Sooner or Later (Larry Davis album)

Sooner or Later
Studio album by
Larry Davis
Released1992
StudioArdent
GenreBlues
LabelBullseye Blues
ProducerRon Levy
Larry Davis chronology
I Ain't Beggin' Nobody
(1987) 		Sooner or Later
(1992) 		Sweet Little Angel: B.B. King Presents Larry Davis
(2002)

Sooner or Later is the final studio album by the American musician Larry Davis, released in 1992.[1][2] He supported it with a few live dates.[3] Sooner or Later won a 1993 Living Blues award as one of three best "modern" blues albums.[4]

Production

Recorded at Ardent Studios, the album was produced by Ron Levy, who also contributed on organ.[5][6][7] Davis, who was influenced primarily by former labelmate Bobby "Blue" Bland, cowrote three of the songs.[8][9] He was more comfortable playing guitar on stage than in a studio, and mostly ceded those recording duties to others.[10] Davis was backed by the Memphis Horns on some of the tracks.[11] "Little Rock" is an instrumental.[5] "How Could You Do It to Me" is a cover of the Little Milton song.[12] "How Long" is a version of Howlin' Wolf's "Baby How Long".[13]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All Music Guide[14]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[15]
The Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD[13]
MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide[16]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings[17]
The Philadelphia Inquirer[9]
The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide[18]
The State[19]

The New York Times said that Davis "has a deep, smooth voice that conveys both passion and weariness, crinkling and tearing at just the right places... And his guitar playing has a snakelike, greasy quality to it."[10] The Courier-Journal noted that Davis "is comfortable with any style blues, from shuffle to slow burn."[20] The Philadelphia Inquirer stated that Davis "favors suavely delivered sophisticated blues".[9] The Rocket said that Sooner or Later "finds Davis in prime shape, equally at home with slow weepers and soul chargers."[21] The Santa Cruz Sentinel listed it among the best albums of 1992.[22] MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide labeled it "an under-appreciated classic".[16]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."How Could You Do It to Me" 
2."I'm Workin' on It" 
3."Penitentiary Blues" 
4."You'll Need Another Favor" 
5."Help the Poor" 
6."Letter from My Darling" 
7."Goin' Out West (Part 1 and Part 2)" 
8."102nd St. Blues" 
9."How Long" 
10."Little Bluebird" 
11."Little Rock" 

References

  1. ^ Herzhaft, Gérard (1997). Encyclopedia of the Blues (2nd ed.). University of Arkansas Press. p. 51.
  2. ^ Taleveski, Nick (2010). Rock Obituaries: Knocking on Heaven's Door. Omnibus Press. p. 121.
  3. ^ Griffen, Kathy (June 28, 1993). "Davis is a blues survivor". The Dispatch. Moline. p. B6.
  4. ^ Nager, Larry (October 16, 1993). "Guy wins more blues honors". The Commercial Appeal. p. C4.
  5. ^ a b Nager, Larry (August 14, 1992). "Recordings". The Commercial Appeal. p. E23.
  6. ^ "Album Reviews". Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 32. August 8, 1992. p. 50.
  7. ^ McLeod, Harriet (September 20, 1992). "Spins". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. J2.
  8. ^ Margolis, Dan (September 3, 1992). "Working on soulful side of the blues". Transcript-Telegram. p. 16.
  9. ^ a b c DeLuca, Dan (August 2, 1992). "Blues". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. G10.
  10. ^ a b Watrous, Peter (July 29, 1992). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. p. C14.
  11. ^ Chapman, Geoff (March 27, 1993). "Rebirth of the blues helps pay debt owed to the greats". Toronto Star. p. K12.
  12. ^ Reilly, Terry (November 6, 1992). "Red, Hot & Blue". The Age. Melbourne. p. EG4.
  13. ^ a b Hadley, Frank-John (1993). The Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD. Grove Press. pp. 58–59.
  14. ^ All Music Guide (4th ed.). Backbeat Books. 2001. p. 519.
  15. ^ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. II. MUZE. p. 1412.
  16. ^ a b MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 101.
  17. ^ The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. p. 158.
  18. ^ The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide. Random House. 1999. p. 191.
  19. ^ Miller, Michael (August 7, 1992). "Music". The State. p. 11D.
  20. ^ Seng, Rob (July 25, 1992). "Reviews". Scene. The Courier-Journal. p. 6.
  21. ^ McCaughey, Scott (September 1992). "Searchin' USA". The Rocket. No. 155. p. 48.
  22. ^ "Thirty albums worth listening to". Spotlight. Santa Cruz Sentinel. December 24, 1992. p. 15.
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