51 Phantom

North Mississippi Allstars

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 4, 2001)
• Original Release Date: October 9, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Tone Cool
• ASIN: B00005S8M1
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #62,131 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Without forsaking the bluesy base of their well-received debut, the North Mississippi Allstars soar creatively on this ambitious follow-up. Original material and a spiritual dimension distinguish the song selection, with highlights that range from the gospel call-and-response of "Ship" to the down-and-dirty "Mud," from the psychedelic squall of "Sugartown" to a harmony-laden revival of the Staple Singers' "Freedom Highway." Producer Jim Dickinson gives the music plenty of room to breathe, while his two sons--guitarist Luther and drummer Cody--refine their soul-satisfying interplay with bassist Chris Chew. As the trio continues to emphasize groove and feel over power virtuosity, their musical progression parallels that made early in their careers by the Rolling Stones, Allman Brothers, and ZZ Top--an indication that these young Allstars have just begun to stretch their wings. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very nice sophomore effort, December 10, 2001

By	Patrick Earley (Edmond, Oklahoma USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The bad news here is that this is not as good as their first album, which I consider a blues classic. The good news is there's no sophomore jinx here either. This is still a very nice album that I would knock half my cd's off the shelf to make room for. The Allstars had the privilege on their first album of working with all cover songs by blues legends such as R.L. Burnside and Mississippi Fred Mcdowell and making them their own. Those guys are nowhere to be found on this new one. It's all original material except for 2 very respectable covers of Junior Kimbrough's "Lord Have Mercy", and Pops Staples "Freedom Highway". The first half of this cd is more rock oriented. I like the opener " 51 Phantom" with it's hard charging slide guitar. And the outrageous "Sugartown". This is a good one. The rhythm section here sounds like a runaway freight train, with a slide guitar in the background imitating a train whistle. There's great production work here too, by their dad, legendary rock producer and session musician Jim Dickinson, who has produced such bands in the past as The Replacements and Big Star. Besides the slick production, there is also some very nice guitar work, courtesy of Luther Dickinson. Especially on the song "Lord Have Mercy", which has a nice Allman Brother like quality to it. Listening to 51 Phantom is almost like listening to 2 different albums though. The second half of this has a more gospely, delta blues sound to it. My favorites being the very gospel and upbeat "Ship". And the backporch sounding country blues of "Up Over Yonder". But they get back on the rock track on the final song here with "Mud", which is kind of a blues rap song if you can imagine. It's got a lot of distortion and kind of an infectious beat to it, but it's so different that I can't really decide if I like this one or not. At least you can't blame these guys for being stuck in the same old blues rock rut. They like to mix it up. And for the most part, they pulled it off nicely here.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars more fuzz, less Phish, January 13, 2002

By	Adrien Begrand (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) - See all my reviews

The North Mississippi Allstars are the most exciting young blues band around these days, as their great debut Shake Hands With Shorty attested. Combining the frenetic energy of Jon Spencer with influences like R.L. Burnside, the emphasis was more on energy than plain old technique. On 51 Phantom, the Allstars continue right where Shorty left off, with a few tweaks for the better.

51 Phantom consists of ten original songs, and one cover (Junior Kimbrough's 'Lord Have Mercy'), and the original tunes hold up very well. The production is also better, thanks to Jim Dickinson, father of guitarist Luther and drummer Cody. Compared to 51 Phantom's heavier, meatier, more distorted sound, Shake Hands With Shorty comes off as sounding rather stale. And gone are the extended solos that sounded as boring as anything Phish has done; here, there's more restraint, and Luther's playing sounds all the better for it, opting for soul over wankery like Johnny Lang. Cody Dickinson's percussion is at times brilliant, and he takes centre stage during the churning climax of 'Sugartown' with his amazing electric washboard playing. Bassist Chris Chew holds the fort perfectly, keeping the band tight, and piping in with vocals every so often.
Cane fife legend Otha Turner even makes an appearance on 'Circle In The Sky'.

Standouts? Nothing as attention grabbing as 'Shake 'Em On Down' was on their debut, but all the songs are very good, with no dull moments. The title track, 'Snakes In My Bushes', 'Sugartown', and 'Mud' showcase their new distorted sound, and sound terrific. More spiritual fare like 'Storm', 'Freedom Highway', and 'Leavin'' show there's soul underneath the grit, but never stoop to cheesy sentimentality. Simply stated, you can't go wrong with 51 Phantom, one of the most enjoyable albums of 2001.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One Step Forward, One Step Back, March 22, 2002

By	Brian D. Rubendall (Oakton, VA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I'll start off by stating that "51 Phantom" is not as strong as the North Mississppi All Stars' superb debut "Shake Hands With Shorty." And yet, that's not necessarily a bad thing. The debut featured all songs by classic blues artists, albiet most of them with the rock energy turned way up. On "51 Phantom" the band themselves wrote most of the songs, which is a necessary progression for any artist that hopes to be around over the long haul. They may not quite have the touch of there elders (yet!), but what they've produced here blows away any of their wimpy Matchbox 20 peers.

The best song is probably "Storm," a first rate southern rock number worthy of The Allman Brothers. "Snakes in My Bushes" shows that NMAS has a good sense of humor. "Freedom Highway" gets political without going over the top, and "Mud" is a scorching rock song that sounds like Metallica meets Molly Hatchett. Overall, "51 Phantom" is not as successful as NMAS's debut, but that doesn't mean its a failure either.