Customer Reviews

Delta Blues & Spirituals By Son House

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My first introduction to Son House came in a bar just before closing time. "John The Revelator" came on the stereo I stopped mid conversation. After the song was over I had to ask, "Who the hell was that?".

It was quite simply one of the most powerful recordings I've ever heard. Full of sound & fury and signifying everything. I was blown away and it didn't take me too long to track down the exact recording, DELTA BLUES AND SPRITUALS. Which alas is now out of print. Next to Robert Johnson's complete recordings, this is one of the best Blues records I've ever heard. I've since bought other recordings by this man, but none match the sheer power of this live 1970 recording. All the grit & gristle but none of the fat. And what a voice. The man just roars to his God.

On the monlogue sequences, you can tell he's had more than a few, but when he starts into "Levee Camp Moan" or his signature, "Death Letter Blues" it's like he's never touched the stuff.

Sure, things are a little rough along the edges but that's how it should be. And though his guitar playing may not be what it used to be, he more than makes up for any "clams" with the tenacity of his delivery.

The acapella spirtual selections are awe inspiring. Once he sets into "Grinnin' In Your Face" and "John The Revelator" there's no chance you'll walk away unmoved. Quite frankly, I think this is the best recordings you're likely to find under the name of Son House. Though out of print, it's well worth tracking down.

Here is Son House live in London in 1970 with Canned Heat's Alan Wilson playing harmonica on "Between Midnight and Day" and "I Want to Go Home on the Morning Train". Son gives a strong performance in spite of his age (he toured for just five more years) on songs such as Death Letter, and John The Revelator. Four blues and four spirituals. That tells me that he loved God as much as he loved the blues.

And I am still fascinated listening to the spoken parts of this when Son starts to preaching. Revealing as a documentary of what is behind his music - the inner struggle to understand the human heart. Here we catch a glimpse of the conscience of a man who tried to live a life of integrity, and faith. He tells it like it is.

There are more complete albums of Son House's material so this is not the one to start with. It is the one to complete your collection. Essential for anyone who wants to understand something of the roots of American music.

Son House is awesome, even in his final years. I also have 2 CD "Father of the Delta Blues". Check out the song "Yonder comes my Mother" on that one. It's my favourite gospel blues piece, along with Blind Willie Johnson's "Dark was the Night, Cold was the Ground..". And NO, Son House is not DRUNK - he had a stroke which left his speech somewhat slurred and his picking a little rough and blurry. My father has muscular dystrophy which affects his speech and movement and he used to get the same unfortunate remarks.

although son was starting to go downhill at this time, he really sounds great on this cd, especially the final track, "john the revelator".

This CD will give you a better understanding of the roots of the Blues. Son House is said to be one of the three kings of the Delta Blues. If you like your blues a little more contemporary, as do I, then you may be a little disappointed. I am glad to have this CD to round out my collection a little more however, it not one that I will listen too often.