Nine Lives is Little Charlie & the Nightcats' tenth album (counting a live one and a best-of) for Alligator Records. Guitarist Charlie Baty, Rick Estrin on harmonica, and a new rhythm section of J. Hansen on drums and Lorenzo Farrell on bass are all solid, road-tested professionals, capable of delivering blisteringly heavy instrumentals like the one that closes this album ("Slap Happy" is easily the best track here). The strong playing would have been enhanced by a fresh vision and some variations on the prevailing theme of ...
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Nine Lives is Little Charlie & the Nightcats' tenth album (counting a live one and a best-of) for Alligator Records. Guitarist Charlie Baty, Rick Estrin on harmonica, and a new rhythm section of J. Hansen on drums and Lorenzo Farrell on bass are all solid, road-tested professionals, capable of delivering blisteringly heavy instrumentals like the one that closes this album ("Slap Happy" is easily the best track here). The strong playing would have been enhanced by a fresh vision and some variations on the prevailing theme of a hard-working, hard-drinking simple man who has trouble with women, spends (or loses) all of his money, and seems generally amazed at it all. Everything here sounds fine, however. ~ Steve Leggett, Rovi
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