The Michael Terry
Group
"Bighead
Baby"
Peter "Blewzzman"
Lauro � November 2009
"Bighead Baby" is The
Michael Terry Group's debut CD. The band, from St. Louis, MO,
consists of Michael Terry on vocals and guitars, Jan "Jan-Jan" Cameron on
bass, Michael Schmidt on drums, and Steve "Weepin' One Take" Wamser on
keyboards. The CD features eleven original and well done
tracks.
The disc opens with the catchy title
track "Bighead Baby". Now I could be wrong, but I'm
thinkin' that telling your baby she has a big head has to be right up there
- on the things not to say list - with telling her she has a big
butt. With it's humorous lyrics, this foot tappin' / knee
slappin' / head bobbin' shuffle is highlighted by real tight and steady
rhythm and great guitar and piano leads.
"Why You Wanna Scream On Me?"
could very well be the discs best track. The groove that Jan-Jan,
Michael and Steve have themselves locked into is as awesome as
Michael's scorching guitar leads and vocals. This three and
a half minute track should have been at least six or seven minutes
longer, but several replays took care of that. Real good stuff right
here.
One of the discs more progressive
tracks is "Mama Raised A Fool". This one's an all out free for
all with everyone wailin' away. The mix of hot funk coming from
the rhythm section, along with the wild guitar chords and psychedelic
sounds created by the piano, had me thinking Sly and the Family Stone on
steroids. Whoa!
In spite of some great musical
support, "What Would I Do?" is one of those tracks where the
intensity of the lyrics, and the emotional way in which they are
sung, absolutely steal the song. This melancholy ballad
has Michael wondering about the same things everyone who loves
someone might wonder about - should that loved one all of a sudden be
gone. It's songs like this that would get my "song of the year"
vote. Great work, Michael!
On this all out jam, the band's kickin'
ass and "Takin' Names". Depending on where your speakers
are located, you just might want to be concerned with your smoke alarms going
off when this one gets going. The scorching guitar licks,
the fiery rhythm and the blazing piano are all throwing out some serious
heat.
Other rockin', funky and blues filled
tracks on "Bighead Baby" include: "Here to Stay", "Muddy World",
"Too Bad:, "Whooped", "She's My Baby", and "Hard To Find My Way".
Although The Michael Terry Group doesn't
have a web site, you can easily contact them on myspace by clicking
right here --->
www.myspace.com/michaelterrygroup. Once
you're there, become their friend, buy the disc and as always - tell them
the Blewzzman sent ya.
Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro