That's the first thing obvious when you hear this CD.  The second is that Stan knows guitar
sounds.  Some of the tones on this CD are so sweet they almost made me melt into a puddle.  I feel happy if I can get some of these sounds once a year on stage, let alone throughout an entire album recorded live, in one take.
   Things get hoppin' right away with the jump-boogie "Get Outta Dodge" (…in my Chevrolet).  A great solo by guitarist Jeff Ross, a nasty harp solo by Jeff "Dutch" Masters, and a blistering slide solo by Stan propel this clever tune and gets the joint jumpin'.
   The guitar work throughout the entire album is masterful.  Whether it's killer slide kicking off "Blue Heart Disease", some nice slow Blues from Jeff Ross in "Crazy, Crazy, Crazy", or gorgeous Delta-style bottleneck on the tribute to Robert Johnson "Delta King".  The whole band is in fine form.  Stan covers the slide work (and it's always excellent), plus plays National Hawaiian on the two Delta-style numbers.  Jeff Ross plays lead and a National Style "O" guitar on the acoustic numbers.  There are numerous fine harp solos by the aforementioned Mr. Masters, while the rhythm section of Dave Childers on guitar, Mike "Rocko" Occhiato on bass,
and Mike Sessa on drums keep things moving the way they should be.
   Some other highlights include "Medfly Blues", which is a nice loud shuffle with fine solos all around and a punched turnaround that avoids all the familiar Blues clichés.  The very sarcastic "Overnight Bluesman" takes a stab at the players who suddenly become Bluesmen when it looks like they might be able to make some money.  It's pretty funny, with a punchline during the last verse which I can't repeat here.  It also features a nice slide solo from West.
   There's other stuff worth hearing here, including a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan called "So Sad, So Sad", and a plea for a stop to gang violence, "Bullet Hole".  Through it all, Stan's vocals really shine along with the fine work from the band.
   All in all, this is a fine CD.  Most certainly the real deal.   ~ By John Heidt.