BILLY PRICE
DOG EAT DOG
GULF COAST RECORDS
ALL NIGHT LONG CAFE–DOG EAT DOG–LOSE MY NUMBER–MORE THAN I NEEDED–MY LOVE WILL NEVER DIE–REMNANTS–SAME OLD HEARTACHES–TOXICITY–WALK BACK IN–WE’RE IN LOVE–WORKING ON YOUR CHAIN GANG–YOU GOTTA LEAVE
Billy Price is not only a Pittsburgh legend, he is one of our favorite singers from the soul-blues category. His latest album is entitled “Dog Eat Dog,” for Mike Zito’s Gulf Coast label, Billy’s voice draws you in with that soulful grit, and these twelve cuts feature eight originals, and everything was laid down out at Kid Andersen’s Greaseland Studios.
There were several noteworthy favorites. Excellent West Side guitar lines from Kid play over Billy’s plaintive, pleading vocals on a brilliant cover of Otis Rush’s iconic “My Love Will Never Die,” with Billy easily reaching his upper registers on this Chi-town classic. Cheaters get called on the carpet, too, especially the little girl who leaves behind all the clues–a “$400 bar tab at Annie Mae’s Cafe,” and all the other “Remnants” that “busted you.” People who are full of themselves and offer nothing but a negative attitude are the theme of the funked-up, danceable groove of “Toxicity,” while our hero owns up to his past transgressions, and begs for another chance to “Walk Back Into your life,” and “wipe the slate clean.”
Nothing compared to the biting social commentary of the title cut, tho. It’s a sho’ nuff spit in the eye to the “one percent,” who “get the cake, poor folks settle for the crumbs,” ’cause, nowadays, it’s “Dog Eat Dog out there!” Alabama Mike is the duet vocalist here, and Rick Estrin is on the harp.
Billy Price is a master at bringing the old-school soul into today’s contemporary arena. A vocalist with chops to die for who writes topical, socially-conscious material, makes his “Dog Eat Dog” a sweet listen! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues And Roots Alliance.
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