You Better Keep Still

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Sample Album
ALBUM INFORMATION

Total Tracks: 10   Total Length: 38:34

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dispensable (maybe disposable)

dreebo

Not T-Model's finest moment, or Fat Possum's for that matter. There are three bearable (not saying good, just bearable) songs on here, which are "To the Left, to the Right," "Here Comes Papa" and "These Eyes," the last of which manages to sorta be funny. The rest is sloppy, unfocused and incomplete even by Fat Possum's very, very loose standards. At times it sounds exploitative, almost as if they were forcing him to do songs. The inclusion of "Pop Pop Pop," an abominable "hip" remix, and "The Old Number," which is actually Muddy Waters' "Still a Fool" (guess Fat Possum didn't feel like paying any royalties that day) puts this definitely in the "give it a miss" category. T-Model's other two albums here, "Pee-Wee Get My Gun" and "She Ain't None of Your'n," are much more representative of his erratic but entertaining talent. In short: skip this, it stinks. And we could have all done without hearing T-Model blow his nose, thanks.

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They Say All Media Guide

It’s tough to look bad-ass when you’re 77 years old, but check out the sneer on T-Model Ford’s face on the cover of You Better Keep Still. The black hat-sporting ex-con from Mississippi didn’t get serious about music until he was in his late sixties and he still doesn’t take anything seriously as he improvises his way through many of these songs. Musically, he keeps everything as simple and spare as can be; no solos, just jagged guitar riffs set to his partner Spam’s primitively unadorned drumming. The record begins with T-Model banging on a wooden box on “If I Had Wings, Pt. 1″ and talking madness about trying to get a drink of water and being attacked by various reptiles and women he attempts to hit on. Then comes the extremely catchy guitar riff from “To the Left to the Right,” a frenzied, juke-joint dance number. There’s also the harsh, out of tune “Here Comes Papa” and the wacked and very funny “These Eyes.” Though it’s not really essential to the record, producer Jim Water’s noisy remix of “Pop Pop Pop,” based mostly on a riff from “Here Comes Papa,” is groovy. But T-Model Ford is in no need of a club remix. He’s got everything down perfect and the wild blues that flow naturally from him are as real and feisty as blues music gets. – Adam Bregman

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