Customer Reviews

Lead Me On [15 Year Anniversary Edition]

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I read a review of KJP's "Slingshot Professionals" recently that referred to his early work on "Lead Me On" as that of a "blues imitator". I've also seen more than a few reviews that talk about how successfully he channels the old-time country blues masters on this work.

Honestly, I don't understand that. There are some traditional blues numbers on here, and all the songs owe an obvious debt to the form, but the thing that makes Kelly Joe so great is that everything, _everything_ he plays sounds like his own, and like no one else in the world could even try it. He's not necessarily better than other lap-style slide performers of traditional blues (although frequently, he really _is_ better); but there's really no one else like him.

So who will like this recording? Well if you've enjoyed his other work, you. Country blues purists may actually be put off by his style at first, but I think it'll grow on you in a hurry. For what it's worth, I have a friend whose favorite bands are Tool and Primus (although he's also a fan of Bela Fleck), and even he liked this one. For what it's worth, I like Tool and Primus, too, although I'm pretty omnivorous, musically.

Now more general comments. First of all, the sound quality on this CD is possibly the best recording of an acoustic guitar I've ever heard: the sound just shimmers. Second, is the singing. Kelly Joe Phelps has a voice like good scotch -- beautiful tone, expressive dynamic range and rough in all the right places, without sounding the least bit phony.

And then there's the guitar playing. It's hard to know what to say about this except that technically, Phelps probably doesn't have any peers in this genre. But it's not even the technique, which is stunning, but his taste: in 70+ minutes of music, there isn't so much as a single note out of place.

And that's pretty much where I get off from the useful dispassionate reviewer ride and begin to gush. "Lead Me On" is by far my favorite of Phelps' recordings (and I have and love them all), and one of my favorites in my 1000+ CD collection. There is not even a weak moment on the disk, let alone a weak song. There are standouts, of course: "I've Been Converted" gets me stomping along with KJP's feet every time, and "Marking Stone Blues" just plain kicks ass. But every single track is wonderful.

This is as close to a perfect album as any I know.

Kelly Joe Phelp's first offering is his most simple and most formulaic...but this is not a criticism! In 'Lead Me On', KJP plays lap-style blues with frightening soul and precision, consistently hitting a husky, mournful mid-range with his vocals as he evokes memories of distant tragedies, solitude, aimlessness, fatigue and loss. Okay - not the most optimistic outlook, but the music resounds with such profound nostalgia and lonely beauty that one can't help but drown in it, occasionally glimpsing one's own reflection amidst Kelly Joe's laments. It is interesting to see that his words will often merge and blend with each other, so that he sings much of the albumn vocalising feelings and moods as opposed to words. Kelly Joe strums up a lonely place caught between the memories of the past and the morbid certainty of the future. As with every good tragedy, this place is felt so acutely and portrayed with such empathy, that one can't help but join him in there, where the pain is addictive because it is also our own... Formulaic, yes - Kelly Joe bangs out every track on the same guitar with the same voice in the same mood with the similar patterns and progressions employed every time. But when you're dealing with a formula this powerful, I think it would be worse to risk changing it. For anyone who can see beyond the gloss - an essential.

This is one of the most profound blues experiences possible. One smoky voiced man playing a fretless slide six string on his lap, stomping on a box . . . beautiful -- ready to go to God.

If you like any other Kelly Joe Phelps recordings, you'll love this. Think of Lead Me On as stripped down, raw and beautiful. As always his playing is amazing , setting the style for his success. Don't forget his voice like sandpaper and honey. I would recomend this for anyone who likes the blues.

This is an amazing album. It's been on heavy rotation since I got it 2 weeks ago. I typically like singer/songwriters such as Elliott Smith, Jeff Tweedy,Son Volt, Ryan Adams, etc...and shied away from Kelly Joe Phelps because I thought he was a "Blues" musician. Boy was I totally wrong.
A friend of mine turned me on to the Burnside Records "lead Me On" 15 year edition and I was floored from the first song to the last. The sound quality of the recording is incredible, warm, open, natural and totally realistic.
That said, as great as the sound is, it pales in comparison to the songwriting. It is honest, soulful, gut wrenching, hopeful and real. The acoustic lap slide guitar is a cross between a pedal steel and an acoustic 6 string and its melody lines flow and intertwine with the vocals harmonies and melody.
On top of all that, Kelly Joe Phelps has a great voice and is a stellar songwriter. If this CD came out today and Kelly Joe Phelps was in his twenties it would be a huge indie/alternative country album. if you are a fan of great music, you MUST pick this CD up!

As a local blues DJ in Portland Or, I had the great pleasure to introduce this gentleman at our local Rose Festival in '94. The guy had no tape, no CD, no press package and was just starting to make an impact on the local coffee house circut of all things. But once introduced and onstage, you knew this voice and eclectic "lap" guitar player was on his way. That doesn't happen often. This CD was the result of very little time in those coffee houses. We all knew what we had here in the northwest. This is a must for your blues collection!

i rate this album up there with joni mitchells 'blue'. its one of those albums that just captures a moment in time when an artist seems to just eminate music from within. the acoustic guitar playing, the singing are completely flawless, the album is blues, but you wont find anyone that can play blues like this. he is completely in a league of his own. its an engaging album, you can be lost in the guitar playing or lost in the songs, so many people have heard this album and have asked 'who is that guy'.

Kelly Joe Phelps, the blues guitarist hailing from the Pacific Northwest, has been around for over a decade. This, his first recording, not only solidified him as one of the premier bluesmen, but it also remains some of his best work. Phelps is solo on this record, but you never sense any type of absence in his sound. He utilizes his slide guitar (and occasionally a percussive "stomp box") in a manner that is poignant, angry, sad, and tender all at the same time. A true master of his craft, Phelps' real gift is that he is able to make the silences in the songs meaningful, letting the previous notes drift and marinate in the air in the manner of the blues masters before him --Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Blind Lemon Jefferson, to name a few. All of their influences can be heard on this record, but Phelps maintains an undeniably unique tone and presence throughout. Every track is impressive, but a few particularly noteworthy cuts include the rolling "I've Been Converted," which seems to build a momentum for the entire rest of the album. "I'd Be a Rich Man" is upbeat while also being somber, an impressive feat in itself. And the title track shows some impressive slide work. Some of the songs are originals and some are covers of blues standards. But the record never sounds unoriginal, and it leaves you aching for more.

Recently I had the great good fortune to sit 15 feet away from Kelly Joe Phelps at the Newport Folk Festival, listening to his incredible guitar riffs and unique Mississippi blues style. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. After listening to his set I ran, not walked, to the record tent to buy this Album. He's something else!

heard KJP first on pandora radio on my delta blues channel. very memorable dreamy vocals and deft guitar playing so I bought this CD and very happy with it. looking forward to a live performance somewhere down the road.