Blues man Ted Horowitz, better known as Popa Chubby, is the kind of musician who doesn't give a damn about what is hip and happening. His brand of swinging, soulful blues thrives on stage, while his studio albums come pretty close to the excitement that his guitar playing generates during his never-ending tours. His latest is called Two Dogs and he is fine form throughout.
Popa is a big guy who can project danger and be surprisingly gentle as well. He is one of the last true electric blues titans, with his fluid guitar playing a la Buddy Guy plus a hint of Santana and the swagger of Muddy Waters. Wearing his heart on his sleeve he urges be free from pain and grief in the rumbling Rescue me. Lurking violence is almost tangible in Sam Lay's Pistol. Don't sleep on the wah-wah and saxophone in the title track, adding an extra layer to the fight between the scruffy animals. Dirty Old Blues Shakedown are irresistible 12-bar exercises about halfway ZZ Top and Humble Pie.
