Album Review: Steve Howell & the Mighty Men – Yeah Man

For his 13^th long player, guitarist and singer Steve Howell has hand-picked an eclectic assortment of old tunes. The low-key Yeah Man features some well-worn classics alongside some relatively obscure selections.

Howell’s electric reading of Blind Lemon Jefferson’s 1926 composition “Long Lonesome Blues” is sultry and understated. The title track – a cover of soul man Eddie Hinton’s late ‘70s “Yeah Man” – is spare and uncluttered; it conveys a laid-back character distinct from the sassy, wailing original. J. B. Hutto waxed “20% Alcohol” in 1968; Howell and his band emphasize the “Wang Dang Doodle”-esque feel of the song.

Rhythm and blues heroes The Clovers released “One Mint Julep” in 1952; the doo-wop classic has been covered many times since then, by a wide array of artists. Howell’s nearly-wordless version bends the tune into an electric country blues mode; a twangy and extended lead guitar break echoes Duane Eddy’s reading of the cut.

As Steve Howell explains in his annotations for the album’s CD booklet, “Little Ol’ Wine Drinker Me” has been recorded by Dean Martin and – believe it or not – actor Robert Mitchum. The country flavors of the melody and lyric come through in Howell’s cover version. Again, a lead guitar break adds interest.

Many artists have recorded “I’m Glad for Your Sake”; Howell notes that the Sir Douglas Quintet’s 1968 version is his favorite. And it’s that version that most informs his approach to the song, tailor-made for late-night slow dancing. “Just Like Romeo and Juilet” is another oft-covered tune. Rock fanatics will likely be most familiar with the spirited, uptempo ‘60s version by Michael and the Messengers, featured on Lenny Kaye’s influential Nuggets compilation. But Howell’s languid reading will be nearly unrecognizable to those listeners.

Jazz hero Julian “Cannonball” Adderley found crossover success with his recording of keyboardist Josef Zawinul’s soulful “Mercy Mercy Mercy”; The Buckinghams added words and took it to the pop charts a second time. Howell’s by now predictably subtle instrumental take on the song has shades of Steve Cropper’s style. Bo Diddley’s signature beat is the foundation of “Dearest Darling”; Diddley waxed the b-side back in 1958. Howell and his band lean into the nearly one-chord arrangement. Playful lead guitar crosstalk enlivens the song, but only a bit.

Steve Howell & the Mighty Men deliver Billy Swan’s countrypolitan “Lover Please” in a faithful manner; it’s nice enough but adds little to the listener’s appreciation of the song. Somewhat surprisingly, the group’s take on the spiritual standard “Wade in the Water” is the most energetic performance on the entire set. Still, it never quite gets going. But Howell’s brief solo is effective.

Yeah Man closes with an instrumental cover of Bob Dylan’s protest anthem “Chimes of Freedom.” An insistent, rock-solid rhythm section pins down the arrangement, and Howell plays some heartfelt (if frustratingly understated) lead guitar.

The oomph never comes on this record, but that’s seemingly by design. As such, listeners in the mood for a well-executed, well-chosen collection of songs delivered in an exceedingly relaxed, sounds-like-they’re-sitting-down-while-they-play fashion will certainly enjoy Yeah Man.