| The Real Deal | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1995 | |||
| Genre | Chicago blues | |||
| Label | Code Blue/East West | |||
| Producer | Mike Vernon | |||
| John Primer chronology | ||||
| ||||
The Real Deal is an album by the American musician John Primer, released in 1995. [1] [2] Primer supported the album with a North American tour. [3] He subsequently named his backing band the Real Deal. [4] The Real Deal was nominated for a W. C. Handy Award for best "Traditional Blues Album". [5]
The album was produced by Mike Vernon, who had signed Primer to his label. [6] Vernon thought that Primer came closest of the contemporary blues musicians to the sound of 1950s and 1960s Chicago blues. [7] Billy Branch contributed on harmonica; David Maxwell played piano. [8] [9] "Good Understanding" is a cover of the Willie Dixon song. [6] "Come Back Baby" is a cover of Ray Charles's version of the tune. [10] Primer played slide guitar on "I Called My Baby". [11]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [12] |
| The Buffalo News |  [11] |
| Chicago Tribune | [13] |
| The Indianapolis Star | [10] |
| MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide | [14] |
| Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | [15] |
| Springfield News-Leader | [16] |
The Indianapolis Star praised the "simple four-piece band that shuffles, boogies, rocks and wails its way through a strong slate of songs." [10] Stereo Review wrote that Primer's "assertive voice and buoyant guitar are propelled in just the right groove" by his backing band. [17] The Chicago Tribune noted the "tough, no-nonsense swagger of his classic Chicago blues sound," writing that "Primer never wastes a note, never seems particularly eager to show off." [13]
The Springfield News-Leader determined that the album "smoothly blends contemporary and traditional blues." [16] The Richmond Times-Dispatch concluded that "the extensive guitar technique and emotive vocals are shadowed and embellished by Primer's band." [18] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said that Primer's "gritty vocals and stinging guitar carry the genuine trademark of this swaggering Chicago music." [15]
AllMusic called the album "long on intensity and devoid of pretension." [12]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Stop Draggin' That Chain Around" | |
| 2. | "Tomorrow Might Not Be the Same" | |
| 3. | "Still in Love with You" | |
| 4. | "Blind Man Blues" | |
| 5. | "How Long Will You Be Mine" | |
| 6. | "Good Understanding" | |
| 7. | "Come Back Baby" | |
| 8. | "Cryin' for Your Love" | |
| 9. | "Bad Blood" | |
| 10. | "I Called My Baby" | |
| 11. | "She Won't Gimme No Lovin'" | |
| 12. | "Tired and Worried" |
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