Performer Notes

Personnel includes: Martin Simpson (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, slide guitar, lap steel guitar, banjo, ukulele, percussion); Jessica Radcliffe (vocals); Dave Malone (electric guitar); James Singleton (acoustic bass); Rick Kemp, Reggie Scanlon (electric guitar); Carl Budo (drums).
Recorded at Noiselab, New Orleans, Louisiana and Panda Sound, Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire, England.
Martin Simpson might have made his reputation as a folk guitarist, but blues has been a part of him since he was young, and he plays it -- as he plays everything -- with both incredible technique and driving passion. And while his roots might be far from the Mississippi Delta, his heart is right there. To be fair, he can't hold a candle to the masters as a singer, but when he starts picking, everything else can go out of the window: Listen to the ragtime of "Easy Money," for example, or his slide work on "I Can't Keep From Crying," which challenges the Blind Willie Johnson original. Rick Kemp's bass offers stout support on some tracks, including Simpson originals that sit easily next to the vintage material. And it's obvious he knows that material well -- his version of "The Coo Coo Bird" draws from Clarence Ashley, Hobart Smith, and John Calloway to present an interesting and heartfelt composite. He gets out of the blocks fast with a steaming version of "John Hardy," and doesn't let up until the final notes of "The Last Shot Got Him," where slide and electric guitar intertwine to rev up an old song. Simpson is a brilliant guitarist, but he also has taste; he never uses his extraordinary ability as an end in itself. Instead, he lets it serve the song, playing with commitment to the music. And that helps make this only a little short of brilliant. ~ Chris Nickson

Professional Reviews

Mojo (Publisher) (10/03, p.114) - 4 stars out of 5 - "A fierce, uncompromising album..."

Fishpond works with suppliers all over the world to bring you a huge selection of products, really great prices, and delivery included on over 25 million products that we sell. We do our best every day to make Fishpond an awesome place for customers to shop and get what they want — all at the best prices online.

About Fishpond

You can earn a 8% commission by selling Righteousness and Humidity on your website. It's easy to get started - we will give you example code. After you're set-up, your website can earn you money while you work, play or even sleep! You should start right now!

Are you the Author or Publisher of a book? Or the manufacturer of one of the millions of products that we sell. You can improve sales and grow your revenue by submitting additional information on this title. The better the information we have about a product, the more we will sell!

Submit Information