Customer Reviews

Electric Blue Watermelon

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's tough to give the blues a modern twist without destroying its soul, but with Electric Blue Watermelon, the North Mississippi Allstars have cracked the code. With one foot firmly planted in his native Mississippi hill country and the other in the world of amped-up, psychedelic rock, guitarist Luther Dickinson plays slide with the subtlety of Fred McDowell and fire of Duane Allman. Backed by his brother Cody on drums and bassist Chris Chew, Dickinson moves easily between rattling resonator and squalling electric tones, channeling jam-band attitude through primal Bo Diddley beats and juke-joint riffs. Produced by Memphis legend Jim Dickinson -- the brothers' dad -- the album has an unvarnished sound that's old-school, yet not self-consciously retro. Guest appearances by Lucinda Williams, pedal steeler Robert Randolph, and Dirty Dozen Brass Band add variety to the swampy mix of classics ("Deep Blue Sea" and "Mississippi Bollweevil") and band originals.

After getting 51 Phantom, I was convinced that the NMA could jam and play solid music, but they weren't demanding all of my attention and finding their way onto my iPod repeatedly. Mind you it was a great effort and I really liked the album, but it didn't have that extra something to make it really compelling. When I saw that Lucinda Williams contributed to this album, I decided to give it a go because she's an artist that really DOES compel me. Well, I'm very happy that I got this album, I've listened to it half a dozen more times than the new Rolling Stones album I bought at the same time. This album is fresh and hot, borrowing from the blues but looking forward and making exciting music. Rarely do I repeat play any song on a new album when I first get it because I want to learn most of the songs before I get too choosy, but with this album I find myself coming back to several songs over again 'cause I just have to hear that awesome beat/sound/guitar riff. These guys are really good and show great craftmanship on this album. If they keep it up, they may just become one of my favorite artists. As it is, this album is demanding a great amount of my attention. Definitely worth checking out, highly recommended.

Electric Blue Watermelon has something for everyone. Luther's slide guitar goes to new heights as does Cody's washboard. Of course, Chris Chew's mean bass gets even nastier. No cookie-cutter bubble-gum music here. Real musicians playing real delta blues. This CD is reminiscent of "Shake Hands with Shorty", but more mature in their delivery. Make yourself shake and shout . Buy this CD. Then go out and buy another for some Britney Spears' fan and introduce them to REAL music.

This cd arrived the day after I saw them live in a very small venue. They were a total joy to see live and this cd is the next best to live as far as I can tell. Just couldn't stop listening.

They so do ROCK, and with help from Robert Randolph, Lucinda Williams, Al Kapone, they have given NMA fans just exactly what we know can come from them. Buy it, and be happy!

After experimenting with their "Toad The Wet Sprocket" phase on some of their last album, the Allstars have come back to where they started--just the three core members, knocking out great Mississippi hill country blues. They're still more eclectic than they were in the beginning, but this album is more musically cohesive, not as much of a random hodge-podge as the Polaris album. Other artists that started out as blues artists need to take NMA's cue--you can't "branch out" so much that your music is of a completely different genre and expect your fans to follow you (except for maybe the teenybopper girls who think you're cute--but then again, maybe that's all that matters for some artists! :). People like certain kinds of music, period. It's obvious the No. Miss. Allstars haven't forgotten this point after all (I was wondering after hearing Polaris for the first time). I would have liked to see a few more harder-edged tunes as demonstrated on their first two albums, but they make up for that by honoring the hill country tradition on a good number of tracks this time around. Overall, great effort!

I've been a NMA fan since they started playing the Library in Oxford, MS (btw its right next to Proud Larrys where RL Burnside played too). And like you I expected NMA to stick with the hill country blues sound that got them where they are, but I shouldnt have. These guys have enough talent to branch out and still be true to the blues but break new ground. They tried to do that with Polaris but failed, but they nailed it this time. A song doesnt have to have a standard blues progression to be the blues. Blues is a state of mind and a feeling, and this CD has it! I look for great things from this band for years to come.

A healthy step beyond the first album. It preserves the rough edges and energy of the first, with its appreciation of traditional Delta blues, but now makes it clear that the raggedy energy that results is not for lack of skill. The band wraps this primal energy in a new, tougher, darker, tight wrapper where danger lurks almost everywhere. Adds a wobbly rapper. These are not nice white boys posing as the dark characters they sing about; they have harnessed the darkness from within to speak of a kind of gritty, masculine violence, contained as much by personal frustration as by the discipline of skill. Very powerful and convincing. I think of the Stones and find an authentic Southern white version. I think of Steve Earle and find players closer to west Tennessee than to east Tennessee. I think of the Allmans and find a new generation that lacks their pop fire in part because the All Stars are darker and closer to their roots than the post-Duane Allmans. I am simultaneously embarrassed to be so attracted to them and happy to find kids working hard to keep Delta music, especially for National steel guitar, alive in the bones rather than in a museum.

Despite the fact that no one ever finds it "helpful" to post a negative review, I could not hold back. This is a horrible album. I fell in love with NMA when they performed on Conan (so long ago) and I rushed out to buy "Shake Hands with Shorty." To this day it is still one of my favorite albums, played constantly. I haven't heard anything since, until I got this CD, and I've got to wonder if I'm even listening to the same band.

I should have known better, I suppose. The crowded cover artwork is a pretty good indication of what's to come--an eclectic mishmash that hits on no other levels than being an eclectic mishmash. The real charm of this band had been their authentic simplicity, and thanks to it, a dirty swamp sound that effused their tracks. Frankly, it was a good, honest sound, something seriously lacking in today's music scene. All the guests on this album serve to simply water down and dilute that sound to something devoid of heart, but easier to swallow, I suppose.

It starts off just fine with "Mississippi Boll Weevil," a stomping swamp song if there ever was one, but it's a misleading lead off track. "No Mo" has to be one of the worst listening experiences I've ever endured... and that was only the second track. I listened on in vain hopes that it would get better, and it doesn't. Yes, Lucinda Williams is here, but one track is not enough to save an album.

It's sad to say that NMA are more of a jam band than a blues band these days. If one wants to excuse these musical dalliances on Electric Blue Watermelon as experiments in genre expansion, so be it, but they'll have to be recognized as failed experiments.

What can i say NMA's ROCK if you don't already have any this one is a great one to start with... it won't be your last

I've seen north mississippi allstars live a few times the best being memphis in may 2005 during sunset on the missippi river. I got electric blue watermelon first, really loved it for a couple of times but then ran across 51 phantom later on. man that one is way more heavy down south blues, and had less of the silliar songs. ( didn't like hurry up sunrise, or stompin' my feet, or deep blue sea,) the rest were ok.

to wrap it up, move onto polaris or 51 phantom, or even shake hands with shorty, or polaris

rank 1) 51 Phantom 2)shake hands with shorty 3)Polaris 4) Electric Blue Watermelon