The Bottom Of The Top (1973). There weren't many blues albums issued during the early '70s that hit harder than this one. First out on the short-lived Playboy logo, the set firmly established Walker as a blistering axeman sporting enduring Gulf Coast roots despite his adopted L.A. homebase. Of all the times he's cut the rocking "Hello My Darling," this is indeed the hottest, while his funky, horn-driven revival of Lester Williams's "I Can't Lose (With the Stuff I Lose)" and his own R&B-drenched "It's All in Your Mind" are irresistible. After-hours renditions of Sam Cooke's "Laughing & Clowning" and Long John Hunter's "Crazy Girl" are striking vehicles for Walker's twisting, turning guitar riffs and impassioned vocal delivery…

Recorded in 1973, Fuller's Blues was Johnny Fuller's much-belated full-length debut, and it also turned out to be his last record. That's too bad, because it certainly illustrates what he was capable of achieving. He runs the gauntlet here, pulling out jumping R&B numbers and acoustic blues with equal aplomb. It's an exhilarating listen - it's just too bad there weren't more like it.

Phillip Walker delivers 11 prime cuts of funky, down-to-earth blues on this easygoing release. He is backed by some fine musicians, including guitarist Derek O' Brian and grunting saxman Mark Kazanoff. The songs are well crafted; "My Name Is Misery" is as down and out as it gets, the title cut takes Walker back to his roots with lots of brooding guitar and passionate lyrics, and "I'd Rather Be Blind, Crippled and Crazy" is about that dreadful heartbreak we've all felt. Then there's "Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time," a New Orleans style rocker in the best sense with a little added social commentary thrown in for good measure. This is groove oriented music. It's not about flashiness, it's about telling it as Mr. Walker sees it and he sees it as it is.

Walker remains in fine form on this 1995 set, a mix of remakes of past triumphs ("Hello, My Darling," "Hey, Hey Baby's Gone") and fresh explorations. Two distinct bands were utilized - a New Orleans crew populated by bassist George Porter, Jr., and his funky cohorts, and an L.A. posse with more of a straight-up swinging feel.