Friday, April 6, 2007

Nothin'! What's Wrong With YOU?!


Fat Possum Records has succeeded in bringing current blues musicians into the fold and making them accessible to modern-day music listeners. Although, some might say that they have strayed from pure country blues and sold the genre down the proverbial river, Matt Johnson makes a point when he states that there aren't enough blues purists in the world for the label to only release that type of album over and over again.

Robert Belfour is one of the many blues musicians who was surrounded by other great blues artists in Mississippi during his youth- beginning with his father's musings on the guitar, Othar Turner's fife playing, the gospel songs in church led by Syd Hemphill, and, of course, the juke joint gigs of Junior Kimbrough.

This LP was recorded while in his 60s but you'd never know it by listening to his voice. His vocals are still fairly smooth and his guitar picking strums with the musical maturity of one who has mastered his talent. For a higher quality digital recording, buy the CD on the Fat Possum Records label.

Admittedly, Fat Possum is beginning to branch out into what passes as the modern-day rock scene, but there is still a heavy blues influence in many of the albums that they release. The George Mitchell Collection that they are currently releasing in many volumes on 7-inch vinyl and on CD is a must for any serious blues music collector.

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