The Dirty Dozen (album)
| The Dirty Dozen | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 28, 2009 | |||
| Studio | Glenwood Place Studios, Burbank, CA | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 49:04 | |||
| Label | EMI America | |||
| Producer | Jim Gaines Delaware Destroyers | |||
| George Thorogood and the Destroyers chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from The Dirty Dozen | ||||
| ||||
The Dirty Dozen is the fourteenth studio album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. released in 2009 by the label EMI America Records. The Dirty Dozen reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Blues Albums and was on the chart for 11 weeks.
Background
The Destroyers entered the studio in September or October 2008 after wrapping up their summer tour with Buddy Guy.[1] Thorogood said he wanted to cover "very obscure songs you've never heard of" for this album, as well as mixing in older songs with the new material. Recording of the album finished sometime in May 2009.[2]
Release and content
EMI America released The Dirty Dozen on July 28, 2009.[3][4] The album debuted, and peaked at No. 169 on the Billboard 200 chart,[5] and No. 1 on the Billboard Top Blues Albums.[6][3] "Tail Dragger" was released as a single.[7]
The album contains all cover material. The album is split into 2 'sides'.[8] The album includes six new songs (1–6; 'side' one) and six classic favorites (7–12; 'side' two).[9][10]
Critical reception
The Dirty Dozen received mixed reviews from critics.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [11] |
| Boston Phoenix | [12] |
| Ultimate Guitar | 6.5/10[13] |
AllMusic's Tim Sendra wrote "Just as they sound virtually unchanged from the first time they stepped into a recording studio. George still has the same ferocious slide technique, his growling vocals have barely aged, and the band still has the feel of skilled musicians who know how to play it simple. In other words, GT & the Destroyers still rock, and if you were ever a fan, you still should be. The only real problem with this record is that as cool as it is to hear the band's 1991 take on "Six Days on the Road" or their tumble through Howlin' Wolf's "Howlin' for My Baby," it'd be better to hear more of the new tracks."[8] A reviewer for Ultimate Guitar wrote "Although still a master musician on his new record The Dirty Dozen, George Thorogood fails to deliver the same magic as he did back in the 70s and 80s."[4] Shawn Perry of Vintage Rock wrote "George Thorogood & The Destroyers can’t fail in their earnest ability to lock in and lay it down. Old school rock and roll, without the pretense and posturing, even three decades later, is still alive and well as long as this band is around."[10]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Tail Dragger" | Willie Dixon | 3:41 |
| 2. | "Drop Down Mama" | John Adam Estes | 4:20 |
| 3. | "Run Myself Out of Town" | Wendell Holmes | 3:03 |
| 4. | "Born Lover" | Muddy Waters | 4:12 |
| 5. | "Twenty Dollar Gig" | Mickey Bones | 3:16 |
| 6. | "Let Me Pass" | Ellas McDaniel | 3:40 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7. | "Howlin' for My Baby" | Dixon, Howlin' Wolf | 5:13 |
| 8. | "Highway 49" | Big Joe Williams | 5:46 |
| 9. | "Six Days on The Road" | Earl Green, Carl Montgomery | 4:27 |
| 10. | "Treat Her Right" | Roy Head, Gene Kurtz | 3:32 |
| 11. | "Hello Little Girl" | Chuck Berry | 3:46 |
| 12. | "Blue Highway" | Nick Gravenites, David Getz | 4:44 |
| Total length: | 49:04 | ||
Track 7 – from Haircut (1993)
Tracks 8 & 10 – from Born To Be Bad (1988)
Tracks 9 & 11 – from Boogie People (1991)
Track 12 – from Bad To The Bone (1982)
Personnel
Musicians
- George Thorogood – guitar, vocals
- Jim Suhler – guitar (tracks 1–6)
- Bill Blough – bass
- Jeff Simon – drums
- Buddy Leach – saxophone (tracks 1–6)
- Hank Carter – saxophone (tracks 7–12)
- Steve Chrismar – guitar (tracks 8–11)
- Ian Stewart – piano (track 12)
- Jake Vest – backing vocals (track 3)
Technical
Tracks 1–6 only, see album articles for other technical personnel.
- Mike Donahue – executive producer
- Delaware Destroyers – producer
- Jim Gaines – producer
- Shawn Berman – engineer
References
- ^ Graff, Gary (August 9, 2008). "Bringin' It All Back Home" (PDF). Billboard. p. 47 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Inside Track" (PDF). Billboard. May 2, 2009. p. 49 – via World Radio History.
- ^ a b "Backbeat". Billboard. September 5, 2009. p. 66 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b UG Team. "The Dirty Dozen Review | George | Compact Discs | Reviews @ Ultimate-Guitar". Ultimate Guitar.
- ^ "Billboard 200 - Week of August 15, 2009". Billboard. August 15, 2009.
- ^ "George Thorogood Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
- ^ "George Thorogood and The Destroyers to Release New Studio Album, 2120 South Michigan Avenue, on July 12". PR Newswire. April 5, 2011.
- ^ a b Sendra, Tim. "The Dirty Dozen Review by Tim Sendra". AllMusic.
- ^ "'Dirty' Debut" (PDF). Billboard. August 15, 2009. p. 37 – via World Radio History.
- ^ a b Perry, Shawn. "George Thorogood & The Destroyers | The Dirty Dozen – CD Review". Vintage Rock.
- ^ Sendra, Tim. "Review: The Dirty Dozen". Allmusic. Retrieved November 2, 2009.
- ^ Boston Phoenix review
- ^ Ultimate Guitar review