by Chuck Dauphin
If ever a title summed up an album, it was this one. The opening track conjures up images of the Bluff City during an afternoon walking on Beale, and seeing instrumentalists and singers doing their thing everywhere. Then, one of the latter songs, “Lord Don’t Take Me Now,” has a feel that would be right at home in any of the clubs in downtown Memphis at night.
Toms pitches an excellent tribute to the sounds of this city, blending soulful ballads with free-for-all jams. There’s some top-notch guitar playing on “Misery,” and a Springsteen rock meets Stax feel on the track “On The Road To Freedom.” He really hits his groove on “Somebody Help Me,” which kicks off with some incredible guitar riffs.
Memphis also includes some very well-written cuts throughout the album. “Colleen, Goodbye” is particularly effective, as is the very sad “Tear This Old House Down.” He saves the best cuts, lyrically, for the final part of the album. “I’ve Made Peace Now” and “Let’s Make A Better World” both feature some strong lyrics, and Toms handles them well. And, though his approach to it is very bluesy, “Hold On,” needs to be pitched to a Country artist, like Alan Jackson, perhaps. There’s a quiet restraint to it that could work well for a traditional-based singer.
That’s not to say that it doesn’t work well for Toms, who shows himself to be an all-around entertainer on this disc. A stunning journey into the style of America’s most famous musical destinations!
For more information about Bill, log on to www.BillToms.com!
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