"The Girl From Chickasaw County" by BOBBIE GENTRY – 'Highlights' 46-Track 2CD Compilation Edited From The September 2018 UMC Eight-CD Box Set 'The Girl From Chickasaw County (The Complete Capitol Masters)'. Includes Stereo Tracks on Capitol Records from 1967 to 1972 with Guests Glen Campbell and The Fame Gang at Muscle Shoals Studios alongside Arranger Jimmie Haskell and Producers Kelly Gordon, Kelso Herston and Rick Hall (August 2022 UK UMC (Universal Music Catalogue) 2CD 'Highlights' Compilation with 2018 Simon Gibson and Andrew Batt Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

 

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BOTH SIDES NOW - FOLK & COUNTRY 

And Genres Thereabouts

Your Guide To Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters

For the 1960s and 1970s

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 ****

"...A Little Bit Of Perfume On My Salty Cheek..."

 

Compiler ANDREW BATT won the hearts of every BOBBIE GENTRY fan when after years of collating, creation and pantsuit locating - the 8CD vaults-trawl Box Set 'The Girl From Chickasaw County (The Complete Capitol Masters)' was issued worldwide in September 2018 on UMC (short for Universal Music Catalogue).

 

That mammoth offered a 10" x 10" Box Set with an 84-Page Hardback Book, a huge 76 Previously Unreleased and Remixed/Remastered Audio for nine albums in Stereo (eight released between 1967 to 1972 with one post compilation from 2014) and almost all of it sounding like it was recorded only last week for some Folk and Country Audiophile label. Penned by the Tallahassee Lassie with long flowing hair and a bedroom-promise voice - Grammy-nominated Acoustic Folk-Rock, Country-Folk, Country-Soul and its feminist acoustic gut-string guitar plucking had never sounded so sexy.

 

But all that Presentation excellence and Herculean effort did not come with a cheap-as-chips price tag. So I suppose it was inevitable that some form of truncated version would be culled from that Motherlode and here it is - a 'Highlights' 2CD best of the best with the same name 'The Girl From Chickasaw County' just minus 'The Complete...' adage. It's time therefore 'non-swamp people' to hop on board a greyhound bus and head down to the Mississippi Delta. Here are the intimate details...

 

UK released 5 August 2022 - "The Girl From Chickasaw County" by BOBBIE GENTRY on UMC (Universal Music Catalogue) 5395653 (Barcode 600753956533) is a 'Highlights' 46-Track 2CD Compilation Edited From The September 2018 Universal Music 8CD Box Set 'The Girl From Chickasaw County (The Complete Capitol Masters)' that plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (68:35 minutes):

1. Ode To Billie Joe

2. I Saw An Angel Die

3. Chickasaw County Child

4. Sunday Best (Alternate Take)

5. Hurry, Tuesday Child (Demo)

6. Niki Hokey / Barefootin' (Live at the BBC)

7. Mississippi Delta (Alternative Version)

8. The Seventh Son (Band Version)

9. Okolono River Bottom Band

10. Mornin' Glory

11. Jessye' Lisabeth

12. Refractions

13. Courtyard

14. Feelin' Good (Demo)

15. Sweete Peony (Alternate Version)

16. Casket Vignette *

17. Recollection *

18. Eleanor Rigby *

19. Sittin' Pretty

20. Hushabye Mountain *

21. The Conspiracy Of Homer Jones

22. Sunday Mornin' (Alternate Version)

23. Let It Be With Me – Duet with GLEN CAMPBELL

NOTES on CD1:

ALBUMS:

Tracks 1 to 3 from her debut album "Ode to Billie Joe", released 28 June 1967 in the USA on Capitol ST-2830 in Stereo

Tracks 9 to 13 from her second album "The Delta Sweete", released 5 February 1968 in the USA on Capitol ST-2842 in Stereo

Tracks 16 to 19 from her third album "Local Gentry", released 26 August 1968 in the USA on Capitol St-2964 in Stereo

Track 23 is from her fourth album "Bobbie Gentry And Glen Campbell", released 16 September 1968 on Capitol ST-2928 in Stereo

COMPILATIONS:

Track 6 from the VINYL LP compilation "Live At The BBC", released 21 April 2014 on UMC/Capitol 6717729

Tracks 4, 5, 7, 8, 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22 from the "The Girl From Chickasaw County (The Complete Capitol Masters)", an 8CD Box Set released 21 September 2018 on UMC (Universal Music Catalogue) 5383971

* Remixed for this release (Tracks 16, 17, 18 and 20)

 

CD2 (74:17 minutes):

1. Supper Time

2. God Bless The Child

3. This Girl's In Love With You

4. Touch 'Em With Love (Stereo Version)

5. Greyhound Goin' Somewhere

6. Seasons Come, Seasons Go (Demo)

7. Glory Hallelujah, How They'll Sing (Alternate Take)

8. Fancy

9. Find 'Em, Fool 'Em And Forget 'Em

10. He Made A Woman Out Of Me

11. Rainmaker

12. Circle 'Round The Sun

13. Apartment 21 (Stereo Version)

14. Billy The Kid (Live At The BBC)

15. Benjamin

16. But I Can't Get Back

17. Belinda (Acoustic Version)

18. Mean Stepmama Blues

19. Lookin' In

20. Smoke

21. Joanne

22. You And Me Together

23. The Girl From Cincinnati

NOTES on CD2:

 

ALBUMS:

Track 5 from her fifth studio album "Touch 'Em With Love", released 7 July 1969 in the USA on Capitol ST-155 in Stereo – Producer Kelso Herston

Tracks 8 to 11 from her sixth album "Fancy", released 6 April 1970 in the USA on Capitol ST-428 in Stereo – Produced by Bobbie Gentry and Rick Hall, Arrangements by Jimmie Haskell – featuring The Fame Gang at Muscle Shoals Studios. Released July 1970 in the UK with the same tracks but as "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" on Capitol ST 21609

Tracks 15, 16, 18 and 19 from her seventh (and last album for Capitol Records) "Patchwork", released 26 April 1971 in the USA on Capitol ST-494

Tracks 23 and 22 (note order) are the A&B-sides of an August 1972 US stand-alone 45-single on Capitol 3413 – its picture sleeve is in the booklet

COMPILATIONS:

Track 14 from the VINYL LP compilation "Live At The BBC", released 21 April 2014 on UMC/Capitol 6717729

Tracks 1 to 4, 6, 7, 12, 13, 17, 20 and 21 from the "The Girl From Chickasaw County (The Complete Capitol Masters)", an 8CD Box Set released 21 September 2018 on UMC (Universal Music Catalogue) 5383971

 

You get a card slipcase with a Gold Hype Sticker (mostly praising the 8CD box set from whence this 2CD Highlights set came from), a beautifully laid out 36-page booklet and the same ANDREW BATT and SIMON GIBSON Remasters from the 2018 Box Set. It cannot be overstated how good this set sounds – just gorgeous STEREO throughout – even on quiet demos like "Hurry, Tuesday Child" – it has clear and fulsome imaging. For sure the "Live At The BBC" stuff doesn't do much for me and a couple of the Alternate Takes sound a tad scrawny around the edges. But these occurrences are rare to say the least. However, I am docking a star for the truly dumb exclusion of the studio hit version of "Mississippi Delta" (a deeply popular BG track) that is presented here only as an Alternate Take. Although the AT version is good, it's not the same.

 

As you wade through CD1, you stumble on deep LP cuts like "Refractions" and "Courtyard" from her second LP "The Delta Sweete" - Bridget St. John/Lesley Duncan-sounding pretties in gorgeous audio (dig those orchestrations and doubled almost soulful vocals). "Courtyard" was used as the flipside to the magnificent "Fancy" 45-single from November 1969 in the USA (Capitol 2675) while over in Blighty they tapped the equally cool "Okolono River Bottom Band" as its B-side (October 1970 on Capitol CL 15660). Amazing discoveries include a truly lovely "Feelin' Good (Demo)" – itself followed by a far funkier alternate of "Sweete Peony". Compiler Batt does the smart thing with the "Local Gentry" LP that was too top-heavy with cheesy covers and instead he taps into the session outtakes for better songs. There's a lovely version of the Chitty Chittty Bang Bang ballad "Hushabye Mountain" which he right chooses and praises, but I'm not as nearly enamored with her far-too-fast take on The Beatles "Revolver" diamond "Eleanor Rigby" (how can you ruin a classic like this and yet to my ears she does). Batt also gives us her de-strung duet with Glen Campbell on their cover of the Everly Brothers classic "Let It Be Me" which again sees the song with more soul than radio schmooze. To CD2...

 

Even now in July 2023 - listening to a beautifully remastered Stereo cut of "Fancy" - about a white-trash girl being advised by her mum to make a break for it - it's so lyrically charged it's astonishing. Gentry even called it her feminist clarion call and hearing its cold-and-cruel words about mean men and their using ways – it is truly stunning stuff. That is in turn followed by the vicious sentiment in "Find 'Em, Fool 'Em, And Forget 'Em" – Daddy passing on more cold advice to his naïve daughter. The song had been done by Soul Boy George Jackson and in the hands of a male voice, it just sounded like another male egotistcal-struter. But given the role reversal (a woman singing it), Gentry suddenly sounds like she's going to chainsaw everything in her path - "Find 'Em, Fool 'Em, And Forget 'Em" is downright provocative and dangerous and Gentry sings it with such defiance that you can only admire the sheer ballsiness of it. 

 

Following that is another fabulous statement song "He Made A Woman Out Of Me" where Joey makes a woman out of BG but of course leaves her in his young buck's rear-view mirror. But again - unrepentant – Billie takes that character-shaping sting forward with her so that now, no sucker gets to peddle the same bull ever again. The Muscle Shoals Brass and Strings gives her cover version of Nilsson's "Rainmaker" an aural oomph (heat from the street). There is beautiful orchestration to the Traditional "Circle 'Round The Sun" – very Robert Kirby – her voice soaring as he hooks into the melody's beauty. Other lovelies on CD2 include a gorgeous and heartfelt acoustic ballad version of the Billie Holiday classic "God Bless The Child", a non saccharine take on the Bacharach/David gem "This Girl's In Love With You" and deep LP cuts like "Greyhound Goin' Somewhere" (towns name-checked) and a very clear Acoustic/Voice only Demo of "Seasons Come, Seasons Go".

 

In the end there are probably too many same-sounding songs here – that acoustic style she mastered at the outset and seemed to rigidly stick too. But given the strength of the material and those outtake discoveries allied with world-class audio – and you would have to say this twofer is a Goody Two Shoes – in with a bullet.

 

Get "...A Little Bit Of Perfume On My Salty Cheek..." in your life. And watch out for those roaches slithering across your high-heel shoes as they scurry past the rotten black-eyed peas discarded from a passing farmer's truck as you cross the Tallahassee Bridge looking for the ghost of Billie Joe McAlister and his crew of no-marks..

"The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues" by MUDDY WATERS – January 1966 and January 1967 US LPs on Chess Records featuring Little Walter, Junior Wells, Jimmy Rogers, James Cotton, Sunnyland Slim, Otis Spann, Willie Dixon, Walter Horton, Ernest "Big" Crawford, James "Pee Wee" Madison, S.P. Leary and more (June 2002 US MCA/Chess CD Compilation - Blues Classics: Remastered & Revisited Series featuring 2LPs onto 1CD – Erick Labson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

 

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****

"...You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had... "

 

I loved every release in this classy CD Reissue Series - most of which appeared across the years 2001 and 2002 on MCA/Chess in the States – their archival Blues Classics: Remastered & Revisited Series (see list below).

 

Hardly surprising then that the mighty McKinley Morganfield aka MUDDY WATERS was going to be in that list more than a few times. So, what you have here are two albums that appeared on Chess Records in the USA in January 1966 and January 1967 – both capitalizing on his fabulous "Folk Singer" LP of January 1964 that brought him a whole new audience of Sixties hipsters cottoning on to the Blues. Loads to discuss – to the details...

 

US released 12 March 2002 - "The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues" by MUDDY WATERS on MCA/Chess 088 112 822-2 (Barcode 008811282226) offers 2LPs from 1966 and 1967 Remastered onto 1CD and it plays out as follows (69:31 minutes):

 

1. Mannish Boy [Side 1] – May 1955 Recording

2. Screamin' And Cryin' – July 1949 Recording

3. Just To Be With You – June 1956 Recording

4. Walking Thru The Park – Late 1958 Recording

5. Walkin' Blues – February 1960 Recording

6. Canary Bird – July 1949 Recording

7. The Same Thing [Side 2] – April 1964 Recording

8. Gypsy Woman – 1947 Recording

9. Rollin' & Tumblin' Part One – February 1950 Recording

10. Forty Days And Forty Nights – February 1956 Recording

11. Little Geneva – July 1949 Recording

12. You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had

Tracks 1 to 12 are the album "The Real Folk Blues" – released January 1966 in the USA on Chess LP 1501. Guest Musicians include Little Walter on Harmonica (Track 1), Jimmy Rogers on Guitar (Tracks 1, 3 and 10), Walter Horton on Harmonica (Tracks 3 and 10), James Cotton on Harmonica (Track 4), Otis Spann on Piano (Tracks 3, 4, 7, 10 and 12), "Pee Wee" Madison on Guitar (Tracks 7 and 12), Willie Dixon on Bass (Tracks 1, 3, 7, 10 and 12), Ernest "Big" Crawford on Bass (Tracks 5, 6, 8, 9 and 11) and more

 

13. Sad Letter Blues [Side 1] – June 1950 Recording

14. You're Gonna Need My Help I Said – June 1950 Recording

15. Sittin' Here And Drinkin' (Whiskey Blues) – Fall 1948 Recording

16. Down South Blues – Fall 1948 Recording

17. Train Fare Home Blues – Fall 1948 Recording

18. Kind Hearted Woman – Fall 1948 Recording

19. Appealing Blues (Hello Little Girl) – June 1950 Recording

20. Early Morning Blues – June 1950 Recording

21. Too Young To Know – January 1951 Recording

22. She's Alright – December 1952 Recording

23. Landlady – December 1952 Recording

24. Honey Bee – January 1951 Recording

Tracks 13 to 24 are the album "More Real Folk Blues" – released January 1967 in the USA on Chess LP-1511. Guest Musicians include Little Walter on Harmonica and Ernest "Big" Crawford on Bass (Tracks 13, 14, 21 and 24), Little Walter on Harmonica and Jimmy Rogers on Guitar (Tracks 22 and 23), Ernest "Big" Crawford on Bass Only (Tracks 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20) and more.

 

The 12-page booklet reproduces the front and rear artwork of both LPs with their respective period liner notes; that is supplemented with new notes from PAUL WILLIAMS of Crawdaddy Magazine with Remastered Audio from one of Universal's Top Audio Engineers - ERICK LABSON (see List Below). While it's not genuinely substantial, it's a pretty booklet nonetheless and there's a colour photo of Morgan in full-flow on stage beneath the see-through CD tray at the rear with the 'Blues Classics: Remastered & Revisited' Logo on the inlay spine. To the music...

 

A quick scan of the tracks lists provided above and you will see that these January 1966 and 1967 American LPs had little to do with Sixties Blues – for the most part they were a mixed brew of late Forties and mid Fifties Chess oldies and sounded like it too. Across the first LP only two songs - "The Same Thing" and "You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had" hailed from the Sixties (both 1964) whilst the second album had none at all. As a result, the audio on the 1948 and 1950 tracks is crude to say the least and no amount of ERICK LABSON Remasters is going to bring them up to fidelity. Even the liner notes of the day alluded to this – claiming they were not flawless – but that the spirit was there.

 

Having acknowledged that, Labson does a great job anyway (he has remastered thousands of Chess tracks and has a long line of Remastering accolades). To counter all the originals, those two 1964 nuggets have astonishing audio – the kind of Blues thrill that is rare – fab full sound elicited by players like Otis Spann (Piano), James "Pee Wee" Madison (Guitar), Willie Dixon (Bass) and S.P. Leary (Drums) – sessioned Blues dudes who would play with Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac at the Chess Studios in 1969. On the second LP Little Walter gets to shine while Muddy Waters gets to attack that guitar – Ernest "Big" Crawford pumping up the bottom end with a Double Bass.

 

I actually prefer the second album – Muddy and Guitar and Voice with Harmonica accompaniment – moody and real indeed. A good entry in the series, but just don't go expecting audio miracles, but more authenticity...

 

The "Blues Classics: Remastered & Revisited" CD Series

A LIST in ARTIST ALPHABETICAL ORDER

1 and 2 Remastered SUHA GUR, 3 to 11 Remastered by ERICK LABSON

 

1. Bad News Is Coming - LUTHER ALLISON

Debut US Album from December 1972 on Gordy Records G 964L (no UK) - Featuring Ray Goodman and Paul White

April 2001 US CD Reissue on Universal/Motown 440 013 407-2 (Barcode 044001340727) with 4 Previously Unreleased Bonuses - SUHA GUR Remasters (56:10 minutes)

 

2. Luther's Blues - LUTHER ALLISON

Second US Album from July 1974 on Gordy G 967V1 (no UK) – featuring Bob Goodman and Gene Block

April 2001 US CD Reissue on Universal/Motown 440 013 409-2 (Barcode 044001340925) with 3 Previously Unreleased Bonuses – SUHA GUR Remaster (70:32 minutes)

 

3. Two Steps From The Blues - BOBBY BLAND

January 1961 USA 12-track LP on Duke DLP 74

February 2001 US CD Reissue on MCA/Duke-Peacock 088 112 516-2 (Barcode 008811251628) with 2 Bonus Tracks – ERICK LABSON Remaster

(35:12 minutes)

 

4. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - JOHN LEE HOOKER

October 1966 and September 1991 US LPs on Chess LP 1508 and MCA/Chess-9329

March 2001 US CD Reissue on MCA/Chess 088 112-821-2 (Barcode 008811282127) – ERICK LABSON Remasters (79:47 minutes)

 

5. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - HOWLIN' WOLF

January 1966 and January 1967 US LPs on Chess LP 1502 and Chess 1512

March 2002 US CD Reissue on Universal/MCA/Chess 088 122 820-2 (Barcode 008811282028) – ERICK LABSON Remaster (66:45 minutes)

 

6. Tell Mama: The Complete Muscle Shoals Sessions - ETTA JAMES

January 1968 US 12-Track LP on Cadet LPS 802 (Stereo and Mono)

May 2001 US CD Reissue on Universal/MCA/Chess 088 112 518-2 (Barcode 008811251826) – ERICK LABSON Remaster with 10 Bonus Tracks (57:11 minutes)

 

7. Live At San Quentin - B.B. KING

September 1990 US 13-Track LP on MCA Records MCA 6103

March 2001 US CD Reissue 13-Track CD Compilation on MCA America 088 412 517-2 (Barcode 008811251727) – ERICK LABSON Remasters (64:11 minutes)

 

8. At Newport 1960 - MUDDY WATERS

November 1960 US 9-Track LP on Chess LP 1449 with Tracks 10-13 being 4 Mono Studio Tracks from June 1960 as Bonuses

March 2001 US CD Reissue on MCA/Chess 088 112 515-2 (Barcode 008811251529) – ERICK LABSON Remaster (44:43 minutes)

 

9. Fathers & Sons - MUDDY WATERS & Friends

Tracks 1 to 10 of the CD (studio recordings) combined with 15 to 20 (live recordings) make up the "Fathers And Sons" double-album issued August 1969 on Chess LPS-127 in the USA and October 1969 on Chess CRL 4556 in the UK (both 2LP vinyl sets). Tracks 11, 12, 13 are previously unreleased - and 14 is previously unreleased in the USA and are Bonuses on this CD

October 2001 US CD Reissue on MCA/Chess 088 112 648-2 (Barcode 008811264826) – ERICK LANSON Remaster (77:38 minutes)

 

10. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - MUDDY WATERS

January 1966 and January 1967 US LPs on Chess LP-1501 and Chess LP-1511

March 2002 US CD Reissue (2LPs onto 1CD) on MCA/Chess 088 112 822-2 (Barcode 008811282226) – ERICK LABSON Remasters (69:31 minutes)

 

11. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON

January 1966 and January 1967 LPs on Chess LP 1503 and Chess LP 1509

May 2002 US CD Reissue (2LPs onto 1CD) on MCA/Chess 088 112 823-2 (Barcode 008811282325) – ERICK LABSON Remasters (65:26 minutes)

"Father Of The Delta Blues: The Complete 1965 Sessions" by SON HOUSE – Based on the October 1965 US Debut Album "Father Of Folk Blues" on Columbia Records in Mono and Stereo featuring Al Wilson later of Canned Heat Guesting on 2 Tracks (Only The Stereo Album Is Presented Here). Plus 12 Previously Unreleased Versions/Songs on CD2 from those April 1965 Sessions (June 1992 UK Columbia/Legacy Roots N' Blues Lawrence Cohn 2CD Compilation with David Mitson and Mark Wilder Digital Restoration and Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"MANNISH BOY" 

BLUES, VOCAL GROUPS, DOO WOP, ROOTS

RHYTHM 'n' BLUES and ROCK 'n' ROLL ON CD 

Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters 

Thousands of E-Pages

All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 

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 *****

"...Grabbed Up My Suitcase...Took Out Down The Road... "

 

This is one of those fab CD compilations put out by Columbia on their Roots N' Blues: Contemporary Blues Masters label imprint way back in the summer of 1992. But come the following 30-years, it kind of slinkyed-away unnoticed when I think it should have been quietly worshiped ever since.

 

Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi as Eddie James House, Jr. in March 1902 (hence the name, 'Son' House) - the innovative Blues Man passed in October 1988. SH is remembered as much for his voice as his sound - the National Steel Guitar with Bottleneck Slide – hard rhythmic picking – strings that must have felt like plucking shipyard lines - the kind of effortlessly cool Mississippi Delta dude with a playing technique and vibe that people like Johnny Winter, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Joe Bonamassa would have knelt down on one knee to praise.

 

By the time the October 1965 Columbia debut album "Father Of Folk Blues" came out - produced by the legendary visionary John Hammond (the Stereo Version of which is on CD1) - the Sixties Roots Blues boom had begun. Son House had not played since 1957 and only restarted in 1964 - not aware of "rediscovery" LPs like Hammond was championing. But Hammond knew there was more mileage in this Blues giant. When you listen to the Acapella "John The Revelator" on Side 1 – just Son House singing and clapping hands – it is clear that the years had made his gargles-gravel-for-breakfast voice a thing of Blues expressionist beauty. His growl-singing style came on like a slightly more mellow Howlin' Wolf - but with just as much emotive power when he sang lyrics about poor me standing here with the whistle of the train in my ears – my woman on board waving goodbye – it was and still is fantastic stuff. The Remastered quality of those bare and stripped sessions has also not gone unnoticed amidst VINYL aficionados either – reissues of the LP and its environs on 180-gram audiophile LPs abound. But back to 1992...

 

UK released June 1992 - "Father Of The Delta Blues: The Complete 1965 Sessions" by SON HOUSE on Columbia/Legacy Roots N' Blues Lawrence Cohn 2CD Compilation with David Mitson and Mark Wilder Digital Restoration and Remasters that plays out as follows:

 

CD1 "Father Of Folk Blues" (44:59 minutes):

1. Death Letter [Side 1]

2. Pearline

3. Louise McGhee

4. John The Revelator

5. Empire State Express

6. Preachin' Blues [Side 2]

7. Grinnin' In Your Face

8. Sundown

9. Levee Camp Moan

Tracks 1 to 9 are the debut album "Father Of Folk Blues" by The Legendary SON HOUSE – released October 1965 in the USA on Columbia CL 2417 (Mono) and Columbia CS 9217 (Stereo) – the STEREO MIX ONLY is here on this CD

NOTES:

All Tracks recorded 12 to 14 April 1965 in New York City

Produced JOHN HAMMOND and FRANK DRIGGS

SON HOUSE on Steel-Bodied National Guitar and Vocals

AL WILSON (later with Canned Heat) plays Guitar on Track 5 and Harmonica on Track 9; see also Tracks 2 and 9 on CD2

 

CD2 (52:43 minutes):

1. Death Letter – Previously Unissued Alternate Take (Take 2 with False Start, 5:53 minutes)

2. Levee Camp Moan – Previously Unissued Alternate Take (Remake Take 1, 4:52 minutes)

3. Grinnin' In Your Face – Previously Unissued Alternate Take (Take 1, 3:14 minutes)

4. John The Revelator – Previously Unissued Alternate Take (Take 2, 2:17 minutes)

5. Preachin' Blues – Previously Unissued Alternate Take (Take 3, 5:29 minutes)

6. President Kennedy – Previously Unissued (Take 1, 3:44 minutes)

7. A Down The Staff – Previously Unissued (Take 2, 3:42 minutes)

8. Motherless Children – Previously Unissued (Take 2, 4:30 minutes)

9. Yonder Comes My Mother – Previously Unissued (Take 1, 3:40 minutes, Al Wilson of Canned Heat on Second Guitar)

10. Shake It And Break It – Previously Unissued (Takes 2 and 3 False Starts, Take 4, 2:43 minutes)

11. Pony Blues – Previously Unissued (Remake Take 1, 5:24 minutes)

12. Downhearted Blues – Previously Unissued (Take 1, 7:08 minutes)

All songs by Son House - plays Steel-Bodied National Guitar on all except Tracks 3 and 4 which is Voice only; Al Wilson later of Canned Heat on Harmonica on Track 2 and Second Guitar on Track 9

 

The fat double jewel-case is now a thing of the past and that look 16-page booklet the same. The final pages of it are actually given over to other CD releases in the Roots N' Blues: Contemporary Blues Masters series like Bessie Smith and and Memphis Minnie – and not to Son House. However, you do get two pages of Session Credits – an article on the man taken from 'Saturday Review' by Lawrence Cohen dated 28 September 1968 (Cohen collated this reissue) – that is in turn followed by an essay called 'Remembering' from Cohen as he readied this reissue in 1992. It's a sort of before and after comparison. There are five black and white photos of Son House followed by the Reissue Credits. But the big news is the Audio – Digital restoration and Engineering by DAVID MITSON at Sony in L.A. with MARK WILDER at Sony Studios in New York. The clarity is kind of shocking at times – just him and that huge-sounding National Steel – it's a sweetheart listen – if not a little samey at times as you wade through CD2. 

 

You would have to say that the shorter nine-track album has the edge here – concise – clear – his singing and playing the stuff of Mississippi legend. Not that there isn't magic in the Unreleased. Four Alternate Takes on CD2 are followed by eight Previously Unissued songs – each with spoken Track Announcements and their Master Number from the engineer Frank Driggs (I have provided the Take numbers in the list above which is not provided in the booklet – playing times too because the booklet ones are inaccurate).

 

All of it is like peeking into a hidden recording history unseen for eons. There is dialogue at the beginning of "Death Letter" – the engineer giving us Take 2 with a False Start. And Son House tells us he wants to get religion and become a Baptist Preacher (or maybe a Deacon) so he won’t have to work – a fantastic Take 3 of "Preachin' Blues" with some very cool playing.

 

Although the intention is noble (hurt for the assassination of a US President who held a candle for people of colour and their societal miseries), the lyrics pressing and the melody prettier than most – you can hear why they left "President Kennedy" in the can – it just feels out of place. Son House does well to keep his guitar playing in synch with the singing through "Motherless Children" – his playing thrilling in its creaking and pinging accuracy. Even better is Al Wilson providing muscle to "Yonder Comes My Mother" by way of a second guitar accompaniment (you kind of wish they explored more of this). "Shake It And Break It" is terrible – false starts and a version that just does not work. "Pony Blues" is a different kettle of fish – five minutes of Primo Son House getting in the groove.

 

This is a cool reissue of genuine Sixties Mississippi Delta Acoustic Blues – cumbersome in presentation maybe – a tiny bit out-dated looking by today's standards perhaps – but its contents and audio ROCK. Eddie James House, Jr. - John The Revelator – nice one son...