Customer Reviews

Respect the Dead

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

 

 

Otis Taylor has given greater meaning to blues music than any other artist I've listened to. I have looked at the blues section of the music store, all that I could find was B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and even some artists from the United Kingdom who would play pop-culture music, only sung with bluesy black accents. Now that Otis Taylor has arrived I can drift back into a world of brightly lit shacks nesled deep in the swamps and woods at night on the outskirts of a southern town and hear the tales of the old dark skinned folks I knew as a boy that were told in song, acoustic instruments, and spirit. Being a black American who has lived in various places in the south of the states (...), I would not need no British artists telling me about blues music let alone my own culture. (No offense to them.) My personal favorites Ten Million Slaves, Hands on Your Stomach, Black Witch, and Seven Hours of Light refelect the southern world I lived and knew in Louisiana, Tennessee, and Mississippi.

Experiencing the aural whipping of'Respect The Dead'is rather like walking, with scant protection, into a howling rain. Taylor's voice has already been out there in the storm. Electric banjo and guitar drive home the point:the banjo plucked like fingers tripping over the ribcage of skeletons.This isn't subtle music. It's mantric beat and repetitive lyrics insist on what it is we should be taking with us.Deaths described are mostly caused by misadventure rather than heroics. This is one powerful disc and its tracks are hard to separate with respect to impact. Indeed, for greater effect, the songs may best be heard apart from each other as collectively they give the head a pelting.However,'Ten Million Slaves' is an awesome opener.'Shaker Woman', ' 3 Stripes On a Cadillac',and'Black Witch' have etched themselves upon my mind.

I am amazed that an artist can keep up this level of achievement over three discs. Otis Taylor is, without a doubt, one of the top 5 bluesmen recording today--and the most ambitious. His songs don't just tell a story, they evoke a world, one that is light years away from the world of the average middle-class blues-CD buyer. I cannot think of any other artist who evokes so many emotions, with the possible exception of Skip James. Taylor's lyrics, coupled with his enigmatic voice, heartfelt delivery & understated music, create a work of depth that is amazing. Buy this disc; if you hunger for more, you can't go wrong with any of his others, either.

I can't believe the negative remarks some listeners have about this fine collection of Taylor tunes. Those are comments from reviewers who HAVEN'T SEEN THE BAND LIVE!!

This cd has everything a true blues aficionado could want. Great storytelling, tales of woe and lament, spiritual and ethereal messages, and an unreal and searing guitar solo on just about every track provided by the amazing Eddie Turner.

Prepare to be blown away by songs like Ten Thousand Slaves, Black Witch and the others. Turner's incredible strat is so damn reminiscent of Hendrix, it's spooky. I was so moved that I requested Eddie's guitar pick after the show...just for proof that what I saw was definitely real. These guys are the ultimate boogie/rock blues band from beyond.

If you are a lover of the blues, but have a very narrow definition of what that means, then this record is not for you. On the other hand, if you have an open mind give it a try.

The haunting repetition allows me to get lost in the music. It conjures up images of long dirt roads, bayous, and the endless delta that boardered my childhood.

FINALLY GOT MY OWN COPY OF THIS MASTERPIECE , A FRIEND HAD IT & I COULDN'T FIND IT LOCALLY THANX. 10 MILLION SLAVES & THREE STRIPES ON A CADILLAC ARE MY FAVOURITES. CASSIES VOICE IS JUST GOURGOUS. GREAT ALBUM ALL OVER. GO OTIS

This is the straight country blues, beautifully arranged and very well performed. His voice will make you thinking about todays problems. A great for blues and country blues fans. I can compare Otis Taylor with other bluesmen, like Lonnie Johnson, John Hurt or Taj Mahal. I prefer "I Like Changing Rules" and "Just Live Yor Life".

This is the straight contemporary country blues, beautifully arranged and very well performed. His voice will make you thinking about todays problems. A great for blues and country blues fans.

As far as I'm concerned, Otis Taylor is critically acclaimed bull.... It seems on this CD, he plans on keeping the critics and Handy Awardsmen impressed with a set of pretentious, melodramatic, moody, and ambitious songs. You know an album is preachy when the title is a command. Also, the album artwork does not exactly endear me to Mr. Taylor. His uber-serious expression and his hidden face on the cover gives me the impression he thinks hes the most important person in the world. The album gets off to a great start, admittedly, with "Ten Million Slaves." A great sounding banjo piece, not to mention Otis Taylor's distinct voice, and even the fuzzy bass-like touches underneath all blend in well to create a compelling song that deals with the subject of slavery. Its for about the whole rest of the album that I lose touch with Mr. Taylor. The premeditated whisper vocals of "Black Witch" make me want to laugh. Why does he have to force his vocal style so much? Hearing it au natural in "Ten Million Slaves" was just fine. And its kaleidescopic feedback-like noise touches give the song a contrived, atmosphere-building feel. I could imagine this music as the mood-establishing piece on an episode of "Walker, Texas Ranger" when the bad guy walks on to the screen.
Than, the next piece, "Seven Hours of "Light," is a melodramatic acoustic piece that again, just doesn't sound natural and soulful. It sounds like a man who wants to remain his title of "...the critically acclaimed." I mean, even Charlie Patton had a sense of humor. This is a humorless miserable album that is designed to impress. Granted, an album that deals with oppression, slavery, racial politics, and the historical experience of African Americans in the US may not always be a joyride, but that doesn't stop me from hating this album. There are a few shining moments, but the general feel of this album is too premeditated and contrived to be worthwhile.

otis taylor has a great voice. too bad he has nothing to say. this is semi-political drivel wrapped in junior kimbrough-esque blues stylings. what are these reviewers thinking of? there's not a single sincere, personal sentiment on this entire record. the "blues community" will be the next "folk community" if this is the best theyve got. chuck it! get an old hound dog taylor record or find "the dyin crapshooter's blues" instead.