Review Summary: I wish Joseph Spence was my Grandpa.
I wish Joseph Spence was my Grandpa. He is absolutely insane. He sounds like a demented old toothless curmudgeon and I love him for that. He grumbles, grunts and moans his way through this album beautifully. The way he picks and grunts his way through some of these tracks has a childlike magic to it. It’s incredible to hear his rough-but-masterful fingerpicking alongside his gruff mumble-singing. I think it’s the most primal and at the same time the most spiritual music I've ever heard. You can hear the death rattle in his voice and the fervor in his soul. This is a masterpiece of modern music.It's relay more of american folk music than Caribbean but still powerful stuff.
"Goodnight Irene" has always been a favorite of mine and Spence brings a real psychotic twist to it. "Living on the Hallelujah Side" is another tune I love and I love that Spence decided to dust it off to cover it, once again, with the duct from it crazy-talented lungs. I think the Christmas tracks in there are weird but Spence is pretty much infallible so who cares. Joseph Spence is a, incredible legend. Treat yourself to a listen!
