Solomon King - No. 5

Review by Dancing About Architecture

There is a place where blues is swallowed up by an apocalyptic howl, where country music beats out a rhythm that seems to echo the primal heartbeat pulse of ancient America and where rock music is subsumed to burn in the fires of hell. It is a place that the likes of Johnny Cash passed

Solomon King - No. 5

Review by Dancing About Architecture

There is a place where blues is swallowed up by an apocalyptic howl, where country music beats out a rhythm that seems to echo the primal heartbeat pulse of ancient America and where rock music is subsumed to burn in the fires of hell. It is a place that the likes of Johnny Cash passed through, which Nick Cave knew well and which held a bar tab open for Tom Waits. Solomon King also seems to be a frequent visitor to this strange sonic plane of existence and No 5, the latest album from him and his chosen few is another take on providing a soundtrack for this damned place.

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Review by BBNTimes

Solomon King & The Chosen, which includes ace producer/drummer Jimmy Paxson, has conjured up musical magic - if you like your music steeped in Americana, Rock, R&B, & Blues, then drop Solomon King's No. 5 on your turntable, now!

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Review by Beach Sloth

No. 5' shows off the power of Solomon King & The Chosen in creating a world that is distinctly his own, a sheer fervor to it that draw the listener into his unique aural universe.

Train is a solid album from beginning to end. Solomon pays homage to traditional blues, but plays the Blues in a style all his own. He takes the best of the Old-School Blues and mixes it up with some Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Bo Diddley. He adds in some rock elements of Cream, the Rolling Stones, and George Thorogood. He blends in the

Train is a solid album from beginning to end. Solomon pays homage to traditional blues, but plays the Blues in a style all his own. He takes the best of the Old-School Blues and mixes it up with some Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Bo Diddley. He adds in some rock elements of Cream, the Rolling Stones, and George Thorogood. He blends in the singer/songwriting vocal styling of Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, and Don ‘Doop’ Duprie. Mix this all together and you have what is called Solomon King.

MEDICINE by Solomon King

Review by Playboy Magazine contributor Ashley Jude Collie

Today’s charts are jammed with sappy performers who can’t really sing and don’t play instruments and who are created by record companies with the sole purpose of milking our kids of their cash. Did I hear some exec say, “We just need customers who are like sheep and

MEDICINE by Solomon King

Review by Playboy Magazine contributor Ashley Jude Collie

Today’s charts are jammed with sappy performers who can’t really sing and don’t play instruments and who are created by record companies with the sole purpose of milking our kids of their cash. Did I hear some exec say, “We just need customers who are like sheep and go baaaaaaaa, and performers who have their dance routines down pat!” Face it, when it comes to modern music it’s all about being served a load of pop and pomp. . .PAP! But every now and again, something makes us want to shout, “Hold on, what’s that?” and then, “Drop a freakin’ needle on that record!” Solomon King’s debut 2009 CD, Under the Sun, earned him a Grammy entrant nomination. Now his new CD, Medicine, strips down today’s over-produced slush and returns music to its very essence. Medicine is an exciting throwback to when the blues and rock made you want to rock and roll! Medicine is a tasty dish, evoking John Lee Hooker, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits and a little of that “bad to the bone” of George Thorogood. It’s raw, one-take, uncomplicated medicine for the soul. Trust us, resistance is futile. . .so shut up and just take your Medicine!

1. “Medicine” - An irresistible blues love song. You need your medicine, and your medicine is a bit of Solomon King.
2. “Baby Does Me Good” - Foot stomping, rocking blues with some real horny guitar.
3. “Make You Mine” - We suggest you shoot back some whiskey for this damn fine homage to early rockers like George Thorogood and his Destroyers. Count Solomon King as part of this great rock tradition.
4. “Little Wheel” - Some classic early rock blues on this John Lee Hooker tune done in Solomon King’s inimitable
5. “Don’t you love me no more?” - More dirty licks for this excellent bad lovin’ song.
6. “Closer” - Sweet, sweet, sweet ballad — takes the edge off the bad lovin’ we all go through. “Everything’s going to be alright!”
7. “Cinammon Rose” - A killer country road tune. Put on your boots and hat, grab your gal and high step it out onto that dance floor!
8. “Bucket” - Sure, the economy sucks, you just lost your job and your shirt, and you got those depression blues. But just put ‘em all in a bucket ‘cause you “don’t need nothing” but a line of Solomon King.
9. “Trouble” - Looking for trouble and a little tango? Well, Solomon King is the Leonard Cohen of troubled blues. ‘Nuff said!
10. “Be My Baby” - Stripped down, raw naked emotion. The classic Be My Baby never had it so good!