Not the Same Old Blues Crap

A sampler from the Fat Possum label that, as the title announces, really isn't the same old blues crap. Fat Possum made its name as a home for raw 1990s juke-joint blues, and a lot of that is here in the cuts by Junior Kimbrough, R.L. Burnside, T-Model Ford, and Jelly Roll Kings. It's straight-up electric guitar blues where the groove and spontaneous rhythms are more important than chord changes and tight song construction, which can be both a blessing and a curse; Jelly Roll Kings add some nice texture to the form with whirling organ. You also get some almost punkish blues-rock from 20 Miles and the Neckbones, who sound a little like a bluesy Cramps on "Crack Whore Blues." ~ Richie Unterberger