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- Verified Buyer
If you have an unshakable affinity for Butterfeld's early material... 1965 thru early 70s material, you may not love this album. If you love Butterfield.... in all of his incarnations, moods, stylizing sprees, and occasional & unexplained variations ....you'll love this album! It is Paul Butterfield. He sings. It's not as gutteral as the early albums... or the later work with & w/out Rick Danko. But, he is still one of the best five voices to ever come from the boys singong blues! (And, You know those boys include two way-skinny white boys! ... Oh, Lord! Soooo Sorry, Ms. Tedeschi.) Paul Butterfield is one of the five best voices to come from the men and women that scream the blues. Please. Big Muddy called him the best voice singing the blues. And, Mr. Hooker (& and Mr. Waters!) said his harp playing was unsurpassed. My problem: Not nearly enough of that playing on the album. I could truly listen to the man play all day. Look. If you like Butters. Get it. You will not regret it. I'm a cheap, whining, aging, retired bartender whose dog has recently died! There is little I do not loathe at present! And, yet, I don't regret buying the album. Even the unexplained over art is growing on me. Perk: Great Bobby Charles song (cause..... there is no other kind?) on side 2....Nice. It is a particular cache of songs P.B. wrote or co-wrote. This is nice. I simply love traditional blues. To my rapidly aging & wholly southern mind... Robert Johnson may have been the new Messiah. I see My Mr. Muddy, (Sir!) John Lee, Mr. Elmore & the lovely Etta James, MISTERS King(!), Howlin" ('nough said?), Mr. Sonny Boy, Mr. Collins, Misters Dickson, Hopkins & Walker, Leon Russell, MISTERS Allman, Mister Trucks (HE IS the best blues guitarist,,, and, yea. I just broke my own heart.), (for unfaltering blues addicts, all musicians, all true hearts & women everywhere!) Susan Tedeschi, Sweet Stevie Ray, Carlos Santana, Ry Cooder....wait.... slow down...okay... AND Ray Charles.... I see them all at the table--- and Butters is on Robert Johnson's left hand (...ladies on the right!)! That's the next-life dinner table I want a seat at! Butters was at his best when he was praying at the old school altar. That's my opinion. Put it in your ear is Butterfield trying a little something different...again. Bottom line: It IS Butterfield. I do pull it out from time to time and listen. Not a least once a day, you know, like "...Pigboy..." or "Incense & Oils" (I do know. I do not care. That is what I call the first album. Blaaa!) Aw, Hell. It's damn sure worth the price I paid... And, it's on nice vinyl! Get the record.
