Wild Billy Childish & The Chatham Singers Step Out! LP
New from British garage auteur BILLY CHILDISH, Step Out! is his fifth release with Chicago Blues outlet the CHATHAM SINGERS, comprised of his wife Julie and longtime collaborators Wolf and Jim. The prolific Mr. CHILDISH is right at home singing hard-nosed, harmonica-strewn stompers like the tough opener of the title track, and from here a smooth succession of numbers both melancholy and jolly unfolds. A punk veteran since the old days, BILLY has aged gracefully into an authentic bluesman while leaving distinct traces of his groovy garage past intact, and it makes for an enticing and accomplished LP. It’s worth picking up for his rough-hewn rendition of “I Just Want to Make Love to You” alone, the best version of the smoky standard since the MEAT PUPPETS. Dig that twang.