Reviews (9)

A fine collection of James' best latter-day sides
These tracks may not be quite as intense as Skip James' prewar singles, but from an audio standpoint they're certainly easier to take.
Committed to tape in 1966 and 1968, many of these twenty songs are re-recordings of the classic 30s singles which originally made Nehemiah "Skip" James famous. "Devil Got My Woman" is here, and so is "Little Cow, Little Calf Is Gonna Die Blues", "Crow Jane", "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues", and several other highlights including James' version of "Careless Love", and a number of fine songs from his 60s repertoire.

Skip James accompanies himself on guitar and piano, and his piano playing is almost as idiosyncratic as his work on the guitar.
James is probably something of an acquired taste, to be honest...he usually sings in a slightly eerie, fragile-sounding falsetto, his guitar is weirdly tuned, and his music is certainly much less accessible than that of, say, Muddy Waters or even Robert Johnson and Son House.
But if you know what you're getting into, and are looking for a good collection of James' "rediscovery" recordings to go with his original 30s singles, this fine compilation is for you. Newcomers should definitely start with "The Complete Early Recordings Of Skip James", however.

Don't pass this one up
I normally don't bother to write reviews, but I think this selection has gotten a bad rap by previous reviewers. I started out listening to the early recordings of Skip James, and worked my way to this CD, and I'm not disappointed. Sure, it lacks the raw emotion and feeling of his early work, but if you are a true fan, it is a must have.

Gorgeous, Simply Amazing
Skip James is absolutely amazing! Anyone who says the latter-day Skip James can't play the guitar like he used to hasn't been listening. Just listen to the song Catfish Blues to see what I mean. It sounds like a wild animal escaping from his heart and bursting from his guitar.

The fidelity of this work compared to his 30's recordings is obviously far superior - this is a modern-sounding, professionally recorded album. The guitar is crisp and clear, rich and full. Most notably though the full rich timbre of James' voice is fully evident. I'm not as fond of his piano work, though it's clearly very competent.

A wonderful album by one of the great singer/songwriters of the last century. Of course, his Complete Early Recordings is also indespensible.

Beautiful Blues from the Delta
This is one of the most hauntingly beautiful collections of blues I have ever heard. Skip James was a man of the Mississipi Delta and his music reflects his origins. The sound is sparse, the rhythms a melancholic mix of country, blues and ragtime. Over the top of deceptively simple arrangements for piano and acoustic guitar (to both of which James lends his distinctive sound), James' desolate falsetto recalls the deep sorrows of Depression-era black men with great poignancy.

While many of the songs on this collection at least superficially reflect the theme of lost love, there are darker moments too:
"Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" is a bleak and resigned commentary on the racial hatred and economic injustices faced by America's black poor in the 1930s; "Sick Bed Blues" explores the tragedy of a man alone.

Yet this CD is also infused with a real lightness of spirit: "... Hospital Center Blues" is a tribute to the musicians who rediscovered James in the 1960s and moved him to a private hospital so he could receive better treatment; and "Catfish Blues", with its refrain "I would rather be a little catfish/ so I could swim way down in the sea/ I wouldn't have no women/ setting out a line for me", is a refreshingly light fantasy of escape from impossible love.

The CD comprises recordings from the 1960s albums "Today!" and "Devil Got My Woman", so listeners don't have to cope with the appalling background hiss on re-releases of James' early Paramount sessions. Tracks 18 and 19 have never been previously released and are as brilliant as anything else on this incredible album.

Even if you have never heard of Skip James, you should check out this awesome collection of music from one of the Blues' truly great unsung masters.

The Only Real Genius of the Blues
Skip James was the Theolonius Monk of the Blues, and his emotional pallette was broader than Monk's. If you listen with open ears you can hear James trying to invent and reharmonise the Blues vocabulary, as well as express a life of torment and joy. He is soft spoken, and elfishly whimsical, but his virtuoso skating of the thin knife edge between major and minor, African and Anglo melodies is guaranteed to raise the hairs on the back of your neck. The very defination of goosebump music. I personally think that James was trying to invent Bebop twenty years before Bird met Diz. And his lyrics are haunting and powerful beyond all others in a haunting and powerful genre. Let those with ears to hear, listen. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Sweet inspiration
This CD contains the original versions of song later covered by Elvis Presley. It shows that Elvis had great taste in music. All of the songs included here are really excellent. It shows the wide range of music Elvis liked. It includes blues, country, r & b, rockabilly and pop. The only complaint that I can make about this CD is that they could have included a lot more songs. For example, they could have included the original versions of "Milkcow Blues", "My Baby Left Me", "Love Me", "Old Shep" and "Peace in the Valley". Other than that, I highly recommend it.

The devil in Nylon hose
When listening to this c.d one realises Elvis was a natural genius.I wonder if i would enjoy the songs as much if I hadn't listened to Elvis'versions first.Many people argue that Elvis didn't write his own songs.But the point is what he did with these songs creating different music styles.The originals are also very good and worth having in your collection to compare & gage where music was before the Hillbilly Cat.

Fascinatin' record
Any way you come at this one, it's good value. As plain music, it's a terrific selection of the music around at that time(early '50s), both varied, from the stunning country jump of the Shelton Brothers' "Just Because" to the honk of Big Joe Turner on "Shake Rattle And Roll" (fatty Haley orta be ashamed),and yet at the same time strangely cohesive as a disk to listen to. I play just cause I like it all the time. But the real fascination comes in hearing where Elvis took these songs. Sometimes I play "Sunrise", with Elvis' versions of these songs as recorded at Sun, straight after, and you hear what he took, and what he had. You come away understanding what magic there was in the combination of Elvis, Scotty Moore, Bill Black and Sam Phillips. But you can also sense that the breakout that Elvis made was built on a huge underswell of outstanding music that just had to find a bigger audience.

The King Lives
I admire Elvis and this is the BEST! It has some of his best songs. Also, this CD easily shows why Elvis will always be the king. You can observe that it is a mixture of his unsurpassed talent. Elvis the very definitive of pure rock and roll. This collection of songs demonstrate just how timeless this man is. Elvis was always a leader and a trendsetter. He is often imitated but never equaled. As you listen to these great tunes and you will realize that Elvis is just as much with us today as in years gone by and he will be with us for always. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fans of this Mississippi hill country blues patriarch who've been put off by his previous two albums, the hip-hop remix set Come On In andlast year's trip-hip experiment, Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down, will enjoy this time capsule recorded in 1982 and 1967. It's Burnside in the raw, playing solo on acoustic guitar as he did for his neighbors for most of his early career--when farming was still his profession. Burnside reprised "Miss Maybelle," "Mellow Peaches," "Poor Boy," "Jumper on the Line," andothers among these songs on his more recent albums for Fat Possum Records, but these early versions capture his driving blend of one-chord rhythm with lightning decorations of slide and melody already fully developed.

If anything, Burnside's guitar playing has slowed over the years, but it's taken on gravity as it's grown more spare, just as his voice--high and limber here--has added character with the imperfections of age. Burnside, who turned 73 in November, is also a more idiosyncratic musician now. Nonetheless, it's apleasure to hear him doing numbers like "Bad Luck and Trouble" nearly 20years ago, fusing the influences of John Lee Hooker and Fred McDowell intothe potent style that's made him one of today's premier practitioners of old-time rural blues. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Deep, Deep Blues that you feel in your Soul!
Mr. Burnside releases emotions deep within his heart and soul through his playing and singing! These are primal Blues not played often anymore in many areas. ... .

R.L. is the Blues
This is the album I've been waiting for. I'm enjoy R.L.'s most recent albums but they only skim the surface of what lies behind that voice. For me, It's R.L. and an acoustic guitar. Listen to him on "Crying won't make me stay" or "Miss Maybelle"; no drum machines, no progaming, just that voice and those fingers on steel strings. If you like his Acoustic Stories album this is even better. This damm album makes me smile- well, well well. Rock on R.L. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

best look into Juniors word that we'll probably ever get
Thia album was recorded in the last few months of his life. By this time Junior had been exposed to rock music, and his rythems had become harder edged as a result. This album is'nt as produced as some of his other CDs (not that any of them were over-produced), with three trackes taken live from his Juke joint. This CD is the probably the best window to Juniors world that we can get (that is Minus all the echo and Bad recording quality).

Makin' the best of these cold, rainy days...
The Charlotte area is gettin' over a four-year drought this year. That means that every other day we're gettin' soaked with rain' an' sufferin' from dark, gray clouds. An', yep, these're the days when I whip out this Junior Kimbrough CD 'Most Things Haven't Worked Out' an', well, try to figure things out I guess. There's nothin' like hearing 'Lonesome Road' an' 'I'm in Love' on a gray an' cloudy Saturday afternoon, while watchin' the rain beat against your window. But when you play 'Everywhere I Go' or 'Burn in Hell' in the middle of the night at the perfect volume an' sit outside on the porch, smokin' cigarettes an' drinkin' on some whiskey, ohhh, boy, now you're treadin' on some dangerous ground so you better be prepared. Junior has got the goods on that slide guitar an' has a knack for these ratchety n' rugged soundscapes. The guitar is usually my LEAST favorite instrument, but when is' givin' a bluesy twang an' used to express all your frustrations an' loathsome heartaches an' emotions, I honestly can't think of ANYTHING I feel more. This is jus' great music; good for the mind, the heart an' the soul.

crazy
as iggy pop is alleged to have said, "the first time i heard junior i just went crazy."

play it on bright sunny sunday afternoon in may and you'll still feel like you're half drunk on moonshine at 3am in northern mississippi in august. if you play it late at night god only knows where it might take you. unbelievably haunting stuff. by far my fav junior kimbrough cd, and one of my fav blues cds of all time (i've got somewhere between 100 and 200).

WORKED UP AND WORKED OUT!!
Mr. Kimbrough done come thru with the dirt on this one. This aint just blues music, it's soul music right in there with Isaac Hayes and nem. It's hard played and honest and that's the true pleasure of it.

Junior is watching you
If you only buy one Fat Possum CD this year, make it this one. Fans of Junior's trance and dance grooves will find this to be the meatiest of his recordings from the 90s. An essential purchase! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Memphis-based bluesman Robert Belfour's second album is a bit vexing. He's an appealing singer whose deep, cotton-mouthed voice has plenty of rough charisma, and he bawls out every line with the despair of a haunted man. When Belfour sings "I stayed awake all night, waiting for my baby to come home," in "Stayed Awake," he's utterly believable. The raw, woody tones of his acoustic guitar are pleasing, too. The trouble is his arrangements are virtually interchangeable. On all 10 of these songs Belfour's guitar repeats same-sounding sliding notes and arpeggios over the single-chord drone that defines the blues of his native North Mississippi. There's no slide, few variations in his patterns, and--despite primal drumming on some tracks--little change in tempos throughout the entire album. This would be a very dull recording, indeed, if not for the way these elements begin to blur into a kind of trance-inspiring signature that often recalls traditional African string music, especially in "Sweet Brown Sugar" and "Pushin' My Luck." Still, if you're looking for something more than mild musical hypnosis, this disc falls short. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Authentic Mississippi Hill Country Blues
You can tell by the look on Robert Belfour's face on the cover of "Pushin My Luck" that he don't sing happy, shiny songs about peace, love and understanding. He sings about women...women gone bad. They leave him, keep him up at night, drink all night, spend all his money, throw his clothes out in the yard, they won't wash his clothes, won't cook him food and are just mean as hell. But Mr. Belfour seems to enjoy this mistreatment by these horrible women and loves to tell us about it. This is the real blues; authentic Mississippi hill country blues played by a man who was born and raised there but now lives in Memphis. It just don't get no better.

Yeah, I'd agree with the above.
This effort by Robert Belfour isn't as varied or original as his outstanding first CD. The review written above is pretty much right on; there is some repetition, but Belfour is a major talent. His is a haunting voice, powerful yet lean and his guitar is sparingly beautiful. This isn't overproduced BB King ...;but blues in the tradition of heart felt soul-searching music in the tradition of Lightin' Hopkins. It you like original acoustic blues; you'll enjoy this CD. If you don't have his first CD, get that first effort before purchasing this one!

Blues from the Mississippi Hills!
A few years back, Robert Palmer set out to record the overlooked musicians living in the north Mississippi hills. After bringing Junior Kimbrough, Sally Mae Hemphill, T-Model Ford and Cedell Davis to the public's attention, Palmer passed away. Despite the tragic loss of Palmer, Fat Possum continues to record the bluesman of the Mississippi Hills such as Robert Belfour. Like other Mississippi Hills musicians, Belfour gets by with the mastery of a couple of chords and the thumping rhythmic beat of his low E string. As such, the songs sound a bit repetitive at times. Nevertheless, the vocals and songs of Belfour are pretty darn good. Devoid of any flash or high priced instruments, Belfour brings the raw excitement of the blues as you might find it played in any of the dilapidated juke joints in the Hills. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Blues 101!!!
All right, students, now pay attention! Put down that racing form and pay attention right now! This here Chess Blues box set contains exactly 101 tracks. How appropriate! That makes this collection a sort of unofficial college course entitled Blues 101, and Professors Wolf, Waters, James, and Jacobs (Little Walter), etc., etc., will be your blues instructors. You will learn the Fundamentals of Blues Harp, with Little Walter ("Juke") and Sonny Boy Williamson II ("Don't Start Me to Talkin'") as your master teachers. Over here, we have a course entitled Mellow Blues, with Willie Dixon ("Walkin' the Blues") and Jimmy Witherspoon ("Ain't Nobody's Business") showing you how it's done. Then, we have instruction in Blues and the Female Voice, with Koko Taylor ("What Kind of Man Is That," "Wang Dang Doodle") and Etta James ("Somethings Got A Hold Of Me," "I'd Rather Go Blind") as your teachers. Finally, what great university would be complete without Master Classes and the best professors in the business Muddy Waters ("Got My Mojo Workin'," "I Can't Be Satisfied," "My Eyes (Keep Me in Trouble"), Howlin Wolf ("Killin' Floor," "Evil," "Going Down Slow"), and John Lee Hooker ("Walkin' the Boogie," "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer") holding court for your edification. No, there is no blues university, but if there was one, the above masters would surely be the instructors and Chess Blues would certainly be the required text. As I said, it's packed with an amazing 101 songs, many of the best blues tracks ever recorded. There are a few clunkers, but very few. You will spend many enjoyable hours listening to this collection. (Trust me, it takes a few hours to listen to 101 songs once!) Get it today, and enroll in the best blues education money can buy!

A terriffic addition to your blues collection
This handsome boxset, complete with a large booklet, is a superb addition to your blues collection, even if you already have the best of the major Chess artists such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Sonny Boy Williamson II.

There are bound to be some tracks, especially by Waters and the Wolf, that overlap with what most blues lovers already own, but the "Chess Blues" compilers have done a very fine job assembling dozens of rarer tracks by artists like Robert Nighthawk, Sunnyland Slim, Otis Rush, Memphis Minnie McCoy, Lowell Fulson, Willie Mabon, Elmore James, Jimmy Oden and many others. And these high quality tracks, which make up the vast majority of the 101 cuts, make "Chess Blues" a very welcome supplement to the many available compilations featuring Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson II and Little Walter Jacobs.

This is it!
The Delta gave birth to the Delta Blues and Chicago gave birth to the Chicago Blues but it would not have happened without Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter and, of course, the Chess Brothers. This is their legacy - no true blues fan would be without this set as part of their collection -enough said!

Box set arrives like nucular bum
Wow, this box set arrives in my discs with the force of a nuclear bomb...I bought it for [amt.] at a local record store; get the box set any way you can. You'll survive cataclysmic disaster for sure. The artists are badasses and geniuses all.

Worth 10 Stars!
Where would the music of today be without the music on this set? Every song is a classic. Phil and Leonard Chess had an ear for talent and it shows on this set. Not only do you get classics by Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf, there is also Etta James, Ko Ko Taylor, Sonny Boy Williamson, Sunnyland Slim, Robert Nighthawk, Willie Dixon (the MAN behind many of the Waters/Wolf classics) and many, many more. The booklet is fantastic and the sound quality is very good. Simply a set you can't do without. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Wheels within Wheels fulfils at least one of the lost ambitions of the late Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher. On each of his electric albums, Gallagher featured a rootsy acoustic track and he'd hoped to release a complete album of unplugged performances. Collecting and tidying up a selection of outtakes and lost recordings from 1974 to 1994, his brother, Donal, reveals Gallagher's taste for blues, skiffle, and folk, and his love of collaborating with great musicians. The instrumental "Bratacha Dubha" features folk heroes Martin Carthy and Maire Ni Chathasaigh, while Bert Jansch turns up in "She Moves Through the Fair." The Dubliners, Bela Fleck, and the late Lonnie Donegan also put in appearances. Of course, given Rory's prodigious abilities, the playing is exceptionally fine, but there's a rare warmth here. Donal has succeeded in capturing the respectful, dignified, and wild qualities of a gifted musician. Gallagher fans will be delighted. --Dominic Wills ... Read more

Reviews (10)

WHAT A GEM
From a long time Rory fan, this is a real treat. It's a beautifully put together album of acoustic rarities and lost recordings, loving constructed by Rory's brother. Unlike many out-takes and rarities albums being issued currently, this collection doesn't sound contrived or superfluous. Let's hope Donal will continue to sift through his brother's back catalog for other material that Rory's fans can savor and relish in years to come. Perhaps a CD or two of backstage jamming or after-hours acoustic plucking? Oh, and for those of you who haven't discovered this yet, get a copy of the Irish Tour DVD - it's the best blues/rock you'll ever see and hear, conveyed with unusual honesty and humility.

What an enjoyable disc!
Thank you, Donal Gallagher, for keeping your brother Rory's music in the public eye. I have been waiting for such a release for years. Rory shows his love and talent for interpreting and writing acoustic based music. If you are a fan of Rory, you will not be disapointed with "Wheels Inside Wheels."

FINALLY GOT IT!
When you first get turned on to Rory Gallegher-you are hooked.Too late-you are hooked!I was first introduced to him on a late night concert show in the early 1970s(In Concert or Don Kirshners Rock Concert-I forget).When I heard the licks coming from this worn Gibson by this long hair in a flannel shirt I-was hooked.Life long fan and avid collector of his music ever since.When the later years rushed upon us, I felt that I would get a chance to see him live in some small venue.Then he died--so sad(he was a drinker and his liver was shot).He was also a player,writer,vocalist, and known worldwide for his style and rock background(or groundbreaking).His brother Donal was his manager and confidant,a web site developed for fans like me,and talk of an unplugged album was stirring.I was excited in anticipating this release.This was early 2001-released in 03,and purchased 04.Acoustic Irish music is very similar to Appalachain folk.You get some of that and it is great.The solo of "As the Crow Flies" on the national steel is classic(Irish Tour 74 anyone?)The live jam at the Montreaux festival with Bela Fleck doing "Amazing Grace-Walking Blues-Blue Moon of Kentucky" medely is a rare treat.The best tune is from the bandback in 1975 called "Lonesome Highway".Where this tune has hidden is a mystery to me(Would have been a MONSTER HIT with some airplay).A nice revision at the end of the CD for good measure puts an exclamation point to one of the finest collections of songs I have ever heard from an artist I really want to hear more music from. Donal-Wheels Within Wheels Vol 2?

Miss the Minstrel!
This man would have made a magnificent travelling minstrel during the Middle Ages! The song selection by his brother Donal (bless your heart)shows the wide range of talent our Rory could display and the ease with which he could sit in with a vast array of seemingly divergent talent and still shine through with his own proficiency. I mean, my God, he had not even met some of these people. Donal, please dig deep for any scraps you might have left. The hunger for this man's work is still out there and needs to be fed. Buy this CD. It is not just a bunch of retreads and half-finished songs but a real treat. He was truly the best!!!

Motts Within Motts
Long before the whole fashion of doing un-plugged concerts, Rory Gallagher has always been doing acoustic sets in the middle of his electric concerts, giving all Rory Gallagher shows more depth, quality, and variety than your average run of the mill rock 'n' roll concert. In many ways Rory Gallagher had the image of your regular rock 'n' roll star without all the showy trimmings. You never saw Rory Gallagher in a limousine, let alone the idea of him wearing stage clothes. The thought of him having a hairdresser or likewise is positively laughable. But in many ways he was way ahead of his time and a great innovator within rock 'n' roll.

Sadly Rory Gallagher died in 1995 due to complications during a second liver transplant. (As well as being one of the world's finest guitarists, he was according to legend one of the nicest people in the world, too. However, he liked to enjoying himself, helped along with the odd drink.)

So naturally you would of thought that this would of been the end of quality products from the man, as most posthumous releases tend to be scrapping of the barrel type efforts. But fortunately for us the fan, the Rory Gallagher estate has been left in the very capable hands of his brother and long time manager Donal Gallagher. He has successfully released all of Rory's back catalogue, re-mastered with extra bonus tracks, plus a double C.D.'s worth of live material taken from the B.B.C. archives, which contain some of the finest Rory Gallagher live material this dog has ever heard. Yes, I do have 'Live in Europe', ' Stage-Struck', and 'The Irish Tour'.

Now in 2003 we get an all new collection of songs put together by Donal Gallagher (4 completely different versions of tracks Rory Gallagher had recorded before, and 10 new ones to his repertoire, recorded between 1975 and 1994.) At first I was skeptical of this collection, but on the demands of Pattaya's leading Irish musician Declan Casey, I slipped the disc into my player and was immediately enthralled.

It is the perfect combination of old and new songs, all of varied pace, favoring Rory Gallagher's acoustic side. In fact 'Lonesome Highway' is the only song to include anything from the famous old Gallagher battered Stratocaster. The roll call of the famous friend with whom Rory collaborated is also very impressive.

The album opens up with Rory Gallagher in 1977 with the beautiful but melancholic title track 'Wheels Within Wheels', a fine start to any set of songs. Then in complete contrast we have a song from a short tour Rory did with three of his idols (and he was probably theirs). Under the title of 'Guitarists Night' the lineup was David Linley, Richard Thompson, Juan Murtin and Rory. During the performance they would mix and match the four guitarists' styles. This is a number that Rory started doing on stage with Juan and is some of the most tantalizing flamenco guitar that you are ever likely to have the privilege to listen to.

Since the release of 'Irish Tour' in 1074 the Tony Joe White, 'As Crow Flies', had been a firm favorite in any Gallagher set. For the first time I hear here the studio acoustic version, and a very fine rendition it is, too.

'Lonesome Highway' is the only track on the album featuring the Rory Gallagher Band recorded back in 1975. It's a little gem and could of fitted into any of Rory's studio albums. The playing of Lou Martin, Ro De'Ath and especially bassist Gerry McAvoy show just how much they were in sync with their leader.

Rory Gallagher had long admired Martin Carthy. The collaboration between the two of them, together with harpist Maire Ni Chathasaigh and Chris Newman, showed the respect was mutual. On this haunting instrumental 'Bratacha Dubha' the music's coming over as Irish-Elizabethan in texture and is perfectly placed in the middle of this collection. Next is a lovely short instrumental between Rory and Bert Jansch, which, although only just over two minutes long, is quite mesmerizing.

But you are snapped out of your revere by a blast of 'Barley and Grape', a collaboration between Rory and the Dubliners, which must represent the most fun a bunch of musicians can have in a studio. And if they had not been having a wee dram whilst they were recording this, they certainly were before, with the hilarious banter between Rory and Dubliners' vocalist Ronnie Drew. This is followed by two traditional arrangements by Rory collaborating with the doyen of European folk, Roland van Campenhout. They only leave you with the desire that the two of them had found the time to get together for a whole albums' worth of material.

The next three songs are the only live recording on this session and are the most surprising as well as the disc's central focus. When Rory Gallagher was playing at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1994, who could of foreseen that when Bela Fleck walked out with his banjo to join Rory Gallagher that they would blend so well together? Especially as they had never spoken to each other before; the two just sitting down to play in front of this multitude of people. You only have to hear the crowd react to hear what they thought about it. In all it only lasts 10 minutes, but that's O.K. That's what the repeat button is for on your C.D. player. It is the ultimate 'I am not worthy' moment.

'Goin' to my Hometown' was a firm live staple for Rory Gallagher, his tribute to the era of Skiffle. It is perhaps fitting the only studio version known recorded with Lonnie Donegan, and a rip roaring version it is, too. Lonnie Donegan sings the backup refrain with plenty of gusto. As Rory had now given up his no singles policy, it's a shame this was not released at the time of its recording. Its footstompin' rhythm would surely have gained Rory some commercial gain in the fickle Top 20. The songs close out with a very satisfying reflective blues.

A wonderful collection of the warmth and comradeship Rory Gallagher spreads - a joy to the ears. To get more of the electric energy created by Rory Gallagher it is worth getting one of his previous live albums, but this is an absolute must for any lover of good music.

Mott the Dog
edited by Ella Crew ... Read more

Album Description

This soundtrack is one in a series (Martin ScorsesePresents The Blues) featuring original recordings and blues classics hand picked by the director Martin Scorsese. 20tracks from the likes of Robert Johnson, Charley Patton,Ali Farka Toure & Lead Belly. Sony. 2003. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

First in Scorcese series is off to a good start
For the first soundtrack in Martin Scorcese's blues series, he selected a majority of classic country blues

Robert Johnson is featured twice here, in "Hellhound On My Trail," which makes one wonder just what demons he was fleeing from, and "Traveling Riverside Blues," which is where Led Zeppelin, (borrowed is a very nice word for what they did) the phrase "the way you squeeze my lemon..." in "Lemon Song"

His traveling partner Johnny Shines is represented on "Dynaflow Blues," which is not only an example of an amplified electric blues but updates Johnson's "Terrapin Blues."

Alan Lomax's discovery and interviews of Muddy Waters led to his producing "Country Blues" on the search for his woman at any cost, and "Rosalie" which is backed by the violin and mandolin of the Son Simms Four combo.

The slow epic "Celebrated Walkin' Blues" by Taj Mahal has a amplified droning harmonica and slide guitar. And that's Ry Cooder on another guitar and mandolin. This is a tribute to the lives of the road-bound musicians in the Delta region.

The 1927 Flood of Mississippi is covered by three artists. Son House's protagonist tells it from the POV of a enchained levee worker in "Government Fleet Blues." Charley Patton's "High Water Everywhere" was done two years after the event, and his rougher vocals and hand thumping the guitar is quite a contrast to Johnson's smoother higher-pitched vocals. But the most poignant is John Lee Hooker speaking softly of the tragedy in the acoustic guitar of "Tupelo Blues," and the wishes for deliverance among the poor people trapped by the raging waters.

Son House's "My Black Mama Pt. 2" is the original of "Death Letter Blues," which can also be found on Warming By The Devil's Fire. Also on that same album is "C.C. Rider," done there by Ma Rainey, but here by Lead Belly.

Of the new tracks, Willie King & The Liberators' "Terrorized" tell a sobering compact history of the African-American experience from being kidnapped from Africa for slavery, being strung from the nearest tree, and being persecuted overall. The idea is that yes, "we talk about terrorism" q.v. 11 Sept., but that's nothing compared to the terrorism African-Americans underwent for centuries.

As in the film, the ties between the blues and African music are linked by three artists. In Senatobia, MS, Otha Turner and his cane flute, which sounds a lot like a fife, plays "Oh Baby" with Napoleon Strickland and the Como Drum Band, in which this form of African drumming is proof that here is one thing that makes all blacks Africans. He and Corey Harris, Scorcese's talented blues guitarist play on the gospel-themed "Lay My Burden Down," on the last thing to happen to any weary soul. And "My Babe," performed with his daughter, is presumably his last live performance before his death.

On the Malian side, the acoustic blues of Ali Farka Toure, whose melodies for "Mali Dje" and "Amandrai" and albino artist Salif Keita's "Ananamin" prove that the blacks in America and Africa may be separated by differing languages, but they can communicate their feelings of suffering through music, and that a black American should not be a foreigner in Africa, because he's actually going home to his roots.

Not all the songs here appeared in the movie and vice versa, which may irk people expecting a straight ahead soundtrack, but it's still a good collection. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

the best yet
This is the most wonderful collection of a cappela music i have heard in years. The harmony reminds me of the old'n days. I love this and offer it to any one who is seriously interested in becoming a TRUE singer

Incredible - for all choral lovers
The notes for the CD are fascinating - rarely is it necessary to justify a group as "folk music" because the quality of their work would make most choirs jealous - but that is exactly what this album does.

My favorite of the album is "David Was a Shepard Boy" - listen to the clip and you will see why - a tenor soloist and a bass weaving (rhythmic weaving more than tone weaving) thru a very tight choral line. "The Lord Is My Strength And Song" again uses fascinating rhythmic patterns between the voices.

There is no weak track - I would not expect others to select the same favorites - but this is not an album of interest only as Gospel music or folk music ... it stands with the best of choral music independent of genre.

Agreat gospel cd for everyone's collection.
A great cd . You can hear all the words along with the beautiful melodies in all the voices. If you like that old time sound , this is a cd for you.

Gloriously, beautiful singing. Inspiring songs to listen to
They all sing in beautiful harmony and sound like angels

One of the best gospel CD's I have listened to.
This CD embodies the old-time gospel. That A Capella sound with those great voices and high notes just makes your body quiver. This is truly one of the best gospel CD's I have ever been privileged to hear. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A glimpse of the past
As another reviewer stated, this is not a polished professional recording. Rather, it is a documentary of a tradition that is rapidly being lost in its homeland. These are real people, and at times they are hard to listen to. However, for lack of a better phrase, it grows on you, especially if you have Calabrese ancestry. Many of the melodies & singing styles reminded me very much of the "Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices", as there is definitely the same exotic quality.

Ethnomusicology Adventure
This isn't the typical "world music" collection. It is a selction of recordings by ethnomusicologist (did you know there WAS such a job?) Alan Lomax from 1954-55, documenting the music of small Italian villages, musical forms that have vanished forever.

The performances lack polish and finesse, naturally. Much of the cd is more like an auditory documentary than anything else. For example, the opening track "Swordfishermen's Calls," are exactly that - two male voices, shouting melodically over a long distance. This isn't the happy accordian music you hear at the Olive Garden, to say the least. The variety of the music is striking, containg a capella, tarantela, lullabies, accordians, bagpipes and melodies of surprising complexity. The vocals are a bit rough, sometimes - the Italians like to sing loud, apparently, and some of the singers go flat when they do.

The liner notes are extensive and contain English translations. Highly recommended, if you're looking for something truly authentic, a historical document rather than professional renditions of old folk songs.

Calabrian Folk Music
When I heard some samples of this CD, I had my mother listen as well, and she could not believe it. So we ordered the CD. And we have not stopped playing it. You just can not re create these songs any other way, as they were recorded over 40 years ago. Every Calabrian should have this CD in their collection. Excellent. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Choosing the tracks for The Best of Mississippi Fred McDowell must have been a difficult task, because in his brief recording career, practically every song he played was a nearly perfect slice of pure, unadulterated Delta blues. McDowell was a contemporary of prewar blues legends Robert Johnson and Skip James, but unlike them, he didn't make any commercial recordings until 1964, when he started working with Arhoolie. The tracks on The Best ofMississippi Fred McDowell are drawn from his five-year tenure at the label and include such classics as "You Gotta Move," which was covered by the Rolling Stones, "Kokomo Blues," and "Write Me a Few of Your Lines," which Bonnie Raitt later recorded. McDowell has a distinctive slide guitar style that he honed in his decades of playing local fish fries and rent parties. Even when he picks an electric guitar on "Meet Down in Froggy Bottom" and "My Baby," he sounds as if he's channeling the music from a 1930 Delta juke joint. McDowell was not a guitar innovator like Charley Patton or Robert Johnson, but he sang the blues with a passion and authority that have rarely been equaled. --Michael Simmons ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A great sampler of Fred McDowell's best!
Ever wonder where Bonnie Raitt got that funky version of "Kokomo Blues"? Well, check out Fred McDowell's classic recordings from 1964, where he feels acoustic, but plays electric... A funky, slightly grungy electric style that is tremndously soulful. McDowell's slide work doesn't seem technically advanced, but it is charged with power, and completely arresting. Raitt took that power and smoothed it out a bit -- you might find you like the unburnished originals even more! Nice selection of some of McDowell's best recordings on the Arhoolie label. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

One of his finest '90s recordings, Chill Out balances the guitar-glitz of Carlos Santana's guest shot on the karmic title cut with a handful of profoundly deep Hooker solo performances. Among those are new versions of his standards "Tupelo" and "Annie Mae," and the soulful "If You've Never Been in Love," where expert slide-man Roy Rogers provides subtle accompaniment to Hooker's spontaneous storytelling. The band numbers that bookend the album are weak, relying on Hooker's strong vocal presence to overcome sketchy writing. Van Morrison, pianist Charles Brown, and M.G.'s leader Booker T. Jones also lend a hand.But Hooker doesn't need anybody's help to get to the passionate heart of his blues. One last note: Anton Corbijn's CD-booklet photographs of ol' Johnny Lee are terrific. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Hooker's best contemporary blues recording
CHILL OUT was Hooker's fourth album since his triumphant comeback began in 1989 with THE HEALER. CHILL OUT also won a Grammy in 1995 for the Best Traditional Blues Album. The title track features long time supporter Carlos Santana and his band. Van Morrison further cements their long-standing friendship with a duet on" Medley: Serves Me Right To Suffer/Syndicator." Charles Brown and his band join in on "Kiddio" and "Annie Mae." Unlike some blues CDs filled with guest performers, the guests on this CD do not dominate the songs. John Lee certainly is the front man. In fact, of all the Hooker albums I have heard, and there are hundreds, I would have to say the best display of his vocal talents of all his contemporary recordings.

I had the privilege of seeing Hooker two years before his death during his last performance on the East Coast. The CD's last track is slower blues ballad; "We'll Meet Again." If there is blues in heaven, hopefully we will indeed, meet again.

Add this to your collection
Mr. Hooker is an artist who pulls off collaborations with such success, that it takes you to another dimension of the blues. The title song "Chill Out" accompanied with Santana's potent guitar licks makes the album worth buying in itself. He also performs a powerful version "Serve Me Right to Suffer" with Van Morrison caring on a conversation that only true bluesmen could do!!! His solo works are what is expected out of the great Hooker. "One Bourbon... One Scotch... One Beer" is a classic with new found energy.

The man should be, but is not a millionaire, yet has the enough money to ride around in a limo with the personalized license plates "Chill Out" in Redwood City, CA. I had the opportunity to visit him about 2 and a half years ago. I came to his door uninvited, dogs barking etc. and Mr. Hooker answered the door. I explained I was a fan with his "The Healer" CD in my hand. He silenced the German Shepherd as well as the Cocker Spaniel, and invited me into his home. There were gold records with pictures of Bill Graham, Bonnie Raitt and others on the wall over his fireplace. He graciously signed the CD cover and we began to talk about the Giants baseball game on T.V. We discussed baseball and other current events for about a half an hour before I left. Mr. Hooker invited me back again; yet, I have not mustered the courage to re-visit him. We never touched on the great contribution he has made to the Blues, Rock n' Roll, or music in general. However, the very modest bluesman left me with the belief and impression that the Blues are about everyday people, sharing everyday experiences.

His recent recordings are mostly collaborations (I.E. "Mr. Lucky", "The Healer", and "Don't Look Back"), but they are what helped sparked my interest in the Blues. I think one of the most positive undertones to his albums is his ability to record with various artists and spark my interest with him as well as their efforts. For the novice fan such as myself, check out "Mr. Lucky" (my personal favorite 5 stars), also "The Healer" and "Don't Look Back" are the next to add to the collection. The more you listen to this man's stuff like albums that I feel demonstrate some of his roots: "King of the Boogie", "Blues Legend", and "The Collection" heighten one's awareness to the roots of all modern music. Listen to each album a few times and ENJOY!!!! ;)

P.S. I give this C.D. only a 3.5, definitely worth buying, but "Mr.Lucky" and the "Healer" are in a class all by themselves....

Chill Out
This is a very good album from one of the greatest men in all of music history, John Lee Hooker. This album has a mellow mood to it that makes it perfect to listen too when you want to Chill Out. The title track, is a collaboration with Carlos Santana, a long-time fan of JLH. That song is a classic and was the reason I bought the album in the first place. Other stand out songs here are KIDDIO, ANNIE MAE, TOO YOUNG, ONE BOURBON ONE SCOTCH ONE BEER, and MEDLEY: SERVES ME RIGHT TO SUFFER/SYNDICATOR. Many songs here are updated classics that will sound fresh to new fans. I think that some of the songs on this album where it is JLH and his guitar are without a doubt, the songs that we are able to see how great his talent really voice. He had that perfect voice for his storytelling type of blues music that kept the listener hooked.

Take Your Shoes off and Sit a Spell
Though true JLH fans probably have found some of his earlier CDs to be a better reflection of his talents, this is a fun blues CD for those who are just getting into Blues. After just a few plays, you'll be humming "Kiddio" as if you've known it for years. Hooker's rendition of "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" is more likely to get you doing "air-band" than George Thorogood's version. Finally, the title cut ("Chill Out") is a great piece that should have received substantially greater attention. Much of the CD is just Hooker's voice, a guitar and a tapping shoe, with an occassional piano thrown in, but a few cuts have a bit more. Don't let that scare you... this is a good buy.

Get the early stuff!
There's nice stuff here, but most of these songs are retreads of numbers he's done much better on superior albums much earlier in his career. DO NOT MAKE ANY HOOKER RELEASED AFTER 1980 YOUR FIRST PURCHASE (or second, or third, or fourth, or fifth, or..) Earlier Hooker is much, much better. Trust me. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

soulfull experience
Hooker is at his best on this soulfull inspiring track that seems to dig deep in the soul successfully bringing out emotion and feelings that are not a daily experience. A must for blues loving individuals and a definate first try for non-blues loving people. Guaranteed to warm up any cold evening. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This is what a great record is about!
Kimbrough is tremendous pioneer in the North Mississippi sound and also a veteran bluesman up until his death in the late 90's. Do The Rump is a great record that captures the raw and drone feel of his music. This album is addictive (You listen to it once and you will be humming the songs), all the cuts are purely original (Most were written by Junior). They are I believe a shift to a more primal feel to the blues, one which hasn't been around for quite a long time. This record is a milestone in blues music, and deserves to be in your CD collection........BUY IT! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Few blues artists covered as much territory as did Muddy Waters, and it's more than evident if you put this collection and The Complete Plantation Recordings side by side. Even more than the prior His Best collection, these recordings illustrate Waters's talent not only as a composer and performer (as usual, many of the songs were written by Willie Dixon), but also as a bandleader. The backing musicians--including several who were by now name artists in their own right, such as James Cotton, Buddy Guy, Earl Hooker, Little Walter, and A.C. Reed--are tight as a drum and smooth as a greased axle. This essential collection contains several classics, including but not limited to "Got My Mojo Working" (Waters's studio take on what has to be the most-covered blues song in existence), "She's Nineteen Years Old," "Good Morning, Little School Girl," "The Same Thing," "You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had," "You Shook Me," and "You Need Love" (which will sound oddly familiar to Led Zeppelin fans). It rocks, it rolls, it shakes, it's quintessential Chicago blues. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (8)

You gotta have it!
If the first part of this series gives you the transition from delta slide acoustic to electric blues versions of the same thing, and some of the most graphic and personal recordings of the blues ever done, besides standards no cultured person can be without, this CD is a record of the birth and perfection of the electric blues band, and a classic version of that band with some of the greatest soloists of the blues working for Muddy. I don't play in blues bands. In fact, the most band music I play is in old timey string bands, but still this record speaks to me about the meaning of a tight band, the way great soloists can work with a great master, and the way a great creator created what we now call the Chicago Blues (which was actually the third or fourth wave of Chicago based blues).
Of course, like the previous CD in this series, the songs are so much fun, speak so much truth, and are such a strong part of the real culture, not just of the blues, but of the entire world, that you should have it. I think this series is all right to have, because with Muddy, you need to have it all, at least up to about 1962 or 1963 when he started making toooooooooooooooo many albums and making rip off albums for the "folk blues audience," although the album with that title is a superb one.
If you don't know, Muddy Waters is still one of the great artists of the 20th Century in any genre. You are loving somet hing precious about the world if you don't have his classic recordings.

Great overview of Muddy's late-50s-mid-60s material
A must-have companion volume to "His Best: 1947-1955", this CD brings together almost all of Muddy Waters' finest songs from 1956-64, including superb electric blues classics like "Forty Days And Forty Nights", "Got My Mojo Working", "The Same Thing", and the swinging, swaggering "I Love The Life I Live, I Live The Life I Love".

This is not a complete career retrospective, obviously, but if you don't want to invest in the elaborate three-disc "Chess Box", the two "His Best" CDs are a very fine alternative. The only "problem" is that the superbly well compiled double-disc "Anthology 1947-72" features 50 songs and costs a dollar or two less than this CD and "His Best: 1947-1955" put together, which makes it a slightly better purchase.

Not as good and gritty as 1947-55, but still excellent
By the late fifties, Muddy Waters was as rich and famous as an African-American performing a distinctly African-American form of music could be in the late fifties. The singer was now far removed from the rowdy environments, grueling day labor and lack of genuine opportunity that inspired most blues songs. Thus, this compilation, collecting Waters' best cuts from the late fifties and early sixties, is significantly less gritty than its companion piece, His Best 1947 to 1955. A loss of rawness and gutsy-ness, however, should not be confused with a loss of ability, passion and relevance (or at least not a complete loss of ability, passion and relevance). Waters is still the powerful vocalist, clever wordsmith and dynamite guitar player he was when he released "She Moves Me" and "Mannish Boy." Although it is not the unyielding succession of great material that is 1947 to 1955, 1956 to 1964 is home to more than a few undeniable blues classics, "You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had," "Forty Days and Forty Nights," "Rock Me," and "Got My Mojo Workin'" among them.

Two musical changes signify Waters' change in status. First of all, Waters relied less on touch-talking like that found in pervious hits such as "Rollin' Stone" and "Hoochie Coochie Man" and more on love and relationship-related lyrics. Such songs range from breezy and gentle ("Just to Be With You," "Rock Me") to fast and celebratory ("Close to You," "You Need Love") to cool and upbeat ("She's Into Something," "Diamonds at Your Feet") to painfully mournful ("You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had," "Forty Days and Forty Nights) but are always filled with passion and gusto and continually give the impression that Waters always gave 100%. Second of all, as the words are less intense, the music is given a greater chance to breathe. These tracks feature greater emphasis on instrumentation, which is absolutely no drawback, when instrumentation is supplied by the likes of James Cotton, Jimmy Rogers, Earl Hooker, Little Walter and Buddy Guy. The tracks on which this change is most pleasantly apparent include "All Aboard," featuring an unforgettable dual between harmonica players, Cotton and Little Walter; "Good Mourning Little School Girl" in which the backing band joins together in euphoric companionship and the astounding "Got My Mojo Workin'," in which every performer seems to be racing against another. For moments such as these, His Best 1956 to 1964, despite being a downgrade in roughness and consistentcy from His Best 1947 to 1955, is another important addition to any blues collection.

Prefer the Earlier Years
While Muddy Waters is always a quantum leap above most other blues men, I prefer the earlier compilation: "His Best 1947-1956". The song content is sometimes gimmicky here; I suspect he was thinking about his audience too much. There are even some songs I have to skip entirely.

Still a great CD to own for these songs: A fantastically swinging "All Aborad" with great harmonica playing again by Little Walter, "Forty Days & Forty Nights", a very serious "Rock Me" and my favorite - "You Shook Me".

Perhaps more than the earlier compilation, these songs show a range of structure that's wide and high.

Muddy was a full grown bluesman
When you want a best of from your favorite blues artist, there's no better place to go than Chess Records. And they don't dissappoint with this compilation of Muddy's best from the second half of his carrer. Muddy was often imitated but never duplicated. I first saw Muddy in the great documentary "The Last Waltz", when he joined The Band and Paul Butterfield on stage to do "Mannish Boy". When he sings the words "I'm a full grown Man and when I make love to a woman she can't resist", with that famous head shake of his, you just can't help but believe this man means what he says. Muddy Waters was, without a doubt, one of the greatest, most influential musicians of the 20th century. This is essential listening for any true blues lover. And if you don't like this album, you might get punished in the afterlife by having to listen to Yanni and Enya for eternity. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Untouchable modernist - preacher man
This is some of the most uncanny acoustic work ever heard and goes down with R.Johnson to the core of the blues and all music as a matter-o-fact. i even heard that doug martsch did a concept record based on Fred Mcdowell. or something like that. if this don't turn you into a hippie, i don't know what will -

You Gotta Move CD-304
If you know about Fred McDowell, this is a must have item. If you don't know about Fred McDowell, this is a must have item! What can you say about Mississippi Fred McDowell that could do his music justice? He was real and you can feel it when you hear him play his delta slide blues. 15 of the 19 tunes on this CD were recorded in 1964 and 1965, near Fred's home. The quality is unbelievable, considering the time and technology. Fred's wife, Annie McDowell supplies a killer vocal on "When I Lay My Burden Down." Two cuts were recorded at Eli Green's place, out in the woods near Holly Springs, Mississippi. Eli was a mentor of Fred and they jam together to create lively renditions of "Do My Baby Ever Think Of Me," and "Brooks Run Into The Ocean," which was written by Green. The final tune, a real trade mark of Fred and the title song, "You Gotta Move," was recorded by the Rolling Stones, shortly after they heard it. The energy is high throughout this 64:04 minutes of great slide blues. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Rough Hewn Melodies From The Heart
This is a man's CD. Rough lyrics, guitar and banjo playing. Rough, tough, and hardy. Listening to this CD is the closest thing I've heard to being back in the 1880s sitting around a campfire in the wilderness of the Dakotas or Wyoming or Montana. This isn't what you'd call "pretty" music, but it goes right to the heart. Both Lomax and McCurdy have distinctive styles. The first songs are sung by Lomax, who has kind of a wily, whiny, cheap whisky-drinking voice. His songs, "I'm Bound To Follow The Long Horn Cows", "Rambling Gambler", "Sam Bass" and "Billy Barlow" are great renditions. McCurdy has a bigger voice, almost boisterous, his inflections and sarcasms are masterful artistry. He shines on his opening number "When The Works All Done This Fall", "Longside of The Santa Fe Trail" and "Punchin' The Dough". They sound like real cowboys and cattlerivers. Great accompanying instruments: Guitar, Banjo and Harmonica.

I recommend it!
My parents had an LP with songs 1 - 12 on it, and I loved it then, and love it now. It's great to have those extra songs on it. This is real American folk music, with guts, heart, soul, and humor. My kids like me to sing them to sleep with songs from this CD, and I'm not even a good singer! ... Read more

Amazon.com

There is an upbeat style of blues that lightens life's darkest moments by its sheer joyfulness and exuberance. And then there is Otis Taylor's style of blues. On his fourth album, the multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter drags us once again into the seething underbelly of emotional gloom, wallowing in the sadness, hurt, and confrontation of the human condition. It's not pretty, but it's the territory that has been uniquely staked out by Taylor and his stripped-down, percussion-less backing duo of producer-bassist Kenny Passarelli and lead guitarist Eddie Turner. This riveting storytelling music springs from Delta, folk, slave, and prison songs, with many tracks boiled down to a single repeated chord. Mournful cello occasionally fleshes out the sound, but with Turner's slicing lead guitar and Taylor's dusky voice singing harrowing tales of lynching, rape, murder, death, lost love, and nasty letters, the intensity generated--even by the album's only cover, "Baby Please Don't Go"--is off the scale. Not for the squeamish, Taylor's chilling music provokes, angers, and unnerves the listener in ways that are just too powerful for most artists to muster. Otis Taylor's truth is found in the dark recesses and murky shadows. Explore it with caution. --Hal Horowitz ... Read more

Reviews (3)

difficult, grim, unpleasant
I guess I'm one of the shallow people who likes a little wisdom, a little commentary, or a little irony to dilute ugliness and misery. Taylor's an artist, clear-eyed and apparently sincere, but this is about as fun as a holocaust documentary. It has none of the release usually associated with blues (or honky-tonk country) and although admirable, it's anything but enjoyable. I can't think of a setting or situation which would make me want to pop this in the CD player. I'm going to put on some Nick Drake to cheer myself up.

the stuff that lasts
Today just about any tradition-based, secular African-American musician is routinely called a blues artist, as if blues were all there is to be said about black folk music. So call Otis Taylor a "bluesman" if you will, but if so, he is far from an ordinary one. He fuses old and new in a striking, even startling, manner, and with such assurance that one cannot help comparing it to Dylan's comparable achievement. Though Truth Is Not Fiction has its own, distinctive sound, it will bring to mind such masterpieces as Time Out of Mind and Love and Theft. Yes, on the evidence of this disc, one can speak of Dylan and Taylor in the same sentence.

Though thoroughly contemporary, the arrangements eerily bridge the 19th and 21st Centuries in roughly the way Dylan's recent work has done. Taylor's settings are sparer, however, and his narratives more straightforward. Taylor even manages to breathe new life into the one non-original, the hoary folk-blues "Baby, Please Don't Go" (Big Joe Williams's often-recorded rewrite of the old prison lament "Another Man Done Gone"), but it's his own material that places him among the most compelling American roots performers to come along in recent memory. Dylan would have been proud to write -- for but one example -- "Shakie's Gone," but even the master would be hard-pressed to pull it off half so well.

This is music from a deep well, indeed. If you're looking for the stuff that lasts, Otis Taylor certainly has it.

Astonishing
Otis Taylor goes deep when he's writing songs. He goes places that most of us would rather not. He exposes our uncertainty, our failings, our foolish pride, the violence that lives inside all of us. For every character urging equal rights, solidarity and brotherhood, there are two others who drink too much, lust after the wrong woman and die violently. You may shudder a bit but in the end, it's my hope that you'll find Otis' work as breathtaking as I do. There's simply nothing else like it on the market today. He is in a class all by himself. ... Read more