Although not an essential release by this fine blues harmonica frontman, there are some tracks on this collection of early recordings that are outstanding. Blues harmonica players will want the set just for the instrumental track "Junior's Wail," which is beautiful harp playing to be sure. Heard as a contrast to the later Wells period where he went overboard into the realm of soul jive, the completely straightforward blues on this collection is downright refreshing, although some of the 1953 pieces are done with so much more respect than personality that Wells comes across almost like a choirboy. By 1957, he was beginning to dig his own potatoes; the terrific "Cha Cha in Blues" is a preview of the type of fine music that would make the Delmark Hoodoo Man Blues so classic, yet this is delightfully more over the top, featuring Eugene Lounge (what a name) on heavily reverberated drums, including a really loud cowbell. While on the subject of reverb, the guitar of Syl Johnson motorizes into the Chuck Berry lane on "Lovey Dovey Lovely One," but also gets into aggressive single string picking as well. When Earl Hooker stops in to fill out the band on the rest of the album it is the equivalent of a blessing from above, as Wells works particularly well when he has an inventive guitar foil. The nifty instrumental "Universal Rock" gives Hooker a bit of a loud, boisterous showcase while also sporting the sax work of Gerry Gibson. The final track, "I Need a Car," even includes vibraphone, which might explain why a harmonica player would need a car, to help the vibraphone player get around.