Walk That Walk

The Lifer

Independent

As one of the premier bands on the impressive Boston blues scene, Walk That Walk is an east-coast phenomenon, but its midwestern roots run deep. The group’s material and fiery performances are born of the fertile sounds of Detroit and Chicago, where the electric blues was forged in the 1950s. They served as the touring band for two Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductees: Bo Diddley and Johnnie Johnson, pianist in Chuck Berry’s legendary combo. They’ve also backed Carey Bell, Chicago blues-harmonica ace. They honed their unique sound by performing over 800 shows and earning airplay on over 500 radio stations with their debut self-titled release and subsequent studio recordings.

Walk That Walk has been a mainstay act in the renowned Boston Blues Festival for many years, performing alongside greats including Gatemouth Brown, Eric Burdon, Son Seals, Big Jack Johnson, and Levon Helm. Their work includes long-running engagements at top New England venues including the original House of Blues, the renowned Harper’s Ferry, and Johnny D’s Uptown Lounge. It’s been said, “If you’re not passionate and high energy when you perform, people will head for the exits.” These days, the only reason people are near the exits at Walk That Walk shows is because there’s nowhere else to stand.

The members of Walk That Walk include frontman Poppa C. DeSnyder, guitars, slide, dobro, percussion, and vocals; Jimmy James “Limpin’ Lemon” Love, guitar and vocals; Jon “Cutlet” Reese, bass; Alan Waters, drums and percussion; and James “Stickman” Waldron, harmonica. Special guests include Pappy Biondo, banjo and guitar on three tracks; Ben DeSnyder, guitar on five tracks; keyboardist Ray Paczkowski; and percussionist Russ Lawton. The album was engineered and recorded by Roger Stauss at the Pantry in Greenville, Vermont, and engineered and recorded by producer Poppa C. DeSnyder at Big Lake Studios in Moultonborough, New Hampshire.

“You Can’t Catch Me” features guitar and banjo from Pappy Biondo and a vocal from Poppa C., as he sings, “You can catch a glimpse of heaven on a good day. You can catch a train to hell, to set you free, or forsake your tomorrow for today, and it’s hard for you to catch what you can’t see, and you can’t catch me…you can spend some time at the crossroads, but you can’t catch me.”

On “I Ain’t Thinking About You,” with some great harmonica from “Stickman” Waldron, piano from Ray Paczkowski, and Ben DeSnyder on guitar, Poppa C. chimes, “Ah well, you went to New York n’ down to D.C. Y’ rode out to Texas y’ don’t…come see me. Well, you got me thinkin’, yes you got me thinkin’, Y’ know I been thinkin’, honey, I ain’t thinkin’ about you. Well you took all the cash, you took the TV, Y’ don’t like my peaches don’t shake my tree…my mama told me you were no good, you got me thinkin’ but I’m not thinkin’ about you.”

On the topical “Stand Up, Don’t Quit,” Biondo is on guitar, as Poppa C. chants, “Yeah, people getting sick of the dirty tricks. My head hurts starin’ at the ceilin’. They telling lies, ain’t no surprise, they’re robbin’, cheatin’ amd stealin’. Well, they breakin’ this, they breakin’ that. Stand up, don’t quit…no don’t quit…they breakin’ laws, with no litigation, people want peace, not a coronation, well try to hide keep out of sight…the rich getting richer, the poor getting poorer. Stand up don’t quit, people want peace not a coronation.”

Another topical song, “Get Up,” was written by Kim Madeleine and Poppa C. He cries out, “Well, everybody shufflin looking down, at the ground. Everybody sayin’ that they leavin’ this town. Everybody sayin’ hey what can we do? So I tell yah…what you can do…Get Up!, Yeah, it’s time to make a stand. Y’ gotta get up on your feet, get out in the street, if you wanna make ’em understand.”

On “I Ain’t No Stranger,” with more great guitar from Biondo and piano from Paczkowski, Poppa C. wails, “Well, I ain’t no stranger, I come in thru the back. I come see you at night, I’m always outta sight, and I wipe out my tracks. Well, I make my midnight creep, the hunters far behind me. I take what I want, and I want what I want, and hope they never find me…I ain’t no stranger.”

“Make Mine a Double” features “Limpin’ Lemon” Love on guitar and backing vocals and Paczkowski on the Hammond B-3, as Poppa C. shouts, “Yeah, we’re buskin’ on the street, in the summertime. On Bleeker Street for a dollar or a dime. Y’ gotta hold a crowd, they don’t suffer no fools. We gonna need a drink if we gonna stay cool. So we’re playing the blues y’all. Forget all your troubles. So let’s raise a glass, yeah, make mine a double, yeah…make mine a double, yeah the bands a jumpin’, so we’re playing the blues y’all, forget all your troubles…make mine a double.”

On the title track, “The Lifer,” written by Kim Madeleine and Poppa C., he declares, “I work the midnight shift at the factory. I’m haulin’ iron, boltin’ wheels. Well, I got to pay high prices, then they say I got a deal. I do some hard time at the factory. I’m hanging tough, paying dues. I got a greasy shirt for Christmas. I got the factory-rat blues. All I do is punch a clock now. Don’t you know it’s my fate? Cuz, I’m a lifer. Cuz, I’m a lifer.”

On the closer, “One Sunny Day,” written by Danny Kirwan, Love plays guitar and sings lead as he croons, “Help me baby, help me take my blues away, help me baby, help me take my blues away. Wake up one morning, feel good one sunny day. Times I’ve wondered, why it is a lonesome day, times I’ve wondered, why it is a lonesome day. I see you walkin’, I see you walkin’ away.”

Poppa C. DeSnyder’s raspy voice is perfect as he leads Walk That Walk with an undeniable quality. The band members connect perfectly with one another. The songs provide the high energy of a live performance. Walk That Walk’s The Lifer comes highly recommended.

Richard Ludmerer