Val McKnight Page

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Val McKnight

Album Discography

"Red Hot Lover" (Ecko 2014)

1. Red Hot Lover
2. Members Only - (featuring Larry Addison)
3. Juke Joint Party
4. Move Your Body
5. Wet Match - (featuring George Jackson)
6. Flicker in the Flame
7. Jody Got the Job Done
8. Blues is a Serious Thing
9. Who Doo Woman
10. Freak In Me
11. Two is Company
12. When You Were Here With Me

"Independent Woman" (Ecko 2015)

1 It's Party Time
2 Independent Woman
3 Juke Joint Party
4 Head Bitch in Charge
5 Make Me Shout Ooh, Ooh, Ooh!
6 I'm a Love Starved Woman
7 Watch That Booty Do
8 I'll Be Seeing You Around
9 You Put One over the Fence
10 Move Your Body
11 Who Doo Woman
12 Good Lovin' Daddy

***1/2 John Ward's Ecko Records has gotten a ton of mileage out of bold, brash, bawdy, bodacious "independent women". They began with Barbara Carr and carried on with Sheba Potts-Wright, Denise LaSalle, Sweet Angel and most notably, Ms. Jody. The label's habit of star-making of these tough gal artists is undeniable. "Vivacious" Val McKnight is first and foremost a songwriter. In fact it's unusual to receive a CD from Ecko where the artist has written the majority of the material. On "Independent Woman" McKnight wrote nine of the thirteen cuts. It's your typical shuffle-bumping, down-home blues, mid-paced southern soul (think Clarence Carter "Slip Away") with themes like partying/dancing ("It's Party Time", "Juke Joint Party", "Move Your Body"), sex ("Make Me Shout Ooh Ooh Ooh", "You Put It Over The Fence", "I'm A Love Starved Woman"), relationships ("I'll Be Seeing You Around") and female empowerment ("Independent Woman", "Whoo Doo Woman"). A successful formula indeed and McKnight's attitude-filled voice and phrasing suits this material to a T.

Some of the highlights include the brutally honest, in your face message of "I'm A Love Starved Woman". A lumpy Blues head bobber with lyrics like "I'm a loved starved woman/The kind that can't be trusted/Some of the things I do/ You might be disgusted/I'm a love starved woman/Ain't No man off limit/Before the night is over/ I got to get a man off in it/Girls you better hide your man if you see me coming!". Yes indeed, this is much less, er, subtle than other man stealing songs ("I Intend To Take Your Place" by Peggy Scott-Adams for example). The use of the word "bitch" in a prideful bent had it's start in Blues way before it became the kitsch thing to do in pop with pop artists like one-hit wonder Meridith Brooks ("Bitch"), Britney Spears ("It's Britney, bitch"), Rihanna ("Bitch Better Have My Money") and Madonna ("Bitch I'm Madonna") all proudly announcing their bitchosity. Well, McKnight issues a warning to other gals who have dalliances with her man. They may get with him but she's the "Head Bitch In Charge". Granted it is surprising that McKnight seems okay with her man's cheating ways but every relationship is different I suppose. But maybe it's that same man that breaks it off with her on "I'll Be Seeing You Around". She sarcastically wishes him the best with the caveat "Someone out there might do the same thing to you". Val McKnight is not to be trifled with.

"Stroke That Cat" (Ecko 2018)

1. Turn Up (4:31)
2. Stroke That Cat (4:37)
3. Down Low Brother (5:10)
4. It's Party Time (4:29)
5. Can You Ride This Pony (4:43)
6. It's Booty Shakin' Time (5:07)
7. I'm A Horny Woman (4:49)
8. I'm Gonna Hump Your Brains Out (4:48)
9. That's My Boo Thang (4:39)
10. Hoodoo Woman, Pt. 2 (4:51)
11. Good Lovin' Will Make Everything Alright (4:49)

"Ain't Nothing Like A Country Boy" (Ecko 2022)

1. Let's Party
2. Ain't Nothing Like A Country Boy
3. Shake Something (Southern Soul Slide)
4. I'm In Love With My Husband And My Sidepiece
5. Take It Easy
6. You Want Your Cake And Eat It Too
7. It's Booty Shaking Time
8. Let's Do Some Freaky Stuff
9. Take My Husband Back From Me
10. I'm A Do It All Woman
11. Can You Ride This Pony
12. Ain't Nothing Like A Country Boy (Club Mix)

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