*** Andre Williams

SILKY

(In the Red)

Sixty-two-year-old Andre Williams pulled himself out of hell just in time for a new generation to discover his lunatic, debauched talking blues. The Redd Foxx of R&B (it was actually Foxx who dubbed him "Mr. Rhythm") cut such cult classics as "Bacon Fat" and "Jail Bait" in the '50s, penned "Shake a Tail Feather" for the 5 Du-Tones, and worked as a Motown talent scout and producer, though he was fired several times for being such a bad mutha. In the early '90s, Williams was addicted to drugs and found himself homeless, but releases on the Norton and St. George labels helped him roar back into business. On the butt-shakin' Silky, his depraved ranting is expertly drenched in sick reverb by Detroit garagistas who grew up hunting for his 45 rpms in thrift stores. Co-written and performed by ex-Gories Dan Kroha (Demolition Doll Rods) and Mick Collins (Blacktop), the album serves up 12 greazy, sleazy psychotic soul and blues and rock-and-roll sides, loaded with "Pussy Stank" and "Bonin'." Williams slips into the Detroit garage-soul scene like greased thighs into leather pants, and it's a much better fit than his early days at Motown.

-- Meredith Ochs