Album Review
Anderson, Marisa – “Traditional & Public Domain Songs” – [Mississippi Records]
Thurston Hunger 5/5/2018 12-inch, Blues
No stranger to KFJC’s airwaves, Marisa Anderson
unites with Portland powerhouse Mississippi Records
to reissue her 2013 release of an homage not just
to the Traditional Songs of the title, but to the
guitar. It’s all instrumental, and all electric,
and weaves between reference and reverence. She
can pluck gentle and clean as on “Farther Along”
or tiptoe near the third wire that Junior Kimbrough
use to ride with “Pretty Polly.” Songs that are
pulled deep from the heartland, if not the heart
of this country appear : “May The Circle Be Unbroken”
and “Amazing Grace.” But Marisa’s domain extends
beyond natural and sonic borders, “Bella Ciao”
is indeed beautiful, and builds up a nice storm set
of chords. Dig the super reverb recoil on “Johnny
I Hardly Knew Ye.” A lot of the album has a solemn
and introspective vibe, often soothing but not without
a bout of bitterness. That being said, she concludes
with a downright jouncy “When the Roll Is Called Up
Yonder.†Perhaps that is the arc of the blues, to
struggle humbly and with grace, but carry a heavy
weight till we hit our run-out groove and the
needle rises with us to the skies.
-Thurston Hunger
you heard it 44 times on kfjc! most recently:
- 351 days ago, Mickey Slim played Just A Closer Walk with Thee
- 1013 days ago, Mickey Slim played Hard Times Come Again No More
- 1431 days ago, Dada Diogenes played The Battle Hymn of the Republic
- 1432 days ago, Cocktailsfor2 played Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning
- 1432 days ago, Dusty Rhodes played The Battle Hymn of the Republic
12345 S. El Monte Road Los Altos Hills, California 94022
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