Track Listing

1. One Of The Fortunate Few
2. Right To Be Wrong
3. The Part I Like Best
4. I'll Change My Style
5. Hammerhead Stew
6. Your Memory, Me And The Blues
7. Dead Wrong
8. Down Into Mexico
9. Kiss Her Once For Me
10. I Had A Real Good Time
11. Midnight Communion
12. Two Step Too
13. Alright By Me

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #30192 in Music
• Brand: Dig
• Released on: 2005-08-23
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .15 pounds

Amazon.com
Like a rootsier Jimmy Buffett, Delbert McClinton is an established, hard-touring veteran whose audience doesn't expect from him too much out of the norm. Regardless, the Texan's quintessential mix of country, R&B, Tex-Mex, blues, honky-tonk, New Orleans bump, lounge jazz, and good-time rock and roll is durable enough to sustain a career, especially since nobody does it nearly as well as he does. In the spirit of "don't fix what isn't broken," this album of 13 McClinton originals preserves the established formula. But to his credit, the leathery-voiced singer, now in his mid-60s, never seems to be going through the motions. He delivers this good-natured Americana with gutsy enthusiasm and enough raw energy to power the ocean liner on one of his famous blues cruises. Just as comfortable tearing into the Stonesy rock of "Dead Wrong" as the soft, Spanish guitar-driven folk of "Down into Mexico"--a tale of a robbery/relationship gone bad that flawlessly mixes his tender and tough sides--McClinton revels in his element. Fiddles, sax, and pedal steel augment the arrangements, highlighting the country and blues at the heart of Cost of Living. All that's missing is the sweat, booze, and boisterous crowd that remain an integral aspect of McClinton's legendary shows. --Hal Horowitz

Customer Reviews

Delbert McClinton is on fire...
Goddamn, he's good. Good as in, "awesome," and definitely not phoning it in... Here's yet another lively roots music set showcasing this veteran roadhouse pro at his very best, a soulful blues-based performer with feet planted equally firmly in old-school country's honkytonk tradition... This is a very strong set of original material, with highlights that include rollicking, humorous tunes like "Right To Be Wrong" and the lustful "I'll Change My Style," as well as the country-flavored "Two Step Too," which is as concise a description of McClinton's rock-country-R&B world view as we're ever likely to hear. It should be mentioned, though, that with the destruction of New Orleans earlier this month, an unintended sadness hangs over this album as well... The strolling Big Easy vibe of "One Of The Fortunate Few" and other songs are part of McClinton's long love of Louisiana music, and made me wonder what the blues world will do without its home... Hopefully, they'll keep making great records like this one, and if "Cost Of Living" is any indication, Delbert McClinton will be one of the artists there to lead the way to rebuild and revitalize the New Orleans soul we know and love so well. Anyway, this is a fine record... If you get it, you will not be disappointed.

Thanks Don Imus!
Learned of Delbert from the Don Imus show and have been a major fan ever since. This album is another gem with some of the best Texas blues songs I have heard in years. To truly appreciate Delbert, you need to see him live. Extraordinary performer!

Now I am a Delbert fan
This was my first McClinton CD and now I am hooked! I have bought 2 more and they are all great.