#459 : Bette Smith - The Good The Bad The Bette

 

2020 – Ruf Records

Release Date : Sep. 25, 2020

By Phillip Smith; Aug. 23, 2020

 

Three years have passed since Bette Smith released her debut album Jetliner.  The Good The Bad The Bette, her follow-up album, is an exquisite explosion of gritty, soulful, and funky music.  Recorded at Dial Back Sound in Water Valley, Mississippi, the record was produced by Matt Patton (Drive-By Truckers), and Bronson Tew.  With Patton on bass guitar, and Tew on drums, Smith enlists a small army of guitarists comprised of Luther Dickinson, Jimbo Mathus, Craig Pratt, Jody Nelson, Bronson Tew, Matt Patton, Curtis J. Brewer, and John Mcleod.   

A bodacious cover of Lonnie Sheilds’ “Fistful of Dollars” struts in with a glamourous, spaghetti-western disco fashion.  The rhythm is downright funky and sophisticatedly accompanied with strings and horns.  “Whistle Stop”, an original from Smith is extremely bluesy and soulful.  Based on a dream she had shortly before her mother passed, this is a song commemorating her last goodbye.  Featuring Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel Nut Zippers ), “I’m a Sinner” invokes the sounds of sixties surf rock and absolutely cooks.  Smith’s vocals are fearless and from the gut, reminiscent of power-house soul singers Aretha Franklin, and Sharon Jones.  Luther Dickinson makes a guest appearance to pour some sweet southern soul into “Signs and Wonders”, setting the stage for an uplifting cosmic spiritual.  Smith serves up a big bowl of Muscle Shoals-style southern rock, with a delightful cover of The Dexateens’ “Pine Belt Blues”.  The band is tight as hell, and Smith’s vocals are rich and superb.  More Muscle Shoals-inspired music follows with a fabulous cover of the late, great Eddie Hinton’s “Everybody Needs Love”, featuring Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers.     

The Good The Bad The Bette is beautiful and flawless.  Don’t let this record pass you by.

             

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://www.bettesmith.com/

#450 : James Mathus & His Knockdown Society - Stop and Let the Devil Ride

2020 – Big Legal Mess Records

 By Phillip Smith; June 20, 2020

Jimbo Mathus is one of those artists I have the highest of respect for.  There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind, that his presence in the world of music has made a humongous impact.  On June 5, his entire back catalog was made available on Bandcamp by Big Legal Mess Records.  One of those recordings in particular, is a previous unreleased album called Stop and Let the Devil Ride.  The record dates back to 2001 and was recorded in the period of time he was working with Buddy Guy.  In 2003, there were few copies of the album printed, but not very many, and this never appeared online for purchase.  Self-produced, the album features Mathus on guitar and vocals, Stu Cole on bass, and Nate Stalfa on drums.  Additional guitars provided Dave Spencer and Luther Dickinson, and Patrick “Playboy” Smith appears on keys. 

“Mean Old Line” is a welcoming ferocious rush of heavy electric blues.  Mathus keeps it nice and swampy while Stalfa keeps the beat intense.  His cover of J.J.Barmes’ “How Long” has a spectacular groovy rhythm and is performed with a raw unbridled approach.  The swirling sounds of keys from Smith, adds a warm intoxicating layer of sound to “Love I Miss Loving”.  Originally by Otis Rush, this one is remarkably resurrected by Mathus as an instrumental.  There’s an early Stones vibe on “Dope Sniffing Dog”.  Loaded with rocking guitar riffs, pounding keys, and a sing-a-long hook.  The song is indeed one of my favorites.  I also love the infectiousness of “Blues Jumped a Rabbit.  This blues-soaked delight puts a smile on my face with every listen.  Mathus masterfully delivers slow-cooked blues with a heart-broken abandonment on “Cheap Champagne”.  Staffa takes it to the next level with breakneck speed on title track, “Let the Devil Ride”.  Mathus rips it up with a searing delivery on slide guitar, and Cole absolute cooks on bass.  This one definitely gets the blood flowing.   

Stop and Let the Devil Ride is extraordinary listen.  I’m so glad Jimbo decided to make this material available.  It deserves to be heard.  

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : therealjimbomathus.com 

#378 : Music Maker Relief Foundation (Various Artists) - Blue Muse

2019 – Big Legal Mess Records

By Phillip Smith; March 2, 2019

The Music Maker Relief Foundation, whose mission is “to preserve the musical traditions of the South by directly supporting the musicians who make it, ensuring their voices will not be silenced by poverty and time”, is issuing a new book and CD package called Blue Muse to celebrate their twenty-fifth year.  According to their website, musicmaker.org, this organization, founded by Timothy and Denise Duffy, has helped with over 12,000 grants, and has supported 435 artists.  Blue Muse contains twenty-one tracks of southern blues and roots music from various artists.  It features recordings made from the nineties up to the present day, with tracks contributed by both Taj Mahal who beautifully performs “Spike Driver Blues” and Eric Clapton who joins with Timothy Duffy for a sweet instrumental cover of Willie Brown’s “Mississippi Blues”.

Eddie Tigner who played many years with the Ink Spots and was at one time the lead of Elmore James’ house band, tears it up on piano with his performance of “Route 66”. When Alabama Slim kicks off “I Got the Blues”, it puts a big smile on my face.  His hypnotic guitar stylings pull me deep into the song.  The soulful deep-cutting vocals of Robert Finley marvelously sing out on “Age Don’t Mean a Thing”.  With Jimbo Mathus on guitar and Al Gamble on keys, this is southern soul at its best.  Former Carolina Chocolate Drop co-founder Dom Flemons breaks out his harmonica and sings “Polly Put the Kettle On”.  Ben Hunter appears on fiddle and Guy Davis on guitar, making this traditional song also covered by the blues-great Sonny Boy Williamson, a delightful listen.  

One can feel the blues in the voice of the late great Piedmont Blues artist Algia Mae Hinton, who passed in February of 2018, as she delivers “Snap Your Fingers”.  Guitar Gabriel’s “Landlord Blues” oozes with authenticity.  ‘The Blues Doctor’ Drink Small from Columbia, South Carolina wonderfully sings and picks “Widow Woman”, a melancholy and reflective piece paying homage to those who have lost their husbands.   

This collection also contains “I am the Lightning” from one my recent favorites, Willie Farmer whose latest album, The Man From the Hill was reviewed on my blog last month. This is such cool song.   I was also happy to see Ironing Board Sam’s “Loose Diamonds” appear on this album too.  His CD, Super Spirit, which this track is from, was one of my memorable finds in 2018 while visiting one of my favorite stores on the planet, Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art in Clarksdale, Mississippi.   

Available by March 28^th, 2019 , Blue Muse is also paired with a powerful 152 page companion book titled Blue Muse: Timothy Duffy’s Southern Photographs, published in association with the New Orleans Museum of Art, and loaded with tintype photos taken by Duffy of musicians representing American roots music.  For more information or to purchase this set, visit musicmaker.org .        

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#376 : Willie Farmer - The Man From the Hill

2019 – Big Legal Mess Records

Release Date : March 1,2019

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 16, 2019

Willie Farmer, an auto mechanic from Duck Hill, Mississippi, who’s owned his own shop for over forty years, scores huge with his splendid new blues album, The Man From the Hill. Recorded at Delta Sonic Sound in Memphis, Farmer enlists top-tier talent to back him, like Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel Nut Zippers), Will Sexton, Mark Edgar Stuart, and Al Gamble ( St.Paul and the Broken Bones). 

I love that rolling rhythm embedded into Farmer’s songs.  On Junior Kimbrough’s “Feel So Bad”, which leads the album off, the riff is unavoidably hypnotic and alluring.  He also rolls out a hearty cover of “Shake It”, originally from Jessie Mae Hemphill.   “I am the Lightning”, is also heavily soaked in the North Mississippi hill country waters.  It just pulls me right on in.  This track in particular also appears on an upcoming release called Blue Muse, a various artist collection from the Music Maker Relief Foundation.  

An avid churchgoer who still plays every Friday, Farmer also represents the sweet sounds of old-school gospel music with The Sensational Nightengales’ “At the Meeting”.    Farmer has a special way of bringing the listener right into the songs he sings.  When he sings “Daddy Was Right”, it’s an absolute heart-breaker.

This is definitely an album to keep an eye out for.  I can’t get enough of it.

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#303 : Samantha Fish - Belle of the West

2017 – Ruf Records

Release Date : Nov. 03,  2017

By Phillip Smith; Nov 18, 2017

With Belle of the West, Samantha Fish continues to knock my socks off with her music.  Since 2011, this fierce guitar-slinging singer-songwriter from Kansas City has released five spectacular albums.  Belle of the West is the second one of 2017.  In March, Fish turned a lot of heads with the fabulous Chills and Fever album, which focused mainly on R&B deep cuts from the Sixties and Seventies.  Belle of the West, takes a more rootsy route, with Fish exploring the nooks and crannies of Americana.  Recorded at Zebra Ranch Studio in Independence, Mississippi, this album again reunites Fish with Luther Dickinson ( North Mississippi Allstars, South Memphis String Band) for his production expertise as well as guitar and mandolin prowess.  Also appearing on the album is Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel Nut Zippers, South Memphis String Band) on Fender Rhodes piano and harmonica, Lightnin’ Malcom on guitar/harmonica , Amy LaVere on upright bass, Lillie Mae on violin, Tikyra Jackson and Trina Raimy on drums, and Sharde Thomas on fife and drums.

Powered by a big bowlful of moxie, Samantha ushers the listener into “American Dream”.  The violin accompaniment is the cherry on top of this swirly drum and fife driven masterpiece. “Blood in the Water” cleverly follows right behind, slowly accumulating a tense and unsettling vibe with its lulling rhythm.  Fish’s exquisite vocals highlight “Cowtown”, a riveting country-fried toast to escaping the clutches of small-town living.  Loaded with gobs of twangy guitar and a rocking piano backer, this sticks its landing as one of my favorites.  “Daughters” is an especially captivating song.  It is fabulously written and filled with emotion.  

Title-track, “Belle of the West”, penned by Jimbo Mathus has a strong Willie Nelson air about it and is a nostalgic call-back to the golden era of country music’s story-telling songs.  I adore Samantha’s cover of the RL Burnside classic “Poor Black Mattie” too.  It’s an absolute pleasure to hear Dickinson record the song again.  It was one of my favorite cuts off the Shake Hands With Shorty album he recorded with the North Mississippi Allstars seventeen years ago.

      

Samantha Fish has once again brilliantly defied those who would pigeonhole her as one particular type of artist.  The well from which her talents are drawn runs incredibly deep.  As far as I’m concerned, this record, “Belle of the West” is destined to be an instant classic.

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Links to other PhillyCheeze Reviews featuring Samantha Fish  

PhillyCheeze Album Review : Samantha Fish - Chills & Fever

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/04/samantha-fish-chills-fever.html

PhillyCheeze Concert Review and Photos : Samantha Fish - Live @ Campbell Steele Gallery : 3/18/16

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2016/03/samantha-fish-live-campbell-steele.html

  

Mutants of the Monster: A Tribute to Black Oak Arkansas

Presented by Joecephus and The George Jonestown Massacre

2016 –  Saustex Records

By Phillip Smith; Aug. 27, 2016

Tribute albums may come and go, but Mutants of the Monster – A Tribute to Black Oak Arkansas is one special album not to be glossed over.   I’ve been anxiously awaiting this fabulous record for quite a while, and am pleased as punch to hear.  I’ve been soaking up its goodness for a week now, and grin like a possum for the duration of every listen.  Six years in the making, Mutants of the Monster started out as a labor of love of BOA by Joey Killingsworth (Jocephus & The George Jonestown Massacre). He recorded “Fever in My Mind” with the GJM and BOA’s Jim “Dandy” Mangrum on vocals. Shortly afterward, Killingsworth enlisted Shooter Jennings to record vocals for “Hot Rod”, another BOA track GJM had recorded.  Then Bob’s your uncle - and six years later we have Mutants of the Monster, a ferocious seventeen track album of Black Oak Arkansas covers, with a slew of terrific guest musicians and vocalists.

When I first heard “Hey Y’all” roll out at the top of the album with Nashville Pussy’s Blaine Cartwright and Ruyter Suys , chills shot up and down my spine, with the realization this is going to be one bodacious and serious salute to one of the best American bands that rolled out in the Seventies. Jimbo Mathus belts out a rollicking “Uncle Lijah” with Robby Turner (Sturgill Simpson) laying down a thick coating of lush steel guitar.  Shooter Jennings rips it up on “Hot Rod” with a downright amazing performance backed by a cool-as-hell performance by GJM’s drummer Daryl Stevens. I can’t help but fall prey to the groove of “Swimming in Quicksand”.  I love the blasts of sax from Nik Turner (Hawkwind) on this favorite which JD Pinkus from Butthole Surfers masters the vocals on.  Bill Davis (Dash Rip Rock) unleashes a racing punk performance on “Short Life Line” for a pure adrenalin rush.  With Jeff Clayton (AntiSeen) on the mic and Paul Leary (Butthole Surfers) wailing on guitar, “Lord Have Mercy On My Soul” sounds so damn good.  This is one of my favorite cuts.  For an unexpected treat, Jello Biafra from my favorite US punk band, The Dead Kennedys brings his unique vocal style to “Jim Dandy” while Ruyter Suys rocks out on guitar and backup vocals.  When Nine Pound Hammer tackles “Rock ‘N’ Roll”, my brain goes into Frank Zappa mode.  This one is very cool indeed.  Another sweet little treat for this outlaw fan is hearing Kyle Turley taking on “The Wild Bunch” with gusto and true grit.  In addition, this track also hosts Mickey Raphael on harmonica, adding to the cowboy imagery made famous by the spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone.

Other notable guests include BOA’s own Rickie Lee Reynolds and Jimmy Henderson, Eddie Spaghetti (Supersuckers), Brian Venable (Lucero), Greg Ginn (Black Flag), Whiskydick, CT (Rwake) Michael Denner (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond), and The Kentucky Bridgeburners).  Mutants of the Monster certainly captures the essence of Black Oak Arkansas, a pioneering band who pushed beyond the paradigms of rock and roll itself.  Kudos to Joey Killingsworth and his band, Joecephus and the George Jonestown Massacre for gathering up this wondrous troop of musicians, to shine the spotlight on one of the greatest bands there ever was.    

South Memphis String Band - Home Sweet Home : From The Archives #10

Memphis Int'l,  2010

By Phillip Smith; April 24, 2010

Home Sweet Home, the debut release by The South Memphis String Band pays serious homage to early twentieth century Mississippi delta string and jug bands.   Channeling the likes of Gus Cannon, Missisppi John Hurt, and The Memphis Jug Band , musicians Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars, Black Crowes), Alvin “Youngblood” Hart and Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel Nut Zippers) share the common experience of  being good friends, and having family connections and/or roots in the Memphis and North Mississippi area.   With an arsenal of instruments which include guitars, banjos, harmonicas, steel guitars, and mandolins, The South Memphis String Band helps the listener transgress to a slower and simpler time.

Sometimes, music can trigger the same feelings and emotions one experiences with ‘comfort foods’.  This album, I have realized,  has become one of my comfort foods.  Home Sweet Home is a melting pot, taking tried and true ingredients such as delta blues, gospel and folk music and slow simmering it into a Sunday family dinner.  I love the fact that The South Memphis String Band is consistent in style with each of its songs, yet allowing each to shine on its own accord. 

This is true.  Almost every morning, there is a song stuck in my head upon awakening.  Several times, that song has been “Deep Blue Sea”.  It‘s infectious.  Other cuts deserving mention are “Bootleggers Blues” and “Old Hen”.  Both are a little country-fried and dripping with authenticity.  Listening to the vocals dance around the banjo in “Old Hen”, just puts a big smile on my face.  I relished  “Worry Bout Your Own Backyard” as well, for its bluesy vocals and its wise lyrics, “Stop worrying about the whole world, and start worrying about your own backyard.”. 

 Home Sweet Home is a soulful experience and with each listen of  “Let Your Light Shine On Me”, I want to clap my hands and yell ‘Hallelujah!’

Rating =  4/5

Kent Burnside - My World is So Cold

Lucky 13 Recordings, 2013

By Phillip Smith; March 8, 2014

After touring and playing with Jimbo Mathus for over a year, Kent Burnside (Grandson of R.L. Burnside) has decided to take the next step, form his own band, and introduce his own brand of Blues music, served up trance-style.  Thank goodness he did.  His debut album, My World is So Cold, is quite good.  Joining front man singer/guitarist Burnside in the studio is guitarist J.J. Holiday, keyboardist Eddie “Cheneddie” Baytos, bassist Justin Valdivia, and David Gray Kimbrough on drums and percussion. 

A funky backing rhythm, along with Burnside’s raw vocals and slide guitar, make “Country Boy” a fun and interesting album opener. One of the more interesting selections is his cover of Willie Dixon’s “Spoonful”, first recorded by Howlin’ Wolf.  Burnside injects a bus load of soul into the song and does a tremendous job of tackling this one.  I love the way he sprinkles these little bluesy licks of psychedelia into the song, which sound like little globs of backwards masking.              

  

Burnside brings it down to a sad slow sway with title track, “My World is So Cold”, about being tossed aside by his woman, and the hurt that goes along with being alone.  When this one plays, I just want to close my eyes, and listen.  I love the way it slowly builds to a climax bringing all the musicians together in a beautifully constructed jam.  Another slow and emotional song is “I Miss You”, written for his grandpa. The first half of the song is performed acoustically with the only sounds coming from Burnside and his guitar. Later,  the rest of the band join in, bringing a touch of electricity with them.  While on the subject of his grandfather, Burnside, again pays homage, playing R.L’s song “Miss Maybelle”.  You can hear the family trademark sound coming through on this one. Burnside tears it up on the guitar, and Baytos hammers the ivories in this powerful cover.

         

Like Sly Stone with a case of the blues, Burnside delivers a fantastic performance on “Walkin’ Blues”, the final track on My World is So Cold.  I love the funky guitar riffs, and the infectious rhythm. This track may be my favorite, but making that call was tough, as I found all the songs to be outstanding.  I really do look forward to hearing more from Kent Burnside. 

Valerie June - Pushin’ Against a Stone

2013 - Concord Records
By Phillip Smith ; Oct. 19, 2013

I had never heard of Valerie June prior to her performance on The Late Show with David Letterman.  She performed “Workin’ Woman Blues”, her first cut off her new album Pushin’ Against a Stone.  She took the stage with her acoustic guitar strapped around her shoulder and started singing about how she had been working her whole life, and now is ready for a sugar daddy.  For those few minutes, as far as everything else was concerned, time had been frozen. I was so infatuated with her voice, and how it was a unique blend of soul and country.  The song was intoxicating.  It swept me off my feet so fast, I had to hit the internet, find her website, and order her album.  To make matters even sweeter, I found it was available on vinyl.

June is not just a pretty voice with a guitar.  She is quite talented in the writing department as well.  She wrote or co-wrote all the songs on the album, with one exception, “Trials Troubles and Tribulations”, a bluegrass gospel song by Estil C. Ball.  This stripped down acoustic song focuses on her lovely vocals, leaving the drums behind. 

Booker T. Jones (Booker T. and the MG’s) makes an appearance to play organ on “Somebody To Love” and “On My Way”.  The former, a real folky tune about needing somebody to love features Luca Kezdy on violin. The latter, another selection in the country/folk category, also features Kezdy on violin.  The rhythm reminds me a little bit of “Friend of the Devil” by the Grateful Dead.  

The album has a very cool ‘retro’ sound, as it swirls the sounds of Music City with that of Motown.  Title track “Pushin’ Against a Stone”, with its harmonized backing vocals brings to mind the music from Mary Wells.  And for a bonus, we get to hear the psychedelic guitar styling of guest guitarist, Jimbo Mathus, who also appears on four other tracks.  It’s no surprise then, he plays on my favorite tracks on the album, “Wanna Be On Your Mind”  This is another song that is so captivating, it almost puts me in a trance. 

Valarie June is such a talented new artist who has a refreshing new take on music, and I have no doubt we will see a lot more from her.  This album easily falls into my top five favorite releases of the year.