Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down

Personnel: R.L. Burnside (vocals); John Porter (guitar, mandolin, bass); Smokey Hormel, Rick Holmstrom, Kenny Brown (guitar); Johnny Dyer (harmonica, background vocals); Lynwood Slim (harmonica); Andy Kaulkin (piano, keyboards, synthesizer); Martin Slattery, Tommy Eyre (Wurlitzer piano); Anthony Genn, Jeff Turmes (bass); Steve Mugallian (drums); Richard Flack (programming); Iki Levy, Brad Cook (loops); DJ Pete B, DJ Swamp (vinyl scratches); Janiva Magness, Billy Valentine (background vocals).
Producers: Andy Kaulkin, Anthony Genn, John Porter, Matthew Johnson, Iki Levy.
Engineers: Doug Messenger, Brad Cook, Joe McGrath.
Legendary bluesman turned unlikely indie-rock hero R.L. Burnside returns with a set that splits the difference between the Beck-derived post-modernisms of his previous COME ON IN and more traditional Delta stylings. Fortunately, Burnside is such a strong artist that he sounds equally at home with either approach.
The honkytonk-ish "My Eyes Keep Me in Trouble," for example, pairs mandolin with sampled drums. Blues purists will no doubt prefer the title track, an ancient-sounding near-field holler performed by Burnside and his adopted son Kenny Brown on acoustic guitar. Others will appreciate such highlights as the magnificently spooky version of Skip James' "Hard Time Killing Floor;" an astonishing guitar-driven re-imagining of Don Covay's "Chain of Fools;" and "Nothing Man," which chugs along on a great swampy groove like vintage Slim Harpo.