Customer Rating: 
Summary: RL Burnside-The King of the Blues
Comment: I think that this is a great album. This was the first RL album that I bought, and it got me into the Fat Possum stuff. I was very impressed that RL was willing to try to work the blues into non-traditional ground, which many people are unwilling to do. Blues has to move past Jimmy Reed and Muddy, no matter how great they were. Anyway, I highly recommend this album, it has been an influence on my listening and guitar playing. The guitar has a heavy groove and the voice is that of a man that lived the blues. It is one of my favorites.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Eerie Swamp
Comment: From the opening track, the album establishes the mood that carries through to the remainder of the album. That mood is dark and still, like stagnant waters where things come to moan and slowly die. More impressive than the rare ability to hit such a finely distilled hue of despair, is the sparseness with which each track is laid. Each track is clean and seemingly simple, but Burnside uses dissonanse to enrich and to complicate what would otherwise be the limited use of a single guitar and a single voice. Overall, some of the best gloomy blues I've heard in a while.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Stunning Display of Blues Power
Comment: I hadn't heard of R. L. Burnside until recently when a friend told me to check his stuff out. I bought this album due to that suggestion and all I can say is I can't believe what I've been missing! Every song is masterfully played, the vocals deep and reminiscent. The most powerful aspect of the Blues is that we, the audience, know that what we are hearing comes from experience. The truthfullness in Mr. Burnside's singing and playing is amazing. This album will get inside your head. For Blues fans this is one Bluesman to put on your list and this album deserves a place there as well. A word of note: If you like this album you might be thrown off by the stuff Burnside does for Fat Possum which is a hell of a lot different from what you hear here.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: at least it's not fat possum
Comment: well, what can I say -- at least it's not RL collaborating with a bunch of impotent indie-scenesters. I met a couple of you Fat Possum guys at the juke joint a couple years ago, and, though you seem to be a bunch of ok guys, this techno+RL stuff really has to stop. Rap and blues is a better combination, though only in theory, cause no one's been able to do it successfully! Oh yeah. I'm reviewing an album... It's pretty good stuff. I didn't give it a better score because there are a few better tapes out there, most notably one from Holland and a few scattered tracks on Arhoolie compilations. (and of course, Too Bad Jim -- on Fat Possum before they got wack -- is one of the greatest cd's on earth)
Customer Rating:
Summary: Missippi Delta Blues
Comment: 13 acoustic songs written and/or arranged by R.L. Burnside and performed in the Delta blues tradition. The performance featured on this release was recorded on October 1969 and it captures Burnside in his earlier, pre-electric, pre-techno, pre-rap, pre-experimentational years. The tempo is slow and thoughtful comprised mostly of single notes with a somewhat quickened rhythmic tempo. Stylistically, the CD follows in the tradition of Robert Nighthawk, Lightnin' Hopkins, Elmore James and John Lee Hooker. The CD is almost mesmerizing and is sure to appeal to traditional Delta blues fans and fans of acoustic blues alike.Other Burnside CD's that are equal to, if not somewhat better in terms of sound quality are, Mississippi Blues (French Import) and, my personal favorite, Acoustic Stories. Down graded slightly for the sound quality which in no way reflects on the quality of the material or the performance. 4.5 STARS!
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