Try It...You Might Like It: GA-20 Does Hound Dog Taylor
On Try It...You Might Like It: GA-20 Does Hound Dog Taylor, the American trio look for the energy of an important influence. Hound Dog Taylor's music calls for sliding guitars, firm rhythms and playing that stays rough around the edges. GA-20 take that approach seriously. Two guitars and drums provide a full sound without a bass player.
She's Gone sets the tone. A pronounced drum shuffle moves beneath distorted guitar while the singing delivers its story directly. Slide guitar sharpens the edges. Much of the pleasure comes from that interaction: one guitar maintains the rhythm while the other creates movement around it.
Let's Get Funky and Give Me Back My Wig keep things moving firmly. Their rhythms carry the songs without turning the playing into a technical display. Sitting At Home Alone offers a slower, more developed side. The band can lower the pace without losing all the tension.
Sadie brings the rough singing, shuffling drums and slide together particularly well. The individual parts remain clear as the whole group pushes forward. The short Hawaiian Boogie provides an energetic finish. Guitars and drums need no elaborate arrangement to make it work.
GA-20 do not quite reach the looseness or lived-in singing of their model. Their performance sometimes has a tighter, more controlled energy. Still, this is a convincing tribute with plenty of pleasure in the playing. The trio preserve the songs' direct force and demonstrate why this older form of blues continues to work. Listeners who enjoy rough guitars and inviting rhythms have an easy way in here.
