The other review on this site (by John Paul Harrison) covers a great deal of detail regarding Robert Johnson's history and still covers his music reasonably well. I am less well educated on the subject of the musician in question so I thought I would review from the P.O.V of someone who found this CD in his mum's CD drawer and listened to see what it was like and has taken to listening to it quite frequently as a result.
1. Cross Road Blues:
Opening up with those typical bluesy high plucked bits and lading into some good old fashioned bluesy strumming, if I was old enough to have been around when I was originally I would find it nostalgic. Mr. Johnson's vocals on this track are delivered with an amazing amount of zeal. Naturally the lyrics are quite legendary as is the way with blues.
2. Terraplane Blues:
The vocals on this track may be hard to make out but take place in a friendly, low tone. As usual, the guitar is simple but effective. Including some nice low single string parts and some howled high vocals, this song is oddly warming in its feel. Definitely enjoyable.
3. Come on in my Kitchen:
With haunting styled high part and the usual straight forward strumming, the guitar is the classic sound you would expect. Again the vocals are bluesy and friendly. The part with spoken word styled vocals is one of the best pieces (of music) I've heard from the point of view of atmosphere. Homer Simpson said "play the blues is it will make you happy." And I must say that there are very few genres that make me smile by being so miserable. Robert here is the archetypal example of this.
4. Walking Blues
Beginning with the typical "woke up this morning" lyrical refrain. The vocals here make his amazing lyrics much more audible. Ok so he is essentially doing the same thing with guitar again but it is a sound for which you love can only increase, no matter how many times you listen to it. His vocals are, once again, throaty and howled, and sung with a great deal of passion.
5. Last Fair Deal Going Down:
"That's the last fair deal going down" moans Johnson in the usual blues style. The piece is mainly restricted to higher guitar parts. As the song continues it give you some insight into what the year 1937 is like. The Song gives a bleak, if oddly comical insight into what life may have been like in his era. I often wish I was watching him play this song live, back in the day.
6. 32-20 Blues:
I'm not sure what the song is about and the title seems odd to me. However rest-assured it is the kind of music which defines the blues. The frequent references to his “baby” are quite cool in a way and the lyrics I can make out have some typically amazing rhymes.
7. Kind Hearted Woman Blues:
This song Is definitely more melancholy then what we have hear so far. Robert sounds oddly spiritual in this song. The vocals can really make you feel his mood. In this track he exhibits a newly impressive vocal range. The high notes are beautifully clear and suitably passionate. The references to this "kind hearted Woman" are definitely effective in the form of altering the listener’s mood. This is an oddly haunting track.
8. If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day:
The usual multiple plucked lines are used in this song. The guitar style here is upbeat in every section of the piece. This song has an urgent and rapid feel to it. The song sounds like Robert is genuinely singing o save the world from judgment day, or calling for it to take place. To be purely honest I cannot tell. This track definitely raises pulses.
9. Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped the Devil):
Robert may use similar guitar styles each time but his vocals seem to re-define themselves each time he opens his mouth to sing. He howls and growls in equal measure on this track as well as being able to shout some lyrics at incredible speed and make sound like the greatest singing you have ever heard. The guitar may be of a similar style but it is much faster than it has ever been so far. This song is quite exhilarating.
10. When you got a Good Friend:
This song is a step back to the slow relaxed and miserable style that you are used to so far from listening to this CD. However the lyrics here seem to be a brief tribute to friendship and unity. The song almost makes you feel like ringing all your friends up, just to tell them how much you love them.
11. Ramblin’ on my Mind:
Oddly psychedelic in feel, It opens up wit Robert telling that he has “Got rambling on my mind” and informing us that his baby “Treat me so unkind”. As the song progresses the structure of the guitar playing is cleverly unpredictable. The singing is, as ever, empowered and confident. Another case of a song that I wish I could see live in an ancient, run down, dingy blues club.
12. Stones on my Passway:
More lyrical genius combined with the old blues style guitar. This song may be more of the same but aids me to reflect on the general charm of this piece. It doesn’t matter how many times ideas are repeated; the songs are still generally genius. This song is another reason why Robert Johnson is still admired today. It’s one of my favourites.
13. Traveling Riverside Blues:
The feel of this one is more upbeat. In general I find this album heartening and warm, but this song is especially so. The guitar in this has a range of tones and moods. I like the use of bends and high notes especially. The final part o the song is a good example of this as the final riff is played.
14. Milkcow’s Calf Blues:
WOW! A song about something wrong with a cow’s calf, it appears to be describing an illness. However the metaphor used is apparently reflective upon Robert’s problems he had at the time of writing this song. The song is an ode to being down on you luck and feeling like life has cheated you. As Blues as they come.
15. Me and the Devil Blues:
This song has a dark underlying subject matter. I was physically shocked when haring he line “I’m gonna beat my woman ill I’m satisfied” and then moves out to a very sleazy note. The point of this song is questionable, but the song seem particularly dingy in feel to me. I do like it though
16. Hell Hound on my Trail:
This song is quite spooky and despairing. Robert tells the listener how he has “got to keep moving” and you genuinely feel his fear and urgency. There is definite passion to his fear. I almost feel like if I listen to his song on my Mp3 at night on the streets I would be too scared to go anywhere. This is my overall favourite of the album.
17. Traveling Riverside Blues(alt):
It is about the same (as the previous version) in this case but the feel to it is more jumpy and strange. Both versions are genius.
Overall:
Well it is quite genius, the definitive blues album. Repetition is usually a problem, but in the case of this album, the more you hear the same ideas the more you grow to love them. The sound quality is bad but in a classic blues way. There is a certain feel that the bits you can’t quite hear are the very bet bits of the album, but this could be paranoia. This album is close to perfect, part of its charm is in the fact that it doesn’t quite reach perfection but sounds like it is on the edge.
