Barrence Whitfield and the Savages
Soul Flowers of Titan
Bloodshot Records
If there is a more rev’d up, enthusiastic singer then 62 year old Barrence Whitfield, I’ve yet to hear them. Soul Flowers of Titan, the third Bloodshot release from Whitfied and the Savages after returning from retirement in 2010 continues his domination of the garage rock scene. Opening with “Slowly Losing My Mind”, the trademark Savage’s sound is all here- grinding guitars from ex-Lyre Peter Greenberg, some mad trumpet work from Michael Mavridoglou, and of course, the gruff shout of Whitfield atop it all.
The 12 cuts here range from the heart on the sleeve pleadings of “Pain” to the defiant swagger of “Tall Black and Bitter”, a rockabilly stomper with Greenberg channeling his best Link Wray on the solo, while new Savage Brian Olive rides the keys. “Tingling” slows it down, but it’s still just as raunchy and dirty as the up-tempo stuff. “Let’s Go To Mars”, written after repeated watchings of a Sun Ra documentary is choice. Finley Brown’s “I Can’t Get No Ride” gets an energetic updating, and “Say What You Want” ends the album on a heartfelt note, with Whitfield toning down the shout to deliver some excellent R+B.
Soul Flowers of Titan is a perfect summer album, just so long as your idea of fun involves much drinking while dancing to some nasty rock ‘n’ roll. If so, Barrence Whitfield and the Savages got ya covered. Work it baby!
