Fire It Up

Like Blind Pig labelmate Jimmy Thackery, New Yorker Bill Perry churns out a rugged blend of electric blues-rock and the occasional ballad, infused with authority, class, and dogged dedication to his craft. While he's not breaking any stylistic barriers, Perry and his band — led by the Conan O'Brien Show's music director Jimmy Vivino (who also co-produced) — grind out a satisfying set of rough originals with a few obscure covers. As an adequate representation of his style, neither the songs nor Perry's gruffly serviceable vocals on his third studio album will shoot him into the blues-rock stratosphere. But Fire It Up is the souvenir you'll take home after experiencing his notoriously electrifying live act. This band, featuring legendary Johnny Winter/Son Seals/Albert Collins bassist Johnny B. Gayden, is a no-frills outfit that leaves plenty of room for Perry's muscular yet remarkably compact leads. The album's John Lee Hooker-styled opening boogie, "Itchin' for It," and the swampy following tune, "Clean Thing," are indicative of Perry's workmanlike approach. The album's closing solo acoustic slide on "Cheatin' Blues" shows he's been inspired by Johnny Winter's "Dallas," and is a vital indication of his talents. Perry displays his Freddie King side on the hyperactive double-time instrumental "G & L Jump." While Fire It Up likely won't end up as a blues-rock fan's most treasured possession, it's a sturdy, tough, unfussy work that offers proof of Bill Perry's guitar abilities without resorting to extraneous flourishes or frivolous grandstanding.