The blues come in many shades, and here are three rich palates that rivals’ Picasso’s Blue Period…
You’re not going to get more basic than this hour+ long concert by the legendary Mississippi John Hurt. Sitting, singing and picking along , he tells folksy stories with his homespun voice coming across like a Cumberland Gap minstrel on pieces like “My Creole Belle” and “Frankie and Albert.” His guitar picking is a mix of county ragtime and down home tradition as on the back porch “Lonesome Blues” and “Rich Woman Blues,” while his fingers work like a calliope on “Salty Dog” and “Make Me a Pallet On Your Floor.” He gets churchy on “The Angels Laid Him Away” and sounds convincingly world weary during “Here I Am , Oh Lord, Send Me,” making the blues as unpretentious as they are universal.
The rock and rootsy band The Nighthawks have been around since the early 70s, and sound better than ever. The team of Mark Wenner/harp, Paul Bell/g, Johnny Castle/g and Mark Stutso/dr share in the gritty vocals and mix up originals like the boogie-ing “Another Day” and the funky “VooDoo Doll” with vintage covers. Wenner’s harmonica snarls on the swinging “ That’s All You Gotta Do” and wails on the shuffling “When I Go Away” while Bell’s guitar takes you to the Delta on “Let’s Burn Down the Cornfield” and gets chunky on “Isn’t That So.” The 60’s classic “Dirty Water” snarls with delight, and the rhythm team snaps bends and snaps like Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde. Timeless!
Ray Wyle Hubbard sounds like an Old Testament street preacher on this album that covers sin, God, salvation and the devil. He plays guitar while growling like the Prophet Isaiah along with a team that includes Kyle Schneider/dr-perc, Lucas Hubbard/g and a few guests. He stomps through stories from Genesis on “God Looked Around” and tells harrowing stories as on “Dead Thumb King” and the swampy “Open G.” The title track has him with vocals guests Eric Church & Lucinda Williams sounding resigned during the story as guitars and mandolins strum along in judgment, while a whiplike groove accompanies “Prayer” and he stomps on pulpit during “The Rebellious Sons.” He ends the album by looking for respite on “In Times Of Cold,” making you hope this weary pilgrim finds God’s grace, salvation and mercy more than his justice.