Chris Thomas King sings hard blues for Katrina and New Orleans Lean and Mean Writeoff
Written: Feb 03 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Deeply spiritual music, great guitar solos, strong vocals
Cons: the blues are the blues, this is some sad music
The Bottom Line: Chris Thomas King achieves what so many have tried to do, he captured the sadness of a city and the sickness of a nation, the blues for Post-war New Orleans.
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| deaser26's Full Review: Rise - Chris Thomas King |
Every generation there is a new musical revolution. Revolution is typically a time of great upheaval, a violent passing of the torch as that which will be is born, and that which was known is turned away. Chris Thomas King is at the razor's tip of such a movement. Forget about his role in Oh Brother Where Art Thou, set aside the fame he found playing Lowell Fulsom in Ray, just focus on an amazing musician, communicating great sadness and upheaval. He lost his home in the storm, he lost a recording studio, he lost friends and family.
And as Chris and thousands around him have emerged from the physical and political darkness of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, it was with a generous spirit and passion for a people and way of life that CTK has released Rise. This is music that has "come down from the mountain." It will make you weepy, it will lift your heart and it will cause you to reflect on the indomitable spirit of the blues. "What Would Jesus Do?" is both a political statement as well as a spiritual. There is hypocrisy on the right wing, in the view of the singer, Jesus wouldn't have left people in the water, to starve, to stay sick, to suffer. And our president and many of his wing believe them to represent Jesus, and they probably couldn't be further from the truth. CTK sings about it. He breathes spiritual air on Baptized in Dirty Water and Deepest Ocean as well. His signature guitar solos are crisp and clear. Faith is another powerful ride with CTK watching bodies floating by, and questioning how it can be. How can a president who speaks of faith gloss over the suffering of his people, of any people. There is a time for singing sad songs, and the blues is decidedly it.
And yet if there was ever a time to celebrate life, this is it - and Chris Thomas King is taking us there. CTK covered Big Yellow Taxi as well as What a Wonderful World, much more uplifting than the songs of sadness, but blues nonetheless. He brought in one of BB's drummers, Tony Braunagel to lend beats to the ideas. He brought in a Marsallis as well, what could be more appropriate for a Nawlins album of post Katrina Blues. He brought in Phil Maderia from Nashville to add some B-3 to the church feel. He sings with a grit that reminds us all of the need to clean the red mud out of the cities bedrooms, howls and moans to remind us that there was serious pain.
A lot of music came out of the Katrina post war days, but CTK is the best qualified man to sing about his home, to sing the blues, and to share the pain of those days with a nation that had its head turned.
Recommended:
Yes
Great Music to Play While: Listening
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deaser26
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