One could conceivably argue that Hound Dog Taylor was a blues punk; he favored energy、 excitement、 and above all、 fun over minor considerations like、 say、 tuning. It's that exuberance that carries the day on this best-of collection. It's all material from Taylor's too-brief stint at Alligator in the 1970s (he died in 1975)、 but it's all good blues--blues good enough to launch a record label. Taylor's guitar is grungy enough to get a starring role in a Seattle band circa 1990、 and while his voice never quite rises out of a monotone、 it's still oddly expressive. Fast、 furious、 and brimming with energy、 Taylor is the perfect cure for the wintertime blues. --<I>Genevieve Williams</I>