Chosen one of 1998's Top Ten Blues CD's by KSPC's Left Coast Carl
Southland Blues Magazine Febuary 1999
"This debut album by this talented local guitar player, who works most often with the Max Bangwell band, is a great collection of Chicago blues that have a good edge to them. This is a disc that would make the people at Chess Records proud. The direct descendent of those urban Chicago recordings, Striles' album has brought together a lot of great songs in one batch and the small, but tight band that surrounds Striles handles these tasty selections with ease. Not only are both Striles vocals and playing excellent on this disc, but the backing of Rob Rio on piano, Primordial Slim on harmonica, Max Bangwell on drums, and Rick Reed on bass is first rate. Striles waltzes through these numbers as if they were written expressly for him. This CD has a lot to offer to the hard-core blues fan. Striles has stepped out of the role of sideman and into the the role of leader with a certain deftness. This disc should be handled with care though, as it is so hot it could burn your hands." - John Pepper
Blues Access Magazine Spring 1999
"Job Striles is the proud father of a fine release harkening back to styles as swinging and durable as my sweet old Dodge Dart (1961-1990 R.I.P.). Even the stylish cover and title catch the flavor; Job Striles Sings and Plays .promises "high fidelity stereophonic sound" and shows the man casting a spell with a hollow-body Gibson guitar. Striles is another in a long line of sharp L.A.-based guitarists (Junior Watson, Alex Schultz, Rick Holmstrom) who pick in the T-Bone tradition. Striles' style is distinctive in part because it's a little bit rougher and a little bit rowdier than his clean-picking counterparts, but still creative and always musical. His singing is pretty much up to the task of delivering the loose-limbed material, from Gatemouth Brown's famous instrumental "Okie Dokie Stomp" and B.B. King's fun "Beautician Blues" to several originals including an ode to the legendary (and still active) Los Angeles blues club, Babe and Ricky's Inn. Striles is in some of the hardest-working and finest company L.A. has to offer, including Rick Reed on bass, Max Bangwell on drums, the oft-featured and very worthy harp man Primordial Slim, and rock-ribbed pianist Rob Rio. FOUR STARS" - Bill Kisliuk
The Delta Snake Daily Blues ...www.netmagic.net/~snake/
"Play and Sing with Job Striles. In heavy rotation on So Cal blues radio shows is Striles' knock out album, "Job Striles Sings and Plays." He, along with L.A.'s blues drummer in-demand, Max Bangwell, harmonica player Primordial Slim (so named as Job says he represents the blues creation theory while Slim stands for blues evolution theory), bring forth songwriting fodder like "Coffee," an ode to the safe substance addiction of the 90's, "Kill the Little Red Rooster," rewriting the blues anthem of infidelity, and "Babe and Ricky's Inn," an ode to the longest running blues club in L.A. If you can't find the CD at your favorite record store, contact Job at viberadiator@earthlink.com." -Char Ham, Contributing Editor