Little Beaver - Joey (2013)

Willie "Little Beaver" Hale's melodic guitar ably accompanies his strident tenor on seven ho-hum songs written by Hale himself. "Joey," a slow, bluesy number, made a minor chart run and is easily the LP's most commercial offering. "I'm Losin' the Feelin'"'s crippled, shuffling beat tells of fading love, accented by Hale's tasty guitar licking away like a cat at a feeding bowl. On most tracks Hale plays lead and rhythm via overdubbing, as exemplified on "What the Blues Is," a pleasant, jaunty roller. "Katie Pearl" is a personal account about a chick "that sure knows how to love her man"; on her death bed she (Katie Pearl) confesses to her mother to tell Little Beaver to record the song he wrote especially for her. "Two Steps from the Blues," the only selection that Hale didn't write, doesn't start cooking until it's nearly over, and unnecessary strings mar both "That's How It Is" and "Give a Helping Hand."

Review by Andrew Hamilton