by Andrew Hamilton
Skip James displays his four tool skills on piano, organ, guitar, and vocals on 12 traditional Delta Blues numbers, and employs his whining, age weakened falsetto on every cut. There's nothing fancy -- just James accompanying himself and emoting his heart out on a myriad of earthy tales like &Black Gal,& &Lazy Bones,& &Vicksburg Blues,& and &Special Rider Blues.& The release is a true reflection of the leading purveyor of the Bentonia Blues style named after James' birthplace, Bentonia Mississippi.