Various Artists, Bar Room Blues: A 12 Track Program (Telarc, 2004)
"If the river was whiskey, 'n' I was a divin' duck,
I would dive to the bottom, 'n' I would never come up."
-- "Divin' Duck Blues," Taj Mahal
Booze and the blues. They fit together like a hand in a glove. There are certain connections that just don't ever change. Much of the blues is concerned with a man staying away from the Devil. Whether it's a literal Devil, or that old demon rum... spirits run rampant through the blues. Telarc's new compilation CD Bar Room Blues presents a dozen gin-soaked 12-bar tunes drawn from Telarc's ever-expanding catalogue of contemporary blues artists.
The album explodes with Tommy Castro's powerful rendition of the Stones' classic "Rip This Joint." This was a highlight of Telarc's Blues take on the Rolling Stones' album Exile on Main Street, called Exile on Blues Street... and it's a highlight here too. Next Tab Benoit rocks out on "I Got Loaded." Both these songs feature a great rhythm section and lots of guitar from the stars. "Cold Grey Light of Dawn" follows, by Charlie Musslewhite, and as expected, presents Charlie's harmonica in front of shuffling guitars (played by Marty Stuart and G.E.Smith)... a more relaxed sound than the first two cuts.
Kenny Neal's "Whiskey Tears" is a slow groove, mellow vocals and stinging guitar; Doug Wainoris's cover of Willie Dixon's "If the Sea Was Whiskey" is played in a more traditional blues style, slow and steady. These bluesmen all have their weaknesses, but thematically, all they sing about is booze on Bar Room Blues. Whether they're drinking "Pure Grain Alcohol," until they're "Feelin' No Pain"; or they're singing about "My New Baby Owns a Liquor Store," or asking her to "Meet Me with Your Black Drawers On," sex and drink appear to be linked. Junior Wells, Troy Turner, Sam Lay, Bob Margolis, Tinsley Ellis and Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson each make an appearance declaiming one or the other, or both! The album concludes with a super-session take on Willie Nelson's "Night Life." Tab Benoit and Kenny Neal trade licks on this slow but sizzling rendition of the classic tune.
There's not really a bad track on this compilation disc. While I can't endorse the activities they're all singing about... I certainly do enjoy hearing their complaints. Take the 12 Track Program with a beer chaser!
