Lucky Guy!

by Dennis Gruenling, Nick Moss Band, Dennis Greunling

Overview

The first time the Nick Moss Band recorded a full album with harpist Dennis Gruenling went so well, the gang decided to reconvene for a second set just a year later. Like many sequels, 2019's Lucky Guy! doesn't offer surprises, but it could be argued that The High Cost of Low Living didn't exactly shock either. That was by design. Moss and Gruenling make it their mission to keep the greasy sound of Chicago blues alive, and while they're traditionalists, they're not stuck in the past. Lucky Guy! makes that plain by heavily relying on originals -- Moss wrote 11 of the tunes, with Gruenling delivering a matching pair for good measure -- that let the band show both a bawdy sense of humor and a big heart. The latter is evident on the closing "The Comet," a song written in salute to the departed Mike Ledbetter. Its stripped-down arrangement is an understated, moving coda to a high-octane record, but it's not the only song to offer a slight departure from the norm: the instrumental "Cutting the Monkey's Tail" is a sly, jazzy treat; "Full Moon Ache" bounces to a beat that threatens to break into rockabilly; and "Hot Zucchini" is a clever update on Booker T. & the M.G.'s. These accents help make Lucky Guy! something that's a bit more than reliable modern Chicago blues; they help the album seem alive and fresh. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	08/09/2019
Label:	Alligator Records
UPC:	0014551499329
Rank:	161059

Tracks

1. 312 Blood
2. Ugly Woman
3. Lucky Guy!
4. Sanctified, Holy and Hateful
5. Movin' on My Way
6. Tell Me There's Nothing Wrong
7. Full Moon Ache
8. Me and My Friends
9. Hot Zucchini
10. Simple Minded
11. Wait and See
12. As Good as It Gets
13. Cutting the Monkey's Tail
14. The Comet

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Nick Moss Band   Primary Artist
Nick Moss   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Dennis Gruenling   Primary Artist,Harmonica,Vocals (Background)
Dennis Greunling   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Kid Anderson   Soloist,Mandolin,Guitar (Rhythm),Guitar (Baritone)
Rodrigo Mantovani   Bass (Upright),Bass (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Patrick Seals   Drums,Vocals (Background)
Taylor Streiff   Piano,Wurlitzer,Vocals (Background)
Monster Mike Welch   Guitar

Technical Credits

Bruce Iglauer   Mastering
Kevin Niemiec   Package Design
Collin Jordan   Mastering
Kid Anderson   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Chris Monaghan   Photography
Rodrigo Mantovani   Group Member
Patrick Seals   Group Member
Taylor Streiff   Group Member
Robby Yamilov   Assistant Engineer
Johnny O'Neal   Composer
Nick Moss   Composer,Producer,Group Member
Dennis Gruenling   Composer,Group Member