Chris Monaghan
Joe Nosek, left, and Oscar Wilson.
With plenty of wailing from a heartbroken harmonica and sobbing from slowly strummed guitar strings, a new album from the Cash Box Kings certainly stays true to the traditional Chicago blues sound of the 1950s they’re known for.
The lyrics, however, have gotten quite an update.
Tackling such issues as gun violence and the absurdity of current politics, the new CBK record Royal Mint stands out as a solidly balanced mix of new songs that address modern problems and lesser-known covers from blues legends bemoaning the timeless troubles of romance.
When asked why they wrote “If You Got a Jealous Woman, Facebook Ain’t Your Friend,” crooner Oscar Wilson answers simply: “My wife.” His harmonica-playing band co-leader Joe Nosek (of Madison) says people young and old can relate to the song: “It’s common these days for people to have their illicit affairs discovered because of Facebook, so we decided we should write a song about it.” The track itself is full of quick guitar licks, with Wilson sharing a tale of social media gone romantically wrong.
On a more somber, much slower note, “Blues for Chi-Raq” finds Wilson wondering — rhetorically and without relief — what can be done about all of the gun-related murders in his hometown of Chicago as the band plays a driving, roller coaster of a jam featuring a couple of longer guitar solos and standard blues melodies.
The Madison/Chicago band’s uptempo rockabilly-ish take on political satire comes out in “Build That Wall,” a sarcastic track that features pro-border lyrics that subtly take aim at the “growing atmosphere of intolerance that’s exacerbated by what’s going on in the political world,” explains the song’s vocalist, Nosek.
Notable, classic covers that show why Wilson’s voice pairs so well with Nosek’s harmonica include Jimmy Reed’s “I’m Gonna Get My Baby,” Muddy Waters’ hit “Sugar Sweet” and Junior Wells’ “I’m a Stranger.”
In all, the Royal Mint release — CBK’s ninth album but first on Alligator Records — will satisfy staunch, old school blues fans. It also might draw in some newer listeners who dig the contemporary, sometimes comical, content.
The Cash Box Kings will release Royal Mint on their website, iTunes, Amazon and elsewhere June 30. They’ll play some of the new tracks at the Red, White and Blues Festival at the Knuckle Down Saloon, 2513 Seiferth Rd., on July 1, joined by The Jimmys and Reverend Raven & the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys.
