Snake Eyes

• Artist: Eddie "Guitar" Burns with Jimmy Burns
• Rating:
• Release Date: May 28, 2002
• Genre: Blues

Review

Like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and John Lee Hooker, Eddie "Guitar" Burns is a perfect example of a bluesman who was born and raised in Mississippi but made his mark after he moved north and went electric. The main difference between Burns and those other bluesmen -- all of whom he outlived -- is the fact that he isn't a great singer. While Waters, Wolf, and Hooker were all both great singers and great musicians, Burns is a fine musician but a limited singer. Of course, having a limited vocal range hasn't prevented Madonna from providing meaningful dance-pop -- and similarly, Burns doesn't let his vocal limitations hold him back on Snake Eyes. A 73-year-old Burns recorded this CD for Delmark on September 12 and 13, 2001 -- right after the 9/11 terrorist attacks -- and the veteran bluesman is in good form throughout the album. Burns' vocals are on the thin side, but he still gets his points across on original songs, as well as on performances of Memphis Slim's "Lend Me Your Love," Paul Gayten's "For You My Love," and Charles E. Calhoun's "Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash" (which has been recorded by everyone from the Clovers to Steve Miller). And his musicianship (on harmonica as well as guitar) is certainly nothing to complain about. Burns, whose brother Jimmy Burns is also employed on guitar, offers an appealing Detroit/Chicago blend -- Snake Eyes is primarily an album of Detroit-style electric blues, but the disc isn't without Windy City influences. In fact, the brothers produced Snake Eyes with Delmark founder/president Bob Koester, who is a major expert when it comes to Chicago blues. Although not a five-star masterpiece, Snake Eyes is an enjoyable outing from a blues survivor who has spent many years in the trenches. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Snake Eyes	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	(3:21)
Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash	Jesse Stone, Charles E. Calhoun	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	(2:56)
Lonely Man Plea	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	(4:02)
Go 'Head Angel	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	(4:35)
Night Shift	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	(6:04)
Papa Likes to Boogie	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	(3:42)
I Call It Love	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	(3:49)
Jail Time	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	(5:26)
Treat Me Like I Treat You	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	(2:41)
Goin' to New Orleans	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	(4:27)
Lend Me Your Love	Peter Chatman	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	(5:19)
Hastings Street Special	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	(3:34)
For You My Love	Paul Gayten	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	(2:45)
Hello Miss Jessie Lee	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	(4:58)
Don't Let Money Change You	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	Eddie "Guitar" Burns	(4:08)

Credits

Jimmy Burns (Producer), Jimmy Burns (Guitar (Acoustic)), Robert G. Koester (Supervisor), Toru Hironaka (Assistant), Steve Wagner (Engineer), Eddie "Guitar" Burns (Guitar (Acoustic)), Al Brandtner (Design), Eddie "Guitar" Burns (Harmonica), Eddie "Guitar" Burns (Producer), Roosevelt Purifoy (Piano), Robert G. Koester (Producer), Jas Obrecht (Liner Notes), Larry Taylor (Drums), Eddie "Guitar" Burns (Guitar), Eddie "Guitar" Burns (Vocals), Nick Charles (Bass), Jimmy Burns (Guitar (Electric)), Eddie "Guitar" Burns (Guitar (Electric)), Peter Amft (Photography), Jimmy Burns (Vocals), Jimmy Burns (Guitar)

Snake Eyes Python Driver