Nathan James & Ben Hernandez -
Make a Change Sometime

Nathan and Ben took over on this one, and did a great job. Some studio, but mostly done 'at home'. You're invited in to hear some real-deal country blues. Gene Taylor sits in on a couple, and Sara Watkins adds her fiddle on 'Please Baby'. About as 'natchel' as it gets.

1) Ger Right Church – Good grove opener for this solid CD
2) Everybody Make a Change Sometime – Funky Delta with a good slide
3) Hard Times Here – Groovy Latin beat Mississippi sound It Works though
4) Lonesome – Piano is a good addition to this down and out blues
5) Mama Let Me Lay It On You – Great sound reverb baritone guitar
6) Curly’s Blues – Harmonica licks with the flattop give this a backwater sound
7) Please Baby – The cryin’ fiddle helps beg the question on this one
8) Keepin’ It To Herself – Upbeat blues with a good harmonica lick or two
9) Europe Blues – A rear 12 string on a blues - very cool
10) Pains My Heart To Love You – Low down, lonely blues song
11) Rub-A-Dub – Guitar and harmonica with simple homespun lyrics.
12) Here’s Your Breakthrough – Foot tappin’ easy livin’ southern blues
13) Mistreatin’ Mama – Great guitar work here
14) Converted – Very interesting rendition of this traditional
15) The Well – Fiddle adds a lot to this down and out tune
16) Finished Last – A “Fats Domino piano” gives this song its soul and it shines

All in all this album is a great collection of the pure delta blues and demonstrates that good pure blues doesn’t need a “wall of sound” or complicated production. Traditional instruments and traditional vocal stylings make this a hit. This baby is a solid 4 on the STLBluesometer.

Later Gator.