Delbert McClinton: Acquired Taste
First off, if your mama names you Delbert, you are almost fated to be a country blues singer. And so it was with Mr. McClinton, who has been putting out albums since 1972. Like fellow 68-year-olds Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and Neil Diamond, Mr. McClinton has surfaced in the new millennium with renewed relevance. He may not be the top-selling sexagenarian or the most famous of his cohort, but McClinton showcases his energy and good humor on Acquired Taste. In fact, the faster the song on this album, the better. On the whole, Acquired Taste was quite a pleasant surprise.
Rating: * * * *
Blind Melon: For My Friends
It seemed odd that Blind Melon was back. After Shannon Hoon’s death in 1995, all that could reasonably be expected was a compilation album with a few unreleased live tracks. Then the band suddenly reformed with Travis Warren in place of the irreplaceable Mr. Hoon. Blind Melon maintains its free-wheeling psychedelic sound, and against all odds, Mr. Warren fits perfectly. He doesn’t howl and yowl like Hoon, but the result makes you forget the 12-year gap between studio albums for the band. They jam along in their rootsy blues way. It’s stuff to please their fans (and probably Hoon himself).
Rating: * * * *
Shemekia Copeland: Never Going Back
“Stand up and testify!” Ms. Copeland belts it out with soul. She has a strong gospel voice that sounds low and oppressed in “Circumstances” and like a punch in the face on “Dirty Water.” She moves easily from the quiet and simple (“Black Crow”) to the loud and spirited (“Sounds Like the Devil”). If you don’t care for the singing (and you may not after the repetitive, obnoxious “Limousine”), the band behind Copeland can stand alone. It’s a blues group with an old-time swagger and a mournful, sparse style. When Copeland gives them daylight, they take every inch of it.
Rating: * * * *
Dead Weather: Horehound
The Kills and the White Stripes seemed to have a lot in common, so a combination of Jack White and Alison Mosshart made sense in a Flintstones/Jetsons cartoon crossover type of way. No surprise then that Dead Weather sounds like a Kills/White Stripes combo album. You get the garage drum kit and monster blues guitar that come with those bands. As a bonus, you get Dean Fertita of the Queens of the Stone Age and Jack Lawrence of Mr. White’s other other band, The Raconteurs. The end result is experimental hard rock with the feel of a wild jam session.
Rating: * * * * *
Levon Helm: Electric Dirt
Levon Helm was the grizzled country-boy drummer for The Band. He has since emerged from Robbie Robertson’s shadow and earned a traditional folk Grammy for 2007’s Dirt Farmer. Electric Dirt is not too far removed from what I’d expect to hear in the hills and hollers of the Appalachians or Ozarks. When Mr. Helm sings, “Tennessee, Tennessee / There ain’t no place I’d rather be,” it seems about right. And so goes the album: back-woods crooning potentially from a ratty couch on a porch, hillbilly blues minus the jug band, and the sweet strains of poverty in a straw hat.
Rating: * * *
Deer Tick: Born on Flag Day
Country and grunge come together, and not necessarily beautifully. Deer Tick’s John McCauley has the voice of a buzz saw, which would be better if it were buried under the instruments. As things stand, it sticks out, distracting listeners from hearing some well-written songs. In fact, some of the folk-style arrangements could be improved with more aggressive playing to match Mr. McCauley’s voice. For that matter, some of the country-style arrangements would improve in a folk form. In any case, Deer Tick is worth listening to and is a good jumping off point for rock fans who generally eschew country.
Rating: * * * *
Davy Knowles & Back Door Slam: Coming Up for Air
Davy Knowles is a British blues rocker with a big, boisterous, gritty voice. Coming Up for Air exudes a loud 70s rock sound, somewhere in the neighborhood of Credence Clearwater Revival, but with more glam, and lyrics that are easier to discern. He packs the songs with electric guitar solos and churns out repetitive choruses. Peter Frampton produced the album, played some instruments, and did some co-writing. If you like this type of Brit-meets-swamp music, you’ll probably really enjoy the album. In many ways, I’d compare it to Derek Trucks—a good example of something well done in the genre.
Rating: * * * *
