Des Moines-based Matt Woods and The Thunderbolts have become one of the hottest acts on the Iowa club circuit of late, with bassist Scott Cochran and drummer Michael Swanger teaming with southpaw guitarist Woods to lay down their own smoking amalgam of Hound Dog Taylor and Freddy King. As is evident from their own rocker Cold Water and the closing medley of Skinny Woman and All Night Long, Woods and company have also been listening to north Mississippi blues, and, as on their previous discs, there’s a nod to Son House, this time with a loping acoustic rendition of Louise McGhee that works surprisingly well. Woods’ singing and guitar playing are both intense but unforced, and the set provides ample proof that a band doesn’t have to come from the south side of Chicago to really rock the house.
Jim DeKoster
Living Blues #208
August 2010
