If you dig rockin’ blues with swampy production value that gives everything a shimmering, vibrato-laden effect, look no further. From the vaults of Mira Smith’s amazing Ram studios in Shreveport, this is a real treasure for blues and rock ‘n’ roll fans alike.

Things get under way with the red-headed Sonny Boy Williamson; unrelated to any of his better known namesakes. “Pretty Li’l Thing” shows him in top form and conjures up all the shamanism of Billy Boy Arnold, but his two unissued sides are even more outstanding. “I Gotta Cry” is a killer ballad where emotional lyrics flow, swamp blues style, while “You Better Sit Down” is delivered with the same table-clearing authority as his namesake’s “Don’t Start Me Talkin’.” Pearl-handled razors and butcher knives are featured prominently. The young Sonny Boy claimed to be from New Orleans, but not much else is known about him. In his wake, he sure left some great music.

T.V. Slim clocks in with his well known “Flat Foot Sam” and five others, all of which feature extremely colorful lyrics. “The Fight”, based around the “Signifyin’ Monkey” theme, tells the tale of brawling women and a cat named “Henpecked Joe” and a police chief thus quoted: “Turn on the lights /I wouldn’t miss this for one of Joe Louis’ fights!” That’s just the beginning,” Going To California” talks of “Sleeping in ditches and gulleys” and women who “if you meet on the streets/ you take one look at night/ If you meet in the day/ you run for your life!”

Other highlights are Banny Price’s “Rushing”, which combines the best elements of Freddy King and Ike Turner’s guitar styles with hints of “Ooh Poo Pah Doo” and Chico Chism’s raunchy mambo mauler “Hot Tamales and Bar-B-Que.”

Meanwhile, Elgie Brown’s ballad “You’ll Be Back” places him firmly at the top of the great lyrics stakes when he sings “Why can’t you be a woman/ Tell me this is the end.” Like everything here, it’s highly inspired and way above average, painting a rich picture of dead end love.

Five Jesse Thomas tracks from the competing Red River label, ranging from archaic acoustic to slick soul, close things out and put Shreveport’s blues scene in perspective on this latest piece of evidence that the town’s musical history is rich as can be.