Omar & The Howlers - Boogieman (2004)
After a short hiatus following the passing of his wife Lyn, Kent 'Omar' Dykes is back with a new collection of blues, born in Mississippi, and tempered in the hot Texas sun. (Kinda like Omar himself) Boogieman is music that is home in any downtown hot spot or juke joint in Austin, but has an appeal far beyond the night haunts of the Lone Star state.
In this album, the influence of all the great masters of the blues float through the music like spectre's in a haunted house. Listen to the Title track, and you can feel John Lee Hookers ghost haunt every note, every lyric, every beat of the song. Bo Diddly, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Albert King they all have a turn tickling the hairs on the nape of your neck, and delivering that delightful little cold shiver down your spine, every time you hear Omar deliver the wisp of a lyric or pull a guitar hook.
The brilliant simplicity of Omar's delivery style on guitar is counterpointed by the grit and gravel of his vocals. The two opposites harmonize, to create the compelling sonic experience that is Omar & The Howlers.
There is a hidden bonus on this album. It is a collection of collaborations, as Omar teams up with the likes of Stephen Bruton, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Darden Smith, Steve Califf and Papa Mali to co-write the tunes. Performing with Omar is a collection of artists that really howl, including the Double Trouble rhythm section, guitarists Jon Dee Graham, Chris Duarte and Malcolm "Papa Mali" Welbourn, Howlers drummer Terry Bozzio, and the rock solid bass-and-drums duo of George Reiff and George Rains.
One of Omar's strongest albums yet, and proof positive that he is back with a vengeance! Rock On Omar! You are The Boogieman!
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