Untamed Sense of Control

Roscoe Holcomb | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 25, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Smithsonian Folkways
• ASIN: B00008BXHA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,741 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #49 in Music > World Music > North America > Appalachian
  • #73 in Music > Country > Classic Country > Old-Time Country

Editorial Reviews

No Depression Magazine, Jan/Feb '04 issue (#49)

Named by No Depression Magazine as one of the 20 Top Reissues of 2003!

Product Description

Bob Dylan stated, "Roscoe Holcomb has a certain untamed sense of control, which makes him one of the best." Eric Clapton called Holcomb "my favorite [country] musician." Holcomb's white-knuckle performances reflect a time before radio told musicians how to play, and these recordings make other music seem watered-down in comparison. His high, tense voice inspired the term "high lonesome sound." Self-accompanied on banjo, fiddle, guitar, or harmonica, these songs express the hard life he lived and the tradition in which he was raised. Includes his vintage 1961 "Man of Constant Sorrow."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The greatest exponent of American mountain music, July 21, 2003

By 

A music lover "in Alexandria" (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Untamed Sense of Control (Audio CD)

My wife gave an earlier Holcomb recording several years ago as a birthday gift. After listening to it once or twice (and reading the fascinating and impassioned liner notes), I set it aside as odd, strange, and most peculiar. Although Roscoe Holcomb is a fluid instrumentalist, his voice is so high and unusual that I did not see how his songs could bear repeated listening.

I was wrong, about as wrong as a body could be. A couple of years later, I picked up "High Lonesome Sound" again and listened to it with care. The peculiar and high-pitched voice grew on me, and I found the powerful and honest delivery moving in the most compelling way. I now think that Roscoe Holcomb stands on a par with Blind Willie Johnson (in his time an equally obscure and strange singer) as one of the greatest exponents of American-born and bred music.

Imagine my surprise when this new recording of Holcomb's was released. To my amazement, the leftovers that were not included in Holcomb's earlier ("High Lonesome Sound") album are at least as good. This is a wonderful and astonishing set of recordings. Lovers of American mountain music should be grateful that this legacy of Holcomb's great artistry has been preserved.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars O Brother Here Art Thou, April 14, 2003

By 

K. H. Orton (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Untamed Sense of Control (Audio CD)

A few years back, Smithsonian Folkways released ROSCOE HOLCOMB: HIGH LONESOME SOUND, complete with plugs from Dylan & Clapton to bolster sales. Yet, to the best of my "hillbility" the 9 minutes of keening at the end of the disk proved too much for my metropolitan ears. Call me a whimp or maybe I've been living in the city too long, but I found that record too much for common every day use. Regardless, I was floored by this guy. His voice haunted me in my sleep. Utterly unforgettable. It made the Stanely Bros. sound like top 40 & the crew behind O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU come across as posers. But like the previous release, this is Bluegrass in the raw. Hard-core. Only more listener friendly. Along with the Dock Boggs Reverent issue of COUNTRY BLUES & THE HARRY SMITH FOLK ANTHOLOGY I consider AN UNTAMED SENSE OF CONTROL an indespensible collection for those seeking further assistance in the world of Weird America.

Finally, here's a record that captures Holcomb's wild, unvarnished "high lonesome sound" without overwhelming the casually interested. In fact, the pain & spirituality laid down here is likely to make you seek out the aformentioned.

For starters, his acapella version of "Man Of Constant Sorrow" blows the Stanley Bros. away. The same goes for his startling original take on "Little Maggie". Hear them here & the Stanley's definative versions seem watered down by comparison. That's not to say they're bad, but when played by a man without a recording contract, they defy expectation. When Roscoe takes a knife to his guitar, you won't miss the lack of words. His harp playing is an intense as his singing on "Barbara Allen Blues". His fiddle playing on ROCK ISLAND PRISON is flawed but therein lies it's charm.

Often criticised for not doing more obscure numbers, Holcomb had a talent for a making the standards of his genre personal. He lived through these songs & the result is undeniable.

This is an invaluable collection. Complete rural satisfaction guaranteed(& no money back).

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great addition to "High Lonesome Sound", March 30, 2003

By 

ewomack "ewomack" (MN USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Untamed Sense of Control (Audio CD)

This is a great collection of songs and a great collection of recordings. The dates of the recordings range from the 1950s to the 1970s. Some are recorded on Holcomb's porch in Kentucky, and others live in music halls. Everything you've heard about Roscoe Holcomb is here, with the addition of some raw harmonica and fiddle playing. It is music undiluted by the music industry. The title of the CD (coined by Bob Dylan when talking about Holcomb) is very appropriate.

The CD booklet contains a wealth of information on Holcomb. There are great pictures (the cover is GREAT) and snippets of letters written by Holcomb. On the CD itself is a picture of Holcomb's outstrecthed hands. They look like you would expect them to look (he was basically a laborer, when he was able to find employment, for most of his life).

That said, if you're new to Roscoe Holcomb, this is probably not the disc to start with. "The High Lonesome Sound" (on the same label) has an overall stronger song selection (not to say this one doesn't, but it does pale sightly in comparison, key word being "slightly"). This disc is best if you've heard "High Lonesome Sound" and want more Roscoe Holcomb. In that this disc succeeds incredibly well.

For those of you who might buy the CD because it's heavily advertised as including Holcomb's version of "Man of Constant Sorrow" (the "hit" song from "O Brother, Where Art Thou?") don't buy it for that reason. Holcomb's version is a very raw a capella piece which is great but is not something you would dance to or play at a party. His version fits the song's lyrics far better than the popular movie version.

In short, this is a great companion disc to "High Lonesome Sound" for those of you who cannot get enough of the unpolished and happily unproduced sound of Roscoe Holcomb. I am happily among that crowd.