Harold Ray Live In Concert

To clear things up right off the bat, the actual name of this band is Harold Ray Live In Concert, and to make things even more confusing, this debut disc is also a live recording. San Francisco based, these young soul scrappers play it fast and crazy, making the Deadly Snakes sound like they’re a bunch of 90-year-old men. Traditional soul in the vein of vintage Sam and Dave and James Brown played at heart attack intensity, this is the soundtrack for a night of straight-up drinking and dancing. Playing what appear to be all covers, the band’s main strength is the tireless blues-shouter howl of Harold Ray and the right-on-time sax honkin’ of Charlie Karr. Highlights include the blistering "Busy Body" and the nice "Ain’t Nothin’ But A House Party,” which all but erases the memory of the Blues Brothers version of that song. The live recording quality of the record also gives it all a timeless quality, making it sound as authentic as the love for the music these guys must have.