Lil Muddy - “Leavin’ If You Find Me Gone Lil Muddy is a three piece heavy blues band from northwestern Wisconsin. They previously released a pair of EPs on cd, “Close To The Ground” and “1928”, both well worth checking out and both available at their website, www.lilmuddywisconsin.com. Consider them appetizers for the feast found here on this, their first full length release, “Leavin’ If You Find Me Gone”. This platter contains 8 tasty slices of high intensity blues-rock that immediately bring to mind ZZ Top’s “Eliminator” era brand of electric boogie music, (without the synthesizers). The comparison is inescapable, given that both bands are three piece outfits, the members all playing with similar virtuosity, both guitarists favoring vintage Gibson SG model instruments, and Lil Muddy frontman Bob “DK” has often professed his deep respect for Billy Gibbons’ nimble fretwork and songwriting sensibilities. That’s where the similarities end, however. The first cut, “No Way Out” hits just like a lost Top track, and it rocks! Once the vocals begin, though, you know you’re in different territory. Bob DK is the band’s principal vocalist and he sings with a deep, raspy, guttural kind of Tom Waits thing that fits the music. He has decades of experience playing in all kinds of bands, blues, punk, crust and now he’s come back full circle to his first love, blues, but he’s seasoned it with flavorings from his earlier days playing other genres. Just listen to “Missin’ the Better Days”. It’s blues, but it’s salted with echoes of punk sensibilities. Drummer Jody is well miked and definitely knows his way around the skins. I don’t think he could lose time if he tried. Bassist Robert holds down the low end, never too busy but making every note count. Some tasty slide work on tunes “Cut Out and Run” (written by Bob and band) and “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” (yep, that one!) fill out side one. Yeah, I said side one. That’s because this is a vinyl record-only release. This record has that warm sound you can only get from analog on vinyl, and it’s on orange/peach splatter colored vinyl too. It looks great spinning on my turntable. Side two starts out with the title track, “Leavin’ If You Find Me Gone”, a mid-tempo rocker which would not sound out of place on a Black Keys record. “Been a Long Time” picks up the pace a bit and jumps out of the speakers at you, and if your ears don’t prick up when the lead guitar comes in, well, I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe go see somebody. “Passin’ Thru” is another one of those ZZ Top-like tracks that grabs you and won’t let go. And what better way to wind up a blues album than with a song called “Goin’ to Chicago”? It’s a straight ahead kickass road tune you’ll want to set your needle down into a couple extra times before you put the record back in its sleeve. If you’re a fan of Billy G. and his band, it’s hard to see how you wouldn’t love this album. All bands are influenced by other artists and Lil Muddy’s influences are felt all through this recording. All songs written by Bob DK & Lil Muddy except “Rollin’ and Tumblin” (traditional) and “Passin’ Thru”.