This is a slick little package from the hard working Arkansas ensemble. I really enjoyed Oreo Blue's first albums, especially the double CD set Live By Demand which included some incredibly long jam sets and great performances. The live shows only reaffirmed what I liked about the CDs: Oreo Blue is a group of talented people who have a blast doing what they do and it shows in the music.

The new studio CD RX For The Blues stretches the scope of the band a bit in several ways. First off, Chris Payton, the former lead singer is noticeably absent. She had previously been suffering some health problems that kept her away for this release, which is a shame. Payton is a great vocalist. The boys, Brian Crowne, Stephen Boudeaux, and Gary "the Guitar Monster" Hutchison step up to cover all the vocal spots here. No surprise there as Crowne and Hutchinson do a great deal of the singing anyway. Another thing is the production quality here. Blue really worked overtime on the overall production of the sound on the CD. It's smooth as wet glass throughout. Seems the Blue has taken a ZZ Top approach to mixing and filtering.

Hutchinson always makes any song a great listening experience. He is truly amazing. Check out some of his sizzling guitar work on tunes like "Nobody Knows" or the astounding cover of B.B. King's "Sweet Little Angel." They don't call him the guitar monster for nothing, folks. Why Gary isn't in Blues Guitar Valhalla yet, I have no idea. Crowne does double duty on guitar and sax. I think Blue is at their best when Hutchinson and Crowne get into these call and response riffs; guitar to sax and vice versa.

RX is a great reminder that Oreo Blue is still out there, making good music and having lots of fun. If you haven't discovered them yet, this would be an auspicious introduction.
- Bill Fountain

August 2000 Southwest Blues Magazine Blues Review