Massachusetts has a large and interesting blues scene. Artists like Sugar Ray & The Bluetones, Duke Robillard or Jerry Portnoy among others have regularly moved around the area. This is the case of Wildcat O’Halloran Band, a group founded in 1968, which now is well known in all New England clubs, bars and festivals, besides opening or backing musicians like Greg Allman, John Lee Hooker, The Stray Cats, Duke Robillard, Bo Diddley or James Cotton, as well as leading for years a jam every Sunday in Northampton.

Now they are back with their last recording that gathers eleven songs developed in the most traditional blues, but also with very interesting lyrics that move away from the typical blues stereotypes, displayed with a good sense of humor, where Wildcat’s guitar gets inspiration by influences coming from Eric Clapton to Matt “Guitar” Murphy or Otis Rush, and even with some Jimi Hendrix details.

A selection of songs that allow us to realize Wildcat O’Halloran can perform with reliability a variety of blues styles and even delight us with a slow seven and a half minutes blues, “My Own Fault” without becoming repetitive or too long, where he gives in small doses some Texas blues elements. Also, he does not forget to include in the album some shuffles, mid-tempos and even a Christmas song “All I Want For Xmas” Wildcat performs in a very personal way.

Wildcat O’Halloran is on guitar and vocals, fronting the band, which includes Ottomatic Slim on harmonica and vocals on “Homework”, Jerry Jeff Siiru on bass, Joe Fitzpatrick on drums and the collaborations of drummer Mark Chouinard in “Always Nobody” and “Move On Up” and Emily Duff in sax on “Move On Up”.