Mem Shannon - Mem Shannon's 2nd Blues Album (1997) [Hannibal]

Review by Ken Hohman (mab-x-music.com)
If truth-in-advertising laws applied to the blues category, Mem Shannon would have a tough time defending the title of this CD. On the 11 tracks contained in , Shannon rarely tackles the blues head-on. But this should come as no surprise to those who paid closer attention to his highly acclaimed debut . On that release, Shannon revealed his fondness for funky rhythms and laid-back melodies. And that's what you'll find here, only in a much lower key. Shannon's warm baritone conveys the touching humor of "Old Men" well enough, but it isn't enough to save songs like "One Thin Dime" and "Mirror Mirror," both of which barely show a pulse. More memorable are the uptempo numbers like "Mr. Blues" and the Stevie Wonder-styled "Say That Then." The playing is slick throughout and Shannon's social commentary is still sharp ("Wrong People in Charge," "Charity"), but Mem Shannon spreads his talents far too thin here.

Tracks:
1 Wrong People in Charge
2 Old Men
3 Charity
4 Say That Then (The Parlez-Vous Francais Song)
5 One Thin Dime
6 Mirror Mirror
7 My Humble Opinion
8 Down Broke
9 Do You 'Yuh' What I Say
10 Mr. Blues
11 The Blues Is Back