Saturday, 29 September 2018

Tony Joe White - Bad Mouthin'


Rating: 5/5

Review:
Classic blues, classic TJW

Apparently, according to the pre-release blurb, “Bad Mouthin' marks a notable shift in Tony Joe White's musical progression.” Well, perhaps. To me, though, it sounds like the rock-solid TJW we have come to know and love. He’s singing classic blues covers rather than his own material, but it’s unmistakeably TJW – which is just fine by me. The fabulous laid-back vocal delivery and that magical touch on the guitar are all there, plus some great acoustic work which goes perfectly with what he’s performing. There are some quite unusual takes on some of the songs here, too; Boom Boom, for example, sounds utterly different in tone from John Lee Hooker’s original or any cover I’ve ever heard, and it’s terrific, I think.

Put simply, if you like Tony Joe White or if you just like the blues, you’ll like this album – it’s a real master performing at the top of his game. Warmly recommended.

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