Few storytellers get as in your face as blues master Otis Taylor. He pull no punches,either in lyrics, voice or musical accompaniment. It’s easily to get depressed after taking in one of his albums, as his songs are almost always tales of woe, but he is just too sincere in his message to ignor.
This album has 11 songs that gives reflections on being black in America, and the accompaniment by Ron Miles/ct, Larry Thompson/dr, Todd Edmunds/b, Brandon Niederauer, Anne Harris/vio and Jerry Douglas/g mix and match the various moods. Yu get deep folk hollars on “banjo Bam Bam” while Chicago Blues from the South Side have Jerry Douglas adding to a heart wrenching “Jump To Mexico.” Electric and earthy strings hint of John Lee Hooker on the plodding “Tripping on This” while Taylor defiantly growls out “D to E Blues.” With hard rock accompaniment, Taylor almost whispers on “Hands on Your Stomach” while the riveting Spartan guitar doesn’t let go on ”Walk on Water.” Like an Old Testament prophet, Taylor delivers with conviction, and its hard to argue with a man with a vision.