Customer Reviews

Texas Songster, Vol. 2 : You Got To Reap What You Sow

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This CD and its companion vol. 1 comprise one of the very best introductions to country blues. Mance's texas style country guitar is clear as a bell and a perfect complement to his voice. Mance described himself as a songster rather than a bluesman, because he played a variety of music. I bought and wore out the LPs of these two CD collections--after you listen to it to define country blues, then you study it to learn the subtlties of the deceptively simple work. "Bumble bee" is an interesting contrast to the Memphis Minnies cover of the "same" song. His "Titanic" stands head-and-shoulders above similar "folkie" attempts at the subject. Mance's monotonic bass line adds a kind of texture to his songs that can't be matched with the more familiar alternating bass. The CDs add several songs to the original. There were 5 LPs covering basicly the same material. This one you will come back to again and again and again. BUY IT(THEM).

There have always been many trends in blues, reflecting the different localities from which musicians have come. Let us face it, blues thrives best under such local nurturing. There are two Texas blues sounds- one, reflected in the Lightening Hopkins, electric citified blues sound and the other as presented here with Mance Lipscomb's country blues sound. That country sound is different from the Delta and North Carolina country sound in that the picking is flatter and the melodies more laid back. If you want the best example of the Texas country blues sound in its pristine presentation then Mance Lipscomb and this cd are for you. Stick-outs include Corrina, Corrina, Mance's Blues and Wonder Where My Easy Rider Is Gone.

Mance Lipscomb is one of my Heroes.A Master bluesman; whose repertoire included over 250 songs. One of Greatest Accoustic Bluesman who ever lived. This album showcases his broad repertoire of Blues,Rags,Spirituals,even Spanish music.This album is definitive Turn-of-the-Century Texas Country Blues ;Don't get much better than this!!!