CD Review – The Cash Box Kings “Black Toppin'”

The Cash Box Kings offer up a tasty sampling of blues styles on their second recording  playing  jump blues, New Orleans swamp as well as  Chicago blues on  Black Toppin‘ (Blind Pig Records) but it is on the Chicago blues tracks where the band and the recording truly shine. The ghosts of Muddy Waters, Hubert Sumlin, Pinetop Perkins and Little Walter must be smiling as they listen to the purposefully distorted overamplified vocals, guitar and harmonica which add a gritty retro authenticity that will leave you wondering if these might be some great lost tracks from Chess Records.  “Black Toppin'”, “Hot Biscuit Baby” and their cover of “Tom Cat Blues” would fit seamlessly into any blues band’s setlist. Muddy Waters, a major influence on the band, sang “the blues had a baby and they named it rock and roll”.  The Cash Box Kings  listened, made the not so obvious connection to an unexpected rock band, and then covered the Velvet Underground’s “Run Run Run” on the last track of the disc.  Black Toppin’ might be the best blues album you’ll hear this year.   Highly recommended.