The Hits Keep Coming

by Rick Estrin, Rick Estrin and the Nightcats

Overview

The Hits Rick Estrin & the Nightcats refer to in the title of their sixth album aren't hit singles -- they're a blues band in the 2010s, hit singles aren't coming their way -- but rather body blows; it's a sign that the veteran band still packs a punch. Estrin & the Nightcats follow through on an album that is squarely in their comfort zone, playing blues that's rooted in tradition but not beholden to it. The quartet realizes the blues is at its best when it's adaptable, so they'll balance a cover of the Muddy Waters chestnut "Diamonds at Your Feet" with an ingenious revision of Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows," giving the brooding ballad a streetcorner swing. Don't be fooled by the Cohen cover, though. The Hits Keep Coming isn't some dark night of the soul, it's a lively record with a strong sense of humor and a potent sense of swing, two characteristics that come to a head at the knowingly goofy closer "Whatever Happened to Dobie Strange," a monologue that swipes liberally from Bootsy Collins. Those good spirits and professional punch are enough to keep The Hits Keep Coming engaging and entertaining throughout its zippy running time. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	05/10/2024
Label:	Alligator Records
UPC:	0014551501923
Rank:	445

Tracks

1. Somewhere Else
2. The Hits Keep Coming
3. The Circus Is Still in Town (The Monkey Song)
4. Everybody Knows
5. I Finally Hit the Bottom
6. Diamonds at Your Feet
7. 911
8. I Ain't Worried About Nothin'
9. Learn to Lose
10. Sack O' Kools
11. Time for Me to Go
12. Whatever Happened to Dobie Strange?

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Rick Estrin and the Nightcats   Primary Artist
Rick Estrin   Primary Artist