In the liner notes, Dan Morgenstern calls Major Holley's singing "earthy and funky" and Slam Stewart's "oblique and sly." Holley's is the froggy bass voice, and Stewart's is the sensitive tenor. They each perform a particular technique that combines bowing the bass and singing along with wordless vocals; Stewart sings an octave above the bass line, and Holley sings in unison with the bass. Their presentations are similar, but each is unique. Stewart was 67 when this recording was made in 1981, and Holley was 57. Sadly, both passed within a decade of this session. Delos reissued Shut Yo' Mouth on CD in 1991; the small label has issued recordings by an eclectic array of jazz artists including Joe Williams, Mavis Rivers, Jimmy Rowles, Jessica Williams, Clark Terry, and Bunky Green. Supporting Major Holley and Slam Stewart are pianist Dick Hyman and drummer Oliver Jackson. Hyman takes brief solos on most tracks and Jackson opts for the brushes to keep the volume down.

"Tomorrow" starts off the session, with the two bassists trading off throughout; they add a snippet of lyric by singing "tomorrow." "Close Your Eyes" is the title track because Major Holley substitutes "shut your mouth," "close your mouth" and "shut your face" for the actual lyrics. For the most part, Stewart and Holley prefer wordless vocals, but the occasional lyric snippet has the effect of keeping your mind on the tune's message. "Undecided" rolls along with a swinging rhythm; the wordless vocals have much in common with other forms of scat-singing. Both piano and drums have brief solos. "Misty" begins with the higher-voiced Slam Stewart carrying the familiar melody while Hyman supports with a change to the organ; they again work as a team, with Holley providing a contrasting chorus. Harry Archer's "I Love You" also starts out with Stewart going to town with a quick, up-temporhythm. Holley quotes from "put a little nickel in, in the nickelodeon" while Stewart quotes from "Pagliacci." In reality, what the artist quotes from is often a far cry from what the listener recognizes, but you get the idea. Both Hyman and Jackson stretch out for some of their best solo work of the session. "Would You Like to Take a Walk" is the tune that stays in my mind long after I've put this recording away. It starts with walking piano and complementary brushes; there's a swing to it right from the start. As if "strolling through the park one day" both Holley and Stewart trade fours, turn it over to Hyman's piano for an interlude, then continue their fours. It's a pleasurable listen,with Stewart's "shave and a haircut" and Holley's "who do you think you're gonna bring" adding spice to the mix. "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" allows Hyman the luxury of bringing out an older two-beat rhythm, similar to that of Ragtime, while the two leaders work closely together, not only trading phrases, but also providing counterpoint for each other. In several places, Holley sings, "wrap, wrap, wrap `em baby," keeping the true nature of the song's lyrics alive. The organ returns for "Side by Side." That familiar pop tune was written by Harry Woods; he's related to Phil Woods. On it, the quartet loosens up even more than usual; Stewart's solo section offers a more percussive vocal delivery, while Holley reaches down low with bits and pieces of lyric.

The session closer is "My Blue Heaven," which features a little more comedy than usual, bringing a smile to the listener's face and reminding that Major Holley and Slam Stewart can do that with every listen.