When Hurricane Katrina struck, Milton "Alabama Slim" Frazier and his cousin Little Freddie King made it out of New Orleans with their lives but not much else. The story of their encounter with the storm is related in the two versions of the Mighty Flood that bookend this disc's dozen selections and give it its name.
Slim, who takes the vocals on all but two tracks, comes by his nickname honestly- he was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama and stands almost seven feet tall. As harrowing as his account of Katrina is, it gains power from its understated delivery (like John Lee Hooker's Tupelo, on which it was modeled). Slim also employs the device of updating an old blues theme by transforming "Tin Pan Alley" into "Crack Alley"…

Though Little Freddie King may not be a household name quite yet, his self-styled "Gut Bucket Blues" approach is well worth a listen for any of those who like rough but precise vocals, warm blues harp, and fat, incisive guitar.
King's style is a rough fusion of T-Bone Walker's sharp attack and Albert King's laid-back, smoky stylings: economical, precise, and thick, tending to simmer but never boil. His rented-mule vocals, likewise, do capably in the pepper-and-vinegar of his mostly self-penned album. Bobby DiTullio adds reliable harmonica, while the backing band keep a likeably primitive rhythm on low heat…