Black Snake Moan
Jul 9, 2007 at 3:50 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 9

elnero

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My wife and I just watched Black Snake Moan on the weekend, great movie and some great music. I've always liked that kind of really raw, old blues but have never really heard of any artists that I could check out. Anyone have any suggestions?
 
Jul 9, 2007 at 4:09 PM Post #2 of 9
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One of the best blues albums ever. Funny, didn't see it but that movie title reminds me of PJ Harvey's great "Long Snake Moan" from her very bluesy To Bring You My Love. Great record. Lots of amazing women blues artists from the early days too.
 
Jul 9, 2007 at 4:11 PM Post #3 of 9
Heh, Thanks, that was the guy that was in the movie I believe.
 
Jul 9, 2007 at 5:01 PM Post #4 of 9
Quote:

Originally Posted by elnero /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Heh, Thanks, that was the guy that was in the movie I believe.


Son House was amazing. Some of those songs are real classics. You should hear how Cassandra Wilson covered his Death Letter on her New Moon Daughter record. Really cooks, if maybe even a bit too respectful. Great band, fantastic recording. The White Stripes rock a version too, almost like a one man version of Led Zep, but you know Jack White, he's a maniac. Check the archival footage on youtube for Son House. Classic stuff.
 
Jul 9, 2007 at 5:04 PM Post #5 of 9
I'll check that out! Speaking of White Stripes, my wife and I are going to see them on Wednesday night. It's a real novel thing to have an actual bigger name band come here and play, especially one that's a little more off the beaten path.
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Jul 9, 2007 at 8:30 PM Post #6 of 9
I've not seen the movie, and don't know Son House's music. But if you want "raw, old blues," you should listen to some tunes by Muddy Waters or John Lee Hooker, two of the great post-war blues guitarists. (I tend to like guitar-driven blues, rather than the more vocal-driven style of B.B. King and other performers known mainly as singers.) Others of my favorite old blusemen are J.B. Lenoir and Little Walter. The latter was especially impressive on the harmonica, one of my favorite instruments.

Even more than of traditional blues, I'm fan of British R&B of the early and mid-sixties. My favorite bands of this era are John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers and Fleetwood Mac of the Peter Green era. Led Zeppelin and Hendrix made this style of music into modern rock and roll by the end of the decade, but it seems like somewhere along the line the "roll," the swinging bluesy feel, got lost and we were left with just "rock."

Except for geriatric bluesmen reliving their glory days, there hasn't really been too much blues or blues-inflected rock in the past couple decades. There are a couple big exceptions, of course -- if you don't know Stevie Ray Vaughn, you should check out his music. All great stuff.

Of bands recording today, I really like the Black Keys, a duo out of Ohio who play really gritty blues-rock that's a lot of fun. All of their albums are good, but I suggest Rubber Factory (2004) or their debut, The Big Come Up (2002).

Eric
 
Jul 10, 2007 at 11:49 AM Post #7 of 9
Thanks Eric, I'll check that stuff out.
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Jul 11, 2007 at 1:34 AM Post #9 of 9
I highly recommend the movie.

Some of R.L. Burnside's songs are in the movie so you might want to check him out.
Corey Harris - Greens From the Garden is a great album.
 

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