Los Angeles blues-rock legends Top Jimmy And The Rhythm Pigs released exactly one album in 1987, and it’s been out of print for a long time. Now, nearly 40 years later, it’s on CD for the first time and the vinyl version comes in pig pink and with a 16-page booklet.
The lively “Dance With Your Baby Around” starts the festivities with Top Jimmy’s smooth pipes alongside DJ Bonebrake’s furious drumming and Steve Berlin’s animated sax that will make you stop whatever you’re doing and start dancing.
“11 Months And 29 Days” follows with a slower but no less impactful mood, where Dig The Pig’s infectious rhythm guitar suits the melodic spirit and Joey Morales’ colorful harmonica, while “Homework” allows for Gil T’s frisky bass to complement the stylish delivery.
Landing in the middle, “Hole In My Pockets” spotlights Gene Taylor’s firm piano, as Top Jimmy’s voice gets a bit gritty in a soulful way, and “Spanish Castle Magic” brings dense rock ideas thanks to Carlos Guitarlos’ sturdy guitar and Tony Morales’ pounding drums. “Framed,” another excellent track, then bops and shakes with timeless blues that can get raw, too.
Arriving late, “Backroom Blues” places Joey Morales on drums alongside the agile bass, dancing keys and meticulous guitars, and “Ballad Of A Thin Man” exits and burns slow with a hint of a darker quality to it.
The ’80s were a wild time in Los Angeles for underground music, and fans of Top Jimmy included Tom Waits, David Lee Roth, X and The Blasters, to name a few. Their rowdy live shows were legendary, which we definitely get a feel for here, and their mashing up of blues, boogie-woogie, jazz, soul, R&B and even punk makes this a long overdue reissue that anyone with ears should consume immediately.
