A quick note about the title track, Fortune Teller. Apparently it is based on a true story about Too Slim having a strange encounter - with a real fortune teller named Yogi, in a town square in Oslo, Norway, who seemed to know too much of Too Slim's past and present for comfort. Turns out he was equally accurate in the future area as well. Says Tim Langford, 'it was quite unnerving. My conversations with Yogi led to some serious life changing decisions for me. I know it sounds like I am making this up, but I promise you, it really happened.' (Nine Bullets)
Too Slim and the Taildraggers is a bomb-blastic trio from Seattle, Washington. With an international reputation, they are known to be among the best in the West and have been one of the Northwest United States hottest acts. With 13 previous album releases and innumerable road hours touring has come a mature confidence reflected in The Fortune Teller. As a well established guitar master and artist, Tim 'Too Slim' Langford has become a free man to record well crafted songs and expand his gifted songwriting abilities. Since there is nothing left to prove, his music doesn't have to fit into any box or category, and he has freely evolved and melded various styles into his own sound, creating his own genre: Too Slim and the Taildraggers music. Langford is a prolific composer of original material,with the 11 new songs on The Fortune Teller. A new Too Slim and the Taildraggers album is always a celebratory occasion. The Fortune Teller is a completely enjoyable CD. For some reason, when played in the car, especially, it makes my wife and I want to listen more closely. Like soul food, the songs stay with you long after the album is over. The album is a great package, too, with a separate lyrics booklet (thank you). The art was based on a quilt of original art by Seattle artist Darbury Stenderu. Band manager Nancy Langford did all the design and layout of the CD cover. The Fortune Teller was produced by Todd Smallwood who was once a member of Mick Fleetwood's band. Mick Fleetwood's drums were set up in Smallwood's living room and the band was allowed to use them to record the drum tracks. Too Slim also had free range of Smallwood's vintage guitar collection. Guest artists include Lauren Evans on harmony vocals, D. Cernile - guitars and percussion, Oleg Schramm - accordion and keyboards, Robert Greenidge - steel drums, and Amanda Tsubo - background vocals. The title track is based on a true story about Too Slim having a strange encounter with a real fortune teller named Yogi in a town square in Oslo, Norway (where he has developed a fanatic following). Says Too Slim, 'I love the Fortune Teller track myself. My conversation with Yogi led to some serious life changing decisions for me'. That opening guitar riff announces that long-time fans will not be disappointed; this is a guitar driven album. (James Walker - Blues Blowtorch Society)