| The Man from Mars | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1997 | |||
| Genre | Blues, R&B | |||
| Label | Bullseye Blues | |||
| Producer | Ron Levy | |||
| Smokey Wilson chronology | ||||
| ||||
The Man from Mars is an album by the American musician Smokey Wilson, released in 1997. [1] [2] Wilson supported the album with a North American tour. [3] The Man from Mars was nominated for a W. C. Handy Award for best contemporary blues album. [4]
The album was produced by Ron Levy, who used a rhythm section of Dallas musicians. [5] Wilson wrote eight of its songs. [6] "Louise" was written by Howlin' Wolf, one of Wilson's primary influences; "44 Blues" is a cover of Wolf's version of the standard. [7] [8] "Easy Baby" was written by Magic Sam. [9] "Something Inside of Me" is a cover of the Elmore James song. [9] "Thanks for Making Me a Star" is about staying humble after becoming famous. [10]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [9] |
| Edmonton Journal |  [11] |
| The Indianapolis Star | [8] |
| Los Angeles Daily News | [12] |
| MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide | [13] |
| The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings | [14] |
The Los Angeles Daily News wrote that the album "recalls the grit of a '50s juke joint... Wilson's slash and burn guitaring is a breath of fresh air at a time when a generation of tepid teen players are being taken seriously as blues musicians." [12] The Washington Post stated that "thick, punchy horn riffs dominate nearly every song and force Wilson to sharpen the edge on his lead-guitar licks and to pump up his hollering vocals to make himself felt." [5] The Edmonton Journal praised the "shuffles and honky tonk ballads and roaring r'n'b horn workouts." [11]
Guitar Player said that Wilson's "stinging tone, swift vibrato and staccato blasts travel from string-strangling '50s blues to R&B-driven '70s rock." [15] The Record determined that Wilson's "incendiary slide-guitar work carries on the Elmore James tradition, while his gravel-voiced singing recalls Howlin' Wolf and Tyrone Davis." [16] The Indianapolis Star noted that "the juke-joint atmosphere Wilson embraced while cutting his teeth in the profession is evident." [8]
AllMusic wrote that "Levy keeps Wilson's guitar tone at sting and bite level 10 and his vocals right up front and toasty, surrounding him with a solid rhythm section and spare horn stabs." [9]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Thanks for Making Me a Star" | |
| 2. | "Something Inside of Me" | |
| 3. | "The Man from Mars" | |
| 4. | "44 Blues" | |
| 5. | "Louise" | |
| 6. | "Too Drunk to Drive" | |
| 7. | "You Don't Drink What I Drink" | |
| 8. | "Black Widow" | |
| 9. | "Just Like a Mountain" | |
| 10. | "Don't Want to Tangle with Me" | |
| 11. | "Doctor Blues" | |
| 12. | "Easy Baby" |
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