With his second album Ya Think I'd Know Better, Coco Montoya ditches the guest stars and opts for a menu of pure, unadulterated Montoya. The results are quite impressive, to say the least. For the moment, overlook his somewhat pedestrian vocals and just concentrate on his scintillating guitar work. It's no secret that Montoya cultivated a reputation as one of the finest guitarists of the '80s and '90s through his session work, but even those familiar with his gutsy, electrifying style will be taken aback by the stylistic variety and musical depth on Ya Think I'd Know Better.
With his second album Ya Think I'd Know Better, Coco Montoya ditches the guest stars and opts for a menu of pure, unadulterated Montoya. The results are quite impressive, to say the least. For the moment, overlook his somewhat pedestrian vocals and just concentrate on his scintillating guitar work. It's no secret that Montoya cultivated a reputation as one of the finest guitarists of the '80s and '90s through his session work, but even those familiar with his gutsy, electrifying style will be taken aback by the stylistic variety and musical depth on Ya Think I'd Know Better.
Montoya's first solo disc for Alligator finds the former Albert Collins sideman following in the doorsteps of his "godfather" with an album simply top-heavy with fiery guitar work and comfortable vocals. The production from Jim Gaines is as fat as any modern-day blues record has a right to be, and Montoya does not disappoint at any moment along the ride. He tips his hat to his old employer on Collins' "Get Your Business Straight," but the stronger tunes here come from Coco's own pen, like the closing "Nothing But Love." A strong and solid effort that also sounds great in the car when you're driving a little faster than the speed limit allows.
Coco Montoya's often ferocious guitar is the main reason to acquire this 1997 release. His singing is expressive and reasonably effective, but it is his blazing guitar soloing that makes one wish that he would record a full set of instrumentals; "Cool Like Dat" is a real cooker. Montoya performs some soul, R&B, and even country-tinged music on the set, but he is at his best on the blues, particularly the B.B. King-inspired "Do What You Want to Do." Although his backup band is fine, this interesting if not quite essential release is primarily a showcase for the passionate Montoya. Recommended in particular to fans of the rock side of the blues.
L'histoire du plus célèbre des parfums.
Hiver 1919-1920. Après la perte brutale et tragique du grand amour de sa vie, Gabrielle Chanel, appelée Coco, traverse une terrible crise existentielle. Ni son entourage ni son travail ne réussissent à la sortir d’une tristesse profonde. Jusqu’au jour où elle se rappelle leur dernier projet commun : créer sa propre eau de toilette. …
Coco Montoya's second album for Alligator records finds the guitarist moving away from the sound of his mentor, Albert Collins – although there certainly are licks throughout the album clearly inspired by "the Iceman," particularly when the tempo slows down – and toward big rock productions. This album sounds huge: The rhythm section provides a gigantic foundation, sprawling from speaker to speaker, then the keyboards and backing vocals are added, with guitars pushed to the forefront. On top of that, Montoya is demonstrating a greater inclination to soul and R&B than ever before, choosing to cover Holland-Dozier-Holland (a terrific take on "Something About You"), along with other tuneful soul tunes, and writing it that vein as well.
On his first album in four years and sixth for Alligator, blues guitarist Coco Montoya alters his musical M.O. a bit. Writing on the Wall marks the very first time that Montoya brought his live working quartet into the studio. Tony Braunagel returns as producer and guests on drums on four tracks. Keyboardist Jeff Paris co-produced and recorded at Jeff's Garage. In addition to Paris, the band includes bassist Nathan Brown and drummer Rena Beavers. Guests include guitarists Ronnie Baker Brooks, country star Lee Roy Parnell, and Dave Steen. The 13-track set includes five tunes composed or co-written by Montoya, four from Steen, and one from Paris – they co-wrote the title track with Montoya. The shared songwriting makes this, arguably, the most homegrown affair in Montoya's Alligator catalog. The contents intuitively balance electric blues, blues-rock, roots rock & roll, old-school, and R&B.