From BLURT: http://blurt-online.com/news/view/5846/

By Blurt Staff

Due February 28, Hoods and Shades is soulman Andre Williams' fourth Bloodshot Records full-length release, and perhaps his most intriguing and thematically driven. Self-dubbed "the Andre Williams folk album", he recruited his Detroit boys (and then some) to put together a collection of nine songs that collectively play out like an afternoon hangout among musical roadmen, chatting of their experiences through their instruments.

Making contributions are: renowned Grammy Award-winning producer Don Was on upright bass, Motown legend/Funk Brother Dennis Coffey on acoustic and electric guitars, Dirty Three drummer Jim White, Greasy Carlisi (Robert Gordon, Chris Spedding) and Jim Diamond (Dirtbombs) on electric bass, and longtime producer Matthew Smith (Nathaniel Mayer, Outrageous Cherry, Volebeats).

Hoods and Shades brings together Andre Williams' signature low-end purr and suggestive come-ons ("Gimme", "I've Got Money on My Mind"), alongside clear-eyed cautionary tales ("A Good Day to Feel Bad", "Hoods and Shades") from someone who has been on the street long enough to know. In his past, the longtime R&B legend Williams most famously wrote "Shake A Tail Feather," and sang proto-punk cult classics like "Bacon Fat" (covered by the Cramps), "Greasy Chicken," and the epitome of songs about underage girls, "Jail Bait." Additionally, he once paid his dues and honed his unique musical outlook at seminal labels such as Motown, Chess, and Fortune. He also wrote and produced for artists Ike Turner, Parliament/Funkadelic, Edwin Starr and Stevie Wonder. In 2008, Andre was the subject of the gritty documentary, "Agile Mobile Hostile."

 Dennis Coffey ? Shit , yeah. I'm in the itsy bitsy , teeny weenie , so small you can't see it , minority that prefers Andre's R'n'B stuff. My favorite , more recent , albums are the two Norton albums. Most people don't like 'em , because they're not "Punk Rock enough". Whatever. I used to always go see Andre , from his first Chicago comeback show in '96 , on....But , I have'nt seen him in years. He has'nt been playing a lot , either. I went to his book release party , that was GREAT. All these yuppies were making lots of noise , and we could'nt hear Andre , until he said "AND THEN SHE BIT HIS MUTHAFUCKIN' DICK OFF !!!". Suddenly , they all split for the MANY more yuppie - friendly bars on Division Street.

Oh , and Greasy Carlisi is probably better known in "Our world" for his work alongside Ron Asheton in Dark Carnival.