Showdown! — Featuring Blues Icons Albert Collins, Johnny Copeland And Robert Cray – LP Review

20th November 2024 0 By Suzie Rottencrotch

Originally released back in 1985 Showdown! and still one of Alligator’s most successful albums in the label’s 53-year history, selling over 310,000 units worldwide. This is a sizzling, soul-soaked feast for the ears, a collaboration that is nothing short of a fiery blues masterpiece and of course, totally remastered.

Featuring the legendary Albert Collins, Robert Cray, and Johnny Copeland, this album ignites from the very first note, bringing together three titans of the genre in a way that only true blues alchemists could.

Albert Collins, with his scorching guitar and razor-sharp tone, dominates the airwaves with a fiery intensity that demands attention. His fingers glide over the fretboard like they’re in a passionate embrace, creating electric sparks of heat that will leave you breathless. His sharp, staccato guitar licks pierce through the room.

Then there’s Robert Cray, smooth as silk but with a bite that cuts straight through. His voice, rich and velvety, oozes with longing and satisfaction as his guitar weaves intricate lines that melt into the ears like fine wine. Showdown shows off Cray’s masterful control and ability to create tender moments that flirt between vulnerability and strength.

Johnny Copeland brings in an unrelenting, fiery passion that drives the whole project forward. His raw energy and ferocity, add a dynamic edge that balances the smoothness of Cray and the raw power of Collins. Copeland’s unmistakable slide guitar is gritty, infectious, and full of emotional tension—he plays with a sense of urgency, like a lover who can’t wait another second to be heard.

The chemistry between these three is electric. Their interplay on tracks is as if they’re all reading each other’s minds, pushing and pulling, sliding and grinding, creating an atmosphere thick with bluesy heat. “Showdown!” isn’t just an album—it’s a slow, seductive dance of virtuosity, passion, and sheer raw power.

This album pulses with a sense of urgency and longing, seducing the listener into a musical affair you won’t want to end.

Score 8/10

Tracklist:
1. T-Bone Shuffle (4:54) (T-Bone Walker)
2. The Moon Is Full (4:59) (Gwen Collins)
3. Lion’s Den (3:55) (Johnny Copeland)
4. She’s Into Something (3:49) (Carl Wright)
5. Bring Your Fine Self Home (4:30) (Johnny Copeland)
6. Black Cat Bone (4:54) (Hop Wilson & Ivory Semien)
7. The Dream (5:28) (Bruce Bromberg & Robert Cray)
8. Albert’s Alley (4:01) (Frank “Sonny” Scott)
9. Blackjack (6:26) (Ray Charles)
10. Something To Remember You By (5:28) (Eddie “Guitar Silm” Jones)