Hell of a Spell is Doug Sahm’s tribute to Guitar Slim. This 1980 cult classic boasts a blend of Texas country rock, boogie blues and of course Sahm’s rich Tejano influences. Professional reviews: allmusic 3.5/5 stars emusic 4/5 stars Review by Bob Gottlieb of allmusic This 1980 reissue is a hell of a disc. From the opening riffs this disc is crammed with Sahm’s typical rompin’ and stompin’ Texas blues/rhythm & blues mix. This also includes liberal dashes of the Tex-Mex and rockabilly he grew up cutting his teeth on. Rudy “Tutti” Grayzell used to go to his school when Sahm was 11, as legend goes, and pose as his uncle and pull the musical prodigy out of school to play some of the gigs that required some travel. This compilation is dedicated to one of his heroes, Eddie Jones, better known as Guitar Slim. He does one of his tunes on the disc, but it is the horns and overall sound and feel of the disc that bring back the memories of Jones. Six of the 11 tunes were penned by Doug Sahm and they stand up as some of the best things he has done. He manages to take that voice of his and put all the ache and pain that things gone sour can evoke and guide you along with him down this road without ever getting sappy or maudlin. Listen to the tone and feel of “Hangin’ on by a Thread” and the smooth shift to the Brook Benton heartbreak tune “I’ll Take Care of You.” He shifts gears with the precision of a Grand Prix driver. This disc shows off some of the remarkable range of Sahm’s abilities and genius. This becomes clearer when you think of his work with Dylan, the Texas Tornados, and the early rock hits, such as “Mendicino” and “She’s About a Mover.” Also, this disc is the only one that comes to mind on which his longtime compadre, Augie Meyers, isn’t helping with his familiar organ sound; instead, Kelly Dunn is handling keyboards. Sahm is Texas-bred, but his influences are as broad as the sky is big down there. Here he is concentrating on the blues, and he gets some exciting things down on the disc. Review by John Swenson on eMusic Hell of a Spell documents the unique mix of San Antonio rhythm & blues, country and rock & roll elements that the late Texas music legend Doug Sahm synthesized better than anyone this side of Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown. But Sahm’s musical eclecticism was only part of the package — he was the embodiment of an era, a walking encyclopedia of ’60s and ’70s American culture, a redneck Texas hippie who was a close friend of both Bob Dylan and Freddy Fender. Sahm hadn’t recorded in several years when he made this recording with Grateful Dead engineer Dan Healey producing in 1980. With Sahm singing and playing guitar backed by stalwarts John Reed on guitar, Jack Barber on bass and a horn section featuring Rocky Morales on tenor saxophone and Charles McBurney on trumpet, the session produced the rocking originals “Tunnel Vision” and “Hangin ‘On By a Thread,” the beautiful R&B ballad “All the Way to Nothing” and Sahm’s only attempt at reggae, “Hell of a Spell.” The record is dedicated to Guitar Slim and includes a cover of his trademark song, “The Things I Used to Do” as well as covers of the blues standards “Nothin ‘But the Blues” and “Next Time You See Me.” Review in People Magazine It was recorded in California and Sahm, a countrified rock’n'roller (or rockified Texas swinger), set out to achieve something called San Antonio blues. But this LP seems to be coming more from Kansas City or New York, circa 1955. By any name, it’s rewarding elemental R&B. Sahm, 38, is a San Antonio-born eclectic whose various musical incarnations have all had recognizable Texas roots. This is true even though his closest brush with fame, She’s about a Mover, was a rocker he cut in 1965 when his group was called the Sir Douglas Quintet. On his 1973 album, Doug Sahm and Band, Bob Dylan and Dr. John sat in. Sahm has the unalleviated blues on this LP and wails them huskily, while such sidemen as sax player Rocky Morales and trumpeter Charles McBurney sympathize. Most of the tunes are original and new, and all—especially I’ll Take Care of You and Ain’t into Lettin’ You Go—prove you can still get and enjoy the blues in 1980. Review on amazon.com The opener “Tunnel Vision” rocks, as well as the original version of “Hangin’ on by a Thread,” later re-cut by Sahm with the Texas Tornados. Other highlights include the title track and “I Don’t Mind at All.” It’s a blusier affair than some other discs; it’s dedicated it to Guitar Slim. Also included is a great version of “The Things I Used to Do. Almost all of Doug Sahm’s music has something to recommend it and this disc is no exception. ________________________________________________________________ LP track listing Side One 1. “Tunnel Vision” (Doug Sahm) – 2:29 2. “Ain’t into Lettin’ You Go” (Doug Sahm) – 3:45 3. “All the Way to Nothing” (Doug Sahm) – 3:13 4. “Hangin’ on by a Thread” (Doug Sahm) – 2:37 5. “I’ll Take Care of You” (Brook Benton) – 4:19 Side Two 6. “The Things That I Used to Do” (Guitar Slim) – 5:17 7. “I Don’t Mind at All” (Doug Sahm) – 1:58 8. “Nothin’ But the Blues” (Max Longmire) – 2:15 9. “Hell of a Spell” (Doug Sahm) – 3:30 10. “Can’t Fake It” (Doug Sahm) – 4:12 11. “Next Time You See Me” (Earl Forest, William Harvey) – 3:23 Released: 1980 Recorded: 1980 Genre: R&B, Blues, Country Length: 36:58 Label: Takoma Producer: Dan Healy Personnel * Doug Sahm – vocals, guitar * John Reed – guitar * Jack Barber – bass * John (Fuzzy) Oxendine – drums * Kelly Dunn – keyboards * Louie Bustos – baritone and tenor sax * Charles McBurney – trumpet * Rocky Morales – sax