antiMusic.com: Black Oil Brothers

Black Oil Brothers - Mean Business

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The Black Oil Brothers aren't actual brothers. But then again, neither were the Ramones and many other faux-brotherly acts over the years. They are, however, familial members of the blues tradition. They're also from Chicago, one of that style's great mothers of its invention. And Mean Business is a lively, enthusiastic, blues-soaked album.

At times, songs on this album sound a lot like the playing of two other actual brothers (those being Rich and Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes). "Talk to Me" slows the music down to a Crowes-y sonic crawl, while "Free for Now" revs it up with slide guitar and harmonica howl. "The Mysterious Disappearance of Rufus Green" heightens the album's eclectic nature with a swampy groove that mixes together mountain banjo with a creepy, breathy Steve Earle-like spoken-y vocal.

With Mean Business, Black Oil Brothers carry on blues music family traditions with great enthusiasm and respect.