Published on Jan 11, 2001
If there had been any justice in the world back in the ’80s,
blues growler Omar “Kent” Dykes would have been as big a star as
Stevie Ray Vaughan. After all, Dykes and his band Omar And The
Howlers came around at just the right time – namely, the revival of
interest in Texas blues. But it was Vaughan who rose to the
spotlight, while Dykes and crew, still enjoying some level of
popularity, found themselves standing outside of the gates, waiting
for their chance to get in and get noticed. (You may remember their
hit “Hard Times In The Land Of Plenty” – pity the disc it was taken
from is presently out of print.)
Omar And The Howlers have been churning out the blues for over
20 years now, and quite possibly no release of theirs proves that
the band is worthy of that shot at stardom than their latest
release
The Screamin’ Cat. Sounding like a cross between
Steppenwolf’s John Kay, the late Wolfman Jack and alternative music
legend Tom Waits, Dykes lays down a vocal that sounds like he’s
seen his share of the hard times, but he makes it so much fun to
listen to that you’ll want to get up and dance to these 12
songs.
While Dykes takes his turns on guitar, the real six-string
attack comes from Malcolm “Papa Mali” Welbourne – and he helps to
kick the music into new levels. Yes, the deal is almost completely
sealed thanks to Dykes’s unique vocal style (which is totally
appropriate for the rough-and-tumble style of blues he plays and
sings), but it’s the slide guitar and leads from Welbourne that
make sure these songs will leave their mark on you.
“Radio Man” could well be a tribute to Wolfman Jack – on this
one, Dykes sounds frighteningly similar to the deceased legend of
broadcasting. Dykes carries over the imitations on “The Screamin’
Cat,” sounding a lot like Waits to the point where a fan of Waits
might think you’re listening to the man himself. “Bad Ol’ Man” and
“Snake Oil Doctor” have so much vocal charm to them thanks to Dykes
that you almost forget the subject of the songs – who knew someone
could like a sleazy salesman like the one on “Snake Oil
Doctor”?
The contributions of drummer B.E. “Frosty” Smith and bassist
Paul Junior (who shares four-string work with Welbourne) must be
noted, for their efforts on The Screamin’ Cat are just as
essential. Without them laying down a solid rhythmic backbone, the
efforts of Dykes and Welbourne might have been all for naught.
Tracks like “Automatic,” “Girl’s Got Rhythm” (not a cover of the
AC/DC track), “Steady Rock” and “Party Girl” all suggest that the
listener might not just be listening to the best work Omar And The
Howlers have ever done, but an indictment against the scene which
should have elevated them to superstardom over a decade ago. With
any luck,
The Screamin’ Cat will be the first big step in righting a
wrong which has been done to this band for so long. This disc might
take some searching for, but it’s worth every minute of your
time.