💿 ALBUM REVIEW: Savoy Brown - Too Much of a Good Thing
When Kim Simmonds hooked up the first version of Savoy Brown back in London in 1965, nobody could have guessed he was kicking off a sixty-year blues crusade. Simmonds lived his life on the road, taking raw Chicago electric blues and supercharging it into a heavy, high-octane boogie that basically drew the blueprint for British blues-rock. While the band never quite got their due back home in the UK, they absolutely conquered America on the back of relentless touring and killer FM radio staples like Looking In (1970), Street Corner Talking (1971), and the massive Hellbound Train (1972).
The group also doubled as a legendary revolving-door incubator for rock history—most famously when a chunk of the band split off in 1970 to form the arena-rock powerhouse Foghat. Through every single lineup change, Simmonds was the glue holding it all together, steering the ship for over 40 albums and even landing a #1 Billboard Blues hit with Witchy Feelin' in 2017. Now, the 14-track retrospective compilation Too Much Of A Good Thing: The Savoy Brown Collection 1992–2007 drops in to shine a light on one of the band's most overlooked, yet fiercely creative eras.
What makes this collection so cool is that it catches a seasoned Simmonds doing exactly what he wanted, totally free from the old pressure of major labels and stadium expectations. Whether he’s tearing it up on the gritty "Going Down To Mobile" or slowing things down for the deep, soulful space of "Yesterday's Blues," the album is just a masterclass in killer guitar tone and pure, unadulterated stamina. It’s a must-listen for hardcore collectors and casual fans alike, proving that even three decades deep into the game, Savoy Brown’s engine was still firing on absolutely all cylinders.
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The release opens up with the gritty stomp of Going Down To Mobile, and Kim Simmonds trademark delta style slide work. Bass player, Nathaniel Peterson handles vocals nicely, with Paul Oscher contributing some real nice harmonica work and Tom Compton on drums. Solid opener. John Lee Hooker's Little Wheel is a terrific follow up track with Simmonds maintaining Hooker's odd count phrasing and heavy boogie bottom. Pete McMahon handles lead vocals with strong Hookerfied electric guitar riffs and Jim Heyl on bass and Dave Olson on drums. Cooking. Slow blues, Keep On Rollin' is a trademark later SB style with Simmonds handling vocal and lead guitar with Gerry Sorrentino on bass and Dennis Cotton on drums. Simmonds was definitely one of the finest overall modern blues guitarists and this is some choice phrasing just showing what he was up to. Peterson back on bass and lead vocals this is some of the best vocal work in the later periods of SB. Simmonds sits back and plays the his scorching lead guitar, with Compton on drums. Funky, Yesterday's Blues is another track with McMahon on lead vocal and harmonica and the soulfulness of his vocals gives Simmonds the chance to lay back and do what Kim does. Man the boy could play the blues. Really nice work with Joe Pierleoni on drums and Andy Pierleoni on drums and Rick Jewett on keys.
Feel Like Crying has a modern jazzy feel that Kim had been working on and features McMahon, Ramirez, Pierleoni and Jewett. I remember his saying when I spoke with him at a concert that he was getting tired of some of his phrasing and trying to do things that were totally out of the box for him and with an almost Spanish flair, he really shows that on this guitar fed instrumental. Digging deep into his early roots Kim explodes on Where Has Your Heart Gone. With David Malachowski on rhythm guitars, Sorrentino on bass and Dennis Cotton on drums this is the deep blues that Simmonds pretty much pioneered his entire career. SB suffered a little on this lineup as Kim really wasn't a strong singer but the band is tight and his playing is impeccable. Eleven plus minutes baby!.... Beautiful. Wrapping the release is Too Much of a Good Thing, a super boogie with Kim on vocal and guitar, Peterson on bass and T. Xiques on drums. This is an excellent rockin boogie really summarizing what Kim's bands were always about... playing the blues. Strong closer.
📋 Album Credits & Production Info Click to Expand
- Album Title: Too Much Of A Good Thing: The Savoy Brown Collection 1992–2007
- Artist: Kim Simmonds & Savoy Brown
- Record Label: Panache Records
- Release Date: July 10, 2026
- Producer: Kim Simmonds
- Recording Location: Various Studios (15-Year Retrospective Collection)
- Artwork & Layout: Panache Archive Design
🎼 Track Listing & Personnel Click to Expand
Featured Personnel & Special Guests: Kim Simmonds (Guitars, Vocals, Harmonica), Duke Robillard, Leo Lyons, Tom Compton, Nathaniel Peterson, and various collaborative era lineups.
- Going Down To Mobile
- Little Wheel
- Keep On Rollin'
- That's All I Want Baby
- The Blues Keep Me Holding On
- I Don't Remember You
- Flat Out
- When It Rains
- Yesterday's Blues
- Monday Morning Blues
- Feel Like Crying
- She's Leaving
- Where Has Your Heart Gone
- Too Much Of A Good Thing (Live)
🎵 Discography & Purchase Options Click to Expand
This collection captures a killer, raw energy where the band locks into a heavy groove and drives the music straight ahead. The tracks roll smoothly from gritty Delta slide stomps and hard-charging boogie into late-night jazz vibes and even some unexpected Spanish flair. The rhythm section is incredibly tight throughout, providing the ultimate canvas for soulful vocals and massive, eleven-minute jam sessions to take over. It feels like catching a legendary group firing on all cylinders in a packed club, playing with a raw intuition that gets right to the heart of the blues.
Bman's VerdictThis collection serves as the ultimate testament to pure roadhouse power and driving guitar tone, proving that even decades into the game, this legendary outfit could out-boogie anyone in the business. |
Label: Panache Records Released: July 10, 2026 |
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