On Last Fair Deal, Rory Block again retraces her steps and emerges with a
collection of country blues material having it's origins in the Mississippi
heartland.
Block's confidence as a songwriter comes in spurts. On Fair Deal she pens a
good portion of cuts and tries her hand at acoustic slide more then ever.
She doesn't completely ignore her benefactors. Son Houses' "County Farm
Blues" is given a proper treatment. Robert Johnson's "Last Fair Deal Gone
Down" becomes a slide boogie reworked into a country blues stomp.
Blues isn't the only genre Rory stays in. Gospel and spiritual angels make
their presence felt in "Declare" "Cry Out Loud" and the old church
traditional "Amazing Grace." Rory doesn't sing "Amazing" as she finds
contentment in the joys of letting her guitar act as her voice.
Block's job of translating Robert Johnson's songs into her own chemistry is
always success without fail. "Traveling Riverside Blues" with Rory's slide
guitar recaptures the spirit of the old recording by Johnson.
What can be admired about Block is how she balances blues and gospel without
losing her footing. Sometimes even telling a sad story with slide backdrop
as shown in "Two Places at A Table." Recording in weird tunings has its
moments for Rory. Loose slide dabbling leads to a creation of "Awesome
Love." And when she focuses, "Old Friends" can be a reflection of old
Americana slipping away.
On her original songs, Rory can footstomp with the best of them. "Gone
Again" is street-corner Saturday night fish fry blues. "Sookie Sookie" is
thick as dust coming off plantation fields and a journey to an era of levee
camps and field hollers.
Rory Block is one of the few performers in today's blues circuit who can
take the works of Robert Johnson, Son House, Charlie Patton and others into
fresher realms but still maintaining the clarity and soul these gentlemen
sought in the first place.
Rory Block's website is www.roryblock.com
Telarc Records www.telarc.com
Buy this CD NOW:
Your purchase through the Amazon.com links at the end of each review, or by simply clicking on this banner (below) to order this or many other products from Amazon, helps to support this website as well as the featured blues artist.
"This review is copyright © 2004 by Gary Weeks, and Blues On Stage at: www.mnblues.com, all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited without permission."
Copyright reuse notice: If you would like to reprint or use this review please include the above copyright notice, contained within the quotation marks, PLUS this statement: "Used with permission." Then send an email to Ray at: mnblues@aol.com indicating how you are using the review or the website page address it will be appearing on. Thanks!
Your purchase through the Amazon.com links at the end of each review, or by simply clicking on this banner (below) to order this or many other products from Amazon, helps to support this website as well as the featured blues artist.
Click on this banner to get you new low percent credit card:
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! You can help support this blues website by making a contribution (click on the banner below for details).
Or mail a donation to: Ray Stiles % Blues On Stage, PO Box 582983, Mpls, MN 55458. Thanks!
Web Hosting & Design:
CLICK HERE for Web Design SPECIAL, get your own website for just $75.
The most affordable web hosting and design services available. Click Here
to find out how you can host your current site at Blues On Stage, or how I can help you design your own website!
If you would like your CD reviewed, please send TWO (2) copies, along with promotional material to:
Blues On Stage
PO Box 582983
Minneapolis, MN 55458-2983
E-mail Ray Stiles @ mnblues@aol.com with any questions.
We build websites