Alvin Youngblood Hart
Big Mama's Door
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Alvin Youngblood Hart's debut album was recorded raw and acoustic, on two tracks, which makes it an amazingly simple, and soulful, album. He covers artists from the 1920s and 1930s, such as as Charley Patton ("Pony Blues"), Huddie Ledbetter ("Gallows Pole", "When I Was a Cowboy") and Blind Willie McTell ("Hillbilly Willie's Blues"). He doesn't cover old material in a modern way ; he completely recreates the mood of Blues origins, with incredible talent and taste, bringing soul and emotion to his recording. Alvin Youngblood hart also sings six of his own original material, that could easily be mistaken for pre-war tunes. Hart only has little accompaniment throughout the 14 songs of the album, and plays several acoustic instruments : 6-string, 12-string, lap steel guitar, tenor guitar and banjo. Taj Mahal appears on three songs ("Things 'Bout Comin' my Way", "That Kate Adams Jive", "France Blues") giving Hart vocal and instrumental support (mandolin and guitar). Pianist Chris Siebert and upright bassist Bill MacBeath appear on "Things" and the cheerful old-time western instrumental "That Kate Adams Jive" tune. |
TRACKS
| 1. | Big Mama's Door (Hart) - 3:51 |
| 2. | Joe Friday (Hart) - 2:42 |
| 3. | Then Fair Weather Friends (Hart) - 5:08 |
| 4. | France Blues (Traditional) - 3:21 |
| 5. | Gallows Pole (Traditional) - 4:45 |
| 6. | Pony Blues (Patton) - 3:32 |
| 7. | Amazed 'n' Amused (Hart) - 2:15 |
| 8. | Things 'Bout Comin' My Way (Vinson) - 4:43 |
| 9. | When I Was a Cowboy (Western Plains) (Ledbetter/Lomax/Lomax) - 3:13 |
| 10. | Rest Your Saddle (Hart) - 2:41 |
| 11. | If Blues Was Money (Hart) - 3:38 |
| 12. | Hillbilly Willie's Blues (McTell) - 3:30 |
| 13. | Livin' in a Strain (Vinson) - 3:51 |
| 14. | That Kate Adams Jive (Hart) - 1:33 |
(Audio snippets in Windows Media format)