The most unlikely of stars, sixty-something Seasick Steve Wold might have started out with nothin', but these days he can headline the Royal Albert Hall. The second solo album from the much travelled bluesman (and, let's not forget, studio owner--he didn't suddenly step off a boxcar with a demo tape in hand--refines the sound that made 2006's Dog House Music so instantly appealing. Guests include Ruby Turner, KT Tunstall (playing rather than singing) and Nick Cave and Grinderman--Cave and Steve duet on their collaboration "Just Like a King". The title track, "Started out With Nothin'", is as catchy as it is wise, "One True" laments Steve's late dog ("my one true friend", of course) and the catchy full-band "Happy Man", featuring Turner and Tunstall is as near as Seasick gets to offering a single. Without the visual impact of seeing an elderly man tell travel stories in between torturing a three string guitar while kicking a wooden box, I Started out With Nothin' and I Still Got Most of It Left can only offer a simulacrum of his live show, but his crude appeal remains obvious even as his sound gets smoother. --Steve Jelbert

Seasick Steve - The man, the hat, the beard and the music., 20 Nov 2008
I first saw / heard Seasick Steve (Steve Wold) on Jools Holland's 'Later' TV show on the BBC a couple of years ago. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when he appeared on my TV screen. He looked more like a busker than a star in the making, but by the time he had finished his song, I was a fan, along with thousands of others who saw him that night. In short, he blew us all away. He was on the show again recently in order to publicise this new album and guess what, he blew us away again! The star performer.

This album is probably the result of Steve's first appearance on Jools' show and it would seem that Mr Holland has to some degree provided a guiding hand or least support, in it's making...the presence of Ruby Turner (A regular performer with Jools' band) on the track 'Happy Man', being one example.

Any fan of Steve will love the album. It's classic Steve from start to finish and will have you foot stomping and finger tapping as the maestro does what he does best. The slower, more reflective tracks are excellent as well and provide a good contrast with the livelier numbers. All of them come from a man who has clearly lived a full and eventful life, acquiring a collection of tales and some wisdom along the way.

To be honest, I didn't realise just how good Steve was until I listend to this album. In an ocean of musical mediocrity, thank goodness that people like Seasick Steve have deployed the lifeboats and invited the rest of us to come aboard to escape the boring banality of what lurks in the singles charts these days.

Buy the album. Enjoy and treasure it.


Get the blues, 12 Nov 2008
Some people have got quite wound up about this guy being popular when there are lots of other "real" blues artists who deserve more attention... I'm no expert, but Seasick Steve's music seems fairly authentic and it's a good listen. The spoken introductions are a little annoying after a while, though, (to me, at least). Maybe he'll lead people on to other sorts of blues, which has to be a good thing. And if you like this, can I recommend you give Chris Whitley a try?

loved it, 10 Nov 2008
I will be honest, this popped up on my screen as an "other people have bought this" recommendation from Amazon, and I bought it on the strength of other curstomer reviews and mainly for the title - I really wanted this CD on my shelf.
I have just listened to it for the first time - and you know what? It is excellent, I love it. Strongly recommended.

Not the down dirty boogie I was hoping for, but still good., 04 Nov 2008
I bought this album like many others I guess, after catching steve on Jools Holland and watching some live performances on youtube.
I was a little dissapointed, now dont get me wrong, I'm not slamming this album, its very good, with some nice songs and polished production values, and therein lies the problem for me, this didnt sound like the stuff I heard elsewhere, its.. sanitized? It doesent seem to have the raw enrgy and refreshing simplicity, there are drums and percussion and backing singers and apart from a couple of exceptions these are mostly laid back gentle tunes. I REALLY found myself hoping the next song would turn out to be a dirty foot stomping down home blues boogie affair, but this never happened. I realise that the whole point to music is the constant evoloution and it never stays the same but it would have been nice if it was a fifty fity split between polished material and the raw stuff.
This is a GOOD album but could have been so much more by putting less into it.

terrible, just terrible .., 30 Oct 2008
There's nothing on offer in this album. Absolutely terrible effort. Do yourself a favour and buy a Supersuckers CD instead.

Seasick Steve is Steve Wold, a moustachioed American bluesman who, on Dog House Music, plays American roots music with the tight-belt economy and authentic spirit of the genre's originators (there's a lineage here, too - Steve was taught his first chords by Delta bluesman KC Douglas). A long-term street-dweller, Wold's instrumentation is simplistic in the extreme: a three-stringed trance guitar, a slide instrument known as 'the one-stringed diddy-bo', and the Mississippi Drum Machine, a wooden box that provides the most rudimentary percussion. In the true blues spirit, Seasick Steve sings his life. For an autobiography of sorts, head for 'Dog House Boogie', a phlegmatic timeline that commences at the age of four with his parent's divorce, and rambles off through several decades of vagrant living and downhome manners. 'Hobo Low' is perhaps the sharpest, best distilled take on Steve's drifter philosophy, his voice raising to quivering, booming peaks over sparse stabs of blues guitar. 'Save Me', meanwhile, sees the diddy-bo make an appearance - a taut, trembling twang that resembles an amplified rubber band. If this review makes Dog House Music sound bare-bones, well, it is - but everyone from blues aficionados to White Stripes fans should find something to love here. --Louis Pattison

Seasick Steve - The man, the hat, the beard and the music., 20 Nov 2008
I first saw / heard Seasick Steve (Steve Wold) on Jools Holland's 'Later' TV show on the BBC a couple of years ago. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when he appeared on my TV screen. He looked more like a busker than a star in the making, but by the time he had finished his song, I was a fan, along with thousands of others who saw him that night. In short, he blew us all away. He was on the show again recently in order to publicise this new album and guess what, he blew us away again! The star performer.

This album is probably the result of Steve's first appearance on Jools' show and it would seem that Mr Holland has to some degree provided a guiding hand or least support, in it's making...the presence of Ruby Turner (A regular performer with Jools' band) on the track 'Happy Man', being one example.

Any fan of Steve will love the album. It's classic Steve from start to finish and will have you foot stomping and finger tapping as the maestro does what he does best. The slower, more reflective tracks are excellent as well and provide a good contrast with the livelier numbers. All of them come from a man who has clearly lived a full and eventful life, acquiring a collection of tales and some wisdom along the way.

To be honest, I didn't realise just how good Steve was until I listend to this album. In an ocean of musical mediocrity, thank goodness that people like Seasick Steve have deployed the lifeboats and invited the rest of us to come aboard to escape the boring banality of what lurks in the singles charts these days.

Buy the album. Enjoy and treasure it.


Get the blues, 12 Nov 2008
Some people have got quite wound up about this guy being popular when there are lots of other "real" blues artists who deserve more attention... I'm no expert, but Seasick Steve's music seems fairly authentic and it's a good listen. The spoken introductions are a little annoying after a while, though, (to me, at least). Maybe he'll lead people on to other sorts of blues, which has to be a good thing. And if you like this, can I recommend you give Chris Whitley a try?

loved it, 10 Nov 2008
I will be honest, this popped up on my screen as an "other people have bought this" recommendation from Amazon, and I bought it on the strength of other curstomer reviews and mainly for the title - I really wanted this CD on my shelf.
I have just listened to it for the first time - and you know what? It is excellent, I love it. Strongly recommended.

Not the down dirty boogie I was hoping for, but still good., 04 Nov 2008
I bought this album like many others I guess, after catching steve on Jools Holland and watching some live performances on youtube.
I was a little dissapointed, now dont get me wrong, I'm not slamming this album, its very good, with some nice songs and polished production values, and therein lies the problem for me, this didnt sound like the stuff I heard elsewhere, its.. sanitized? It doesent seem to have the raw enrgy and refreshing simplicity, there are drums and percussion and backing singers and apart from a couple of exceptions these are mostly laid back gentle tunes. I REALLY found myself hoping the next song would turn out to be a dirty foot stomping down home blues boogie affair, but this never happened. I realise that the whole point to music is the constant evoloution and it never stays the same but it would have been nice if it was a fifty fity split between polished material and the raw stuff.
This is a GOOD album but could have been so much more by putting less into it.

terrible, just terrible .., 30 Oct 2008
There's nothing on offer in this album. Absolutely terrible effort. Do yourself a favour and buy a Supersuckers CD instead.

Raw, honest, foot-tapping fun, 07 Aug 2008
Like others, I saw the man on Jools Holland. I suppose the romantic in me loved the idea that this guy had experienced the lowest of the lows but had come through it all and was here playing his 3-string geetar live on the JH show. However, I liked what I heard and his enthusiasm for the blues was infectious. Okay, it's not as polished as the great blues musicians and he's not going to outdo Robert Cray for technical ability but just listen to the stories he tells and you'll be tapping your foot along. We all love to see people do well that have faced grim adversity and Seasick Steve provides a soulful, bizarre and honest approach to his version of the blues. So, stop being so cynical and give it a blast.

Modern Music, 25 Jul 2008
Contemporary music troubles me, Ive been listening to blues for years and suddenly someone "new" plays the same stuff thats been around for decades and its "cool."

If you want to listen to this kind of music, listen to delta blues: son house, robert johnson. This is pretty unoriginal...thats not to say he's not talented, but the founders of this music get no recognition but this guy does? it makes no sense.

Thank Heavens for Jules, 23 May 2008
I am another who saw the performance on Jools' show and yet another who was amazed. I am new to the Blues so forgive me if I can't liken it to anything else. As I listened to this I could imagine myself sat on some wooden porch on the edge of a swamp listening to some real homestrung blues. Very raw but very real and all with three strings. Amazing stuff. If you enjoy the blues this is highly recommended - all from such an unimposing figure - he really looks like he just turns up with his geetar, beat box and nothing else.

Stunned!, 13 Feb 2008
I first heard a bit of him on the Jools Holland show and decided to give the album a go. Well, what can I say? Absolutely fantastic! Never a big fan of old time blues but this is something different.

Suprised, 13 Feb 2008
I Picked this album up as a "wonder if this is any good".

Worth a Laugh, Bit Tom Petty Esk, Love it!

Joel and Ethan Coen have long established themselves as film stylists without peer: from Blood Simple to Fargo, their movies have never been less than fascinating, and there has never been any question that their films could not have been made by anyone else. In T-Bone Burnett, the producer of the soundtrack for O Brother, Where Art Thou?, they have finally met their match: Burnett's work in assembling a collection of pieces for the Depression-set film is as skilled and entrancing as the film itself.

Despite the presence of Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss and bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley, the stars here are the songs themselves, a host of traditional songs augmented by archival recordings. The collection is also a showcase for a host of lesser known and forgotten bluegrass masters: The Cox Family, collaborators with Krauss; Norman Blake, a sideman for Bob Dylan and June Carter Cash; country gospel group The Whites, who once counted Ricky Skaggs as a member (and who, here, cover the Carter Family); and young bluesman Chris Thomas King among them. All bring life to their songs, and the results are sublime--and, at times (Krauss and a choir's take on "Down To The River to Pray", Blake's instrumental version of the oft-repeated "I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow"), downright entrancing.

Some of these songs can be found on Alan Lomax collections. If you enjoy this album, we also highly recommend the Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music and Woody Guthrie's Asch Recordings series. --Randy Silver

Seasick Steve - The man, the hat, the beard and the music., 20 Nov 2008
I first saw / heard Seasick Steve (Steve Wold) on Jools Holland's 'Later' TV show on the BBC a couple of years ago. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when he appeared on my TV screen. He looked more like a busker than a star in the making, but by the time he had finished his song, I was a fan, along with thousands of others who saw him that night. In short, he blew us all away. He was on the show again recently in order to publicise this new album and guess what, he blew us away again! The star performer.

This album is probably the result of Steve's first appearance on Jools' show and it would seem that Mr Holland has to some degree provided a guiding hand or least support, in it's making...the presence of Ruby Turner (A regular performer with Jools' band) on the track 'Happy Man', being one example.

Any fan of Steve will love the album. It's classic Steve from start to finish and will have you foot stomping and finger tapping as the maestro does what he does best. The slower, more reflective tracks are excellent as well and provide a good contrast with the livelier numbers. All of them come from a man who has clearly lived a full and eventful life, acquiring a collection of tales and some wisdom along the way.

To be honest, I didn't realise just how good Steve was until I listend to this album. In an ocean of musical mediocrity, thank goodness that people like Seasick Steve have deployed the lifeboats and invited the rest of us to come aboard to escape the boring banality of what lurks in the singles charts these days.

Buy the album. Enjoy and treasure it.


Get the blues, 12 Nov 2008
Some people have got quite wound up about this guy being popular when there are lots of other "real" blues artists who deserve more attention... I'm no expert, but Seasick Steve's music seems fairly authentic and it's a good listen. The spoken introductions are a little annoying after a while, though, (to me, at least). Maybe he'll lead people on to other sorts of blues, which has to be a good thing. And if you like this, can I recommend you give Chris Whitley a try?

loved it, 10 Nov 2008
I will be honest, this popped up on my screen as an "other people have bought this" recommendation from Amazon, and I bought it on the strength of other curstomer reviews and mainly for the title - I really wanted this CD on my shelf.
I have just listened to it for the first time - and you know what? It is excellent, I love it. Strongly recommended.

Not the down dirty boogie I was hoping for, but still good., 04 Nov 2008
I bought this album like many others I guess, after catching steve on Jools Holland and watching some live performances on youtube.
I was a little dissapointed, now dont get me wrong, I'm not slamming this album, its very good, with some nice songs and polished production values, and therein lies the problem for me, this didnt sound like the stuff I heard elsewhere, its.. sanitized? It doesent seem to have the raw enrgy and refreshing simplicity, there are drums and percussion and backing singers and apart from a couple of exceptions these are mostly laid back gentle tunes. I REALLY found myself hoping the next song would turn out to be a dirty foot stomping down home blues boogie affair, but this never happened. I realise that the whole point to music is the constant evoloution and it never stays the same but it would have been nice if it was a fifty fity split between polished material and the raw stuff.
This is a GOOD album but could have been so much more by putting less into it.

terrible, just terrible .., 30 Oct 2008
There's nothing on offer in this album. Absolutely terrible effort. Do yourself a favour and buy a Supersuckers CD instead.

Raw, honest, foot-tapping fun, 07 Aug 2008
Like others, I saw the man on Jools Holland. I suppose the romantic in me loved the idea that this guy had experienced the lowest of the lows but had come through it all and was here playing his 3-string geetar live on the JH show. However, I liked what I heard and his enthusiasm for the blues was infectious. Okay, it's not as polished as the great blues musicians and he's not going to outdo Robert Cray for technical ability but just listen to the stories he tells and you'll be tapping your foot along. We all love to see people do well that have faced grim adversity and Seasick Steve provides a soulful, bizarre and honest approach to his version of the blues. So, stop being so cynical and give it a blast.

Modern Music, 25 Jul 2008
Contemporary music troubles me, Ive been listening to blues for years and suddenly someone "new" plays the same stuff thats been around for decades and its "cool."

If you want to listen to this kind of music, listen to delta blues: son house, robert johnson. This is pretty unoriginal...thats not to say he's not talented, but the founders of this music get no recognition but this guy does? it makes no sense.

Thank Heavens for Jules, 23 May 2008
I am another who saw the performance on Jools' show and yet another who was amazed. I am new to the Blues so forgive me if I can't liken it to anything else. As I listened to this I could imagine myself sat on some wooden porch on the edge of a swamp listening to some real homestrung blues. Very raw but very real and all with three strings. Amazing stuff. If you enjoy the blues this is highly recommended - all from such an unimposing figure - he really looks like he just turns up with his geetar, beat box and nothing else.

Stunned!, 13 Feb 2008
I first heard a bit of him on the Jools Holland show and decided to give the album a go. Well, what can I say? Absolutely fantastic! Never a big fan of old time blues but this is something different.

Suprised, 13 Feb 2008
I Picked this album up as a "wonder if this is any good".

Worth a Laugh, Bit Tom Petty Esk, Love it!

Stunning, evocative music., 14 Apr 2008
I'm not from the US, my family hail from Kashmir and I was born in the UK, grew up listening to punk rock but WOW! The soundtrack literally drips with the era and place it hails from; every time I hear a snippet I swear I can feel the heat and smell the wheat - so amazing!

Diverse selection of old-time music, 01 Jul 2005
The music here, like the film it provides the soundtrack for, is presumably intended to take us back to the thirties. Several songs from that era are featured along with traditional material that would have been popular then. Recorded mainly with state-of-the-art technology (except for some old recordings that are included and re-mastered), the sound quality is far superior to anything available in the thirties. Several different types of music can be found here - blues, gospel, country and folk - mainly performed by contemporary artists with a deep respect for tradition. I'll just pick out some of them although there are many excellent songs here.

Even Alison Krauss sticks firmly with tradition here - she often brings contemporary influences into her music these days but not here. Alison can be heard here on Down to the river to pray (as a solo singer), I'll fly away (providing harmony vocals for lead singer Gillian Welch) and Didn't leave nobody but the baby (joining Gillian and Emmylou in three-part harmony).

The inclusion of two Carter Stanley songs on a soundtrack such as this is predictable but welcome, with the Whites performing a superb version of the oft-recorded Keep on the sunny side, while the Peasall children (Hannah singing lead with Sarah and Leah providing harmony vocals) are in great form on In the highways. Children's recordings rarely impress me but this track does.

One song here that surprised me (though perhaps it shouldn't have) is Big rock candy mountain. It can be found on plenty of albums of children's songs, when it is invariably presented as an up-tempo song that children can (if they wish) sing along to. Here we get the original 1928 recording by Harry McLintock, who sings it at a more measured, reflective pace, showing that there is more to this song than I originally thought. I still prefer it as an up-tempo song generally but I'm glad I heard this version. I wonder what the Peasall sisters would have done with this song.

The Coen brothers clearly hoped that this soundtrack would provide a resurgence of interest in traditional music. While this soundtrack was a big commercial success, it seems that the majority of people who bought it (and continue to buy it) regard it as something of a novelty. Nashville record labels signed some traditional singers (Elizabeth Cook, though not featured here, is one that comes to mind) but they didn't get enough airplay on American country radio, so such artists were dropped and Nashville returned to its contemporary format. I'm sure that this soundtrack helped to win some new fans for traditional music, but not as many as the Coen brothers would like.

a lovely mix of traditional music, 04 Nov 2003
Performed by some of today's best singers, this multi-Grammy Award winner is a marvelous addition to any country/folk music collection. Some of these artists are at the top of their field, but some will be "discoveries" for most of us, like the beautiful rendition of "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" by Chris Thomas King, a versatile young man who is versed in many styles, and here sings in the old blues tradition and does it brilliantly.

The highlights for me are: The legendary Ralph Stanley, with his plaintive acappella chant of "O Death", which carries with it all the pain and soul of Appalachia, and the purity of "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys, who consist of Union Station member Dan Tyminsky on lead vocals and guitar, backed by Harley Allen and Pat Enright. For anyone who likes traditional music, you can't get any better than this.
Another acappella gem is "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby", with Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Gillian Welch harmonizing like an angels from another era. Everything on this disc recalls days gone by; there is a refreshing simplicity, and a lot of the songs are filled with faith.

There is exquisite musicianship on this CD, and it is a nice long one at 60'34 minutes. The booklet insert is something I appreciate too; it is a collage of yellowed stained paper on peeling walls, with a terrific layout, and as it says on one of its pages, "Old-Time Music Is Very Much Alive".

oh brother where art thou, 13 Jul 2002
first class traditional country and a bit of bluegrass. represents excelent value for money. so many good tracks its hard to pick one that shines above the rest.listen to YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE by norman blake if you are not tapping your toes then someone has nailed your feet to the floor.then there's I'm a man of constant sorrow-Soggy bottom boys Wow!then for a real treat try The Stanley Bros. Angel Band Traditional country at its best. many other great tracks from Alison Krauss the queen of country and the Whites with keep on the sunny side,backings are fantastic. This is one CD you won't be dissapointed with

GREAT ALBUM . . . BUT TRY BEFORE YOU BUY, 06 Jun 2002
Let me make one thing clear. "O Brother..." is one of my favourite films of all time. Not only that, but the musical soundtrack is one of its strongest features and stands as a valuable cultural document in its own right. In short, this is an album that anyone who loves country, bluegrass or folk music is likely to want in their collection.

So why, as I write, am I tossing up whether to only give it four stars? The answer is that I'm attempting to review it, not as a collector's item or a socio-historical document but as an album of music for repeated listening in the comfort of your own home. For that reason I'm not going to review the film rather than the album, as some reviewers here have done, because I don't assume that every listener is going to have the movie playing back in their heads as they listen to the music.

Rather, my comments are based on how this album will sound to someone who has picked up on the hearsay, or watched the Grammy ceremony, and is tempted to go out and buy this as a musical compilation. And in that setting, many listeners are going to be disappointed. The fact that a song has integrity, emotion, historical importance or great musicianship doesn't automatically make it great entertainment.

There are some standout contributions: The title song is long-term loveable (although why four different renditions of the tune are needed on the album is a mystery - a couple of the "period" instrumental versions which work well on the movoe soundtrack are somewhat less successful as pure listening music. Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch are as usual faultless. Ralph and the other Stanleys are devastating. But how many times will you want to listen to the 4+ minutes of prison chant that opens the album? Or the squeaky kiddy song (the Peasalls)? Or the ancient ditties like "Big Rock Candy Mountain"? After a couple of spins, you may find yourself reaching for the skip button more than is comfortable.

I'm not really knocking this record - in a sense it's a masterpiece. And it's rightly selling by the millions. But if you haven't seen the film I'd give it a whirl in the listening booth before you part with your cash.

Seasick Steve - The man, the hat, the beard and the music., 20 Nov 2008
I first saw / heard Seasick Steve (Steve Wold) on Jools Holland's 'Later' TV show on the BBC a couple of years ago. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when he appeared on my TV screen. He looked more like a busker than a star in the making, but by the time he had finished his song, I was a fan, along with thousands of others who saw him that night. In short, he blew us all away. He was on the show again recently in order to publicise this new album and guess what, he blew us away again! The star performer.

This album is probably the result of Steve's first appearance on Jools' show and it would seem that Mr Holland has to some degree provided a guiding hand or least support, in it's making...the presence of Ruby Turner (A regular performer with Jools' band) on the track 'Happy Man', being one example.

Any fan of Steve will love the album. It's classic Steve from start to finish and will have you foot stomping and finger tapping as the maestro does what he does best. The slower, more reflective tracks are excellent as well and provide a good contrast with the livelier numbers. All of them come from a man who has clearly lived a full and eventful life, acquiring a collection of tales and some wisdom along the way.

To be honest, I didn't realise just how good Steve was until I listend to this album. In an ocean of musical mediocrity, thank goodness that people like Seasick Steve have deployed the lifeboats and invited the rest of us to come aboard to escape the boring banality of what lurks in the singles charts these days.

Buy the album. Enjoy and treasure it.


Get the blues, 12 Nov 2008
Some people have got quite wound up about this guy being popular when there are lots of other "real" blues artists who deserve more attention... I'm no expert, but Seasick Steve's music seems fairly authentic and it's a good listen. The spoken introductions are a little annoying after a while, though, (to me, at least). Maybe he'll lead people on to other sorts of blues, which has to be a good thing. And if you like this, can I recommend you give Chris Whitley a try?

loved it, 10 Nov 2008
I will be honest, this popped up on my screen as an "other people have bought this" recommendation from Amazon, and I bought it on the strength of other curstomer reviews and mainly for the title - I really wanted this CD on my shelf.
I have just listened to it for the first time - and you know what? It is excellent, I love it. Strongly recommended.

Not the down dirty boogie I was hoping for, but still good., 04 Nov 2008
I bought this album like many others I guess, after catching steve on Jools Holland and watching some live performances on youtube.
I was a little dissapointed, now dont get me wrong, I'm not slamming this album, its very good, with some nice songs and polished production values, and therein lies the problem for me, this didnt sound like the stuff I heard elsewhere, its.. sanitized? It doesent seem to have the raw enrgy and refreshing simplicity, there are drums and percussion and backing singers and apart from a couple of exceptions these are mostly laid back gentle tunes. I REALLY found myself hoping the next song would turn out to be a dirty foot stomping down home blues boogie affair, but this never happened. I realise that the whole point to music is the constant evoloution and it never stays the same but it would have been nice if it was a fifty fity split between polished material and the raw stuff.
This is a GOOD album but could have been so much more by putting less into it.

terrible, just terrible .., 30 Oct 2008
There's nothing on offer in this album. Absolutely terrible effort. Do yourself a favour and buy a Supersuckers CD instead.

Raw, honest, foot-tapping fun, 07 Aug 2008
Like others, I saw the man on Jools Holland. I suppose the romantic in me loved the idea that this guy had experienced the lowest of the lows but had come through it all and was here playing his 3-string geetar live on the JH show. However, I liked what I heard and his enthusiasm for the blues was infectious. Okay, it's not as polished as the great blues musicians and he's not going to outdo Robert Cray for technical ability but just listen to the stories he tells and you'll be tapping your foot along. We all love to see people do well that have faced grim adversity and Seasick Steve provides a soulful, bizarre and honest approach to his version of the blues. So, stop being so cynical and give it a blast.

Modern Music, 25 Jul 2008
Contemporary music troubles me, Ive been listening to blues for years and suddenly someone "new" plays the same stuff thats been around for decades and its "cool."

If you want to listen to this kind of music, listen to delta blues: son house, robert johnson. This is pretty unoriginal...thats not to say he's not talented, but the founders of this music get no recognition but this guy does? it makes no sense.

Thank Heavens for Jules, 23 May 2008
I am another who saw the performance on Jools' show and yet another who was amazed. I am new to the Blues so forgive me if I can't liken it to anything else. As I listened to this I could imagine myself sat on some wooden porch on the edge of a swamp listening to some real homestrung blues. Very raw but very real and all with three strings. Amazing stuff. If you enjoy the blues this is highly recommended - all from such an unimposing figure - he really looks like he just turns up with his geetar, beat box and nothing else.

Stunned!, 13 Feb 2008
I first heard a bit of him on the Jools Holland show and decided to give the album a go. Well, what can I say? Absolutely fantastic! Never a big fan of old time blues but this is something different.

Suprised, 13 Feb 2008
I Picked this album up as a "wonder if this is any good".

Worth a Laugh, Bit Tom Petty Esk, Love it!

Stunning, evocative music., 14 Apr 2008
I'm not from the US, my family hail from Kashmir and I was born in the UK, grew up listening to punk rock but WOW! The soundtrack literally drips with the era and place it hails from; every time I hear a snippet I swear I can feel the heat and smell the wheat - so amazing!

Diverse selection of old-time music, 01 Jul 2005
The music here, like the film it provides the soundtrack for, is presumably intended to take us back to the thirties. Several songs from that era are featured along with traditional material that would have been popular then. Recorded mainly with state-of-the-art technology (except for some old recordings that are included and re-mastered), the sound quality is far superior to anything available in the thirties. Several different types of music can be found here - blues, gospel, country and folk - mainly performed by contemporary artists with a deep respect for tradition. I'll just pick out some of them although there are many excellent songs here.

Even Alison Krauss sticks firmly with tradition here - she often brings contemporary influences into her music these days but not here. Alison can be heard here on Down to the river to pray (as a solo singer), I'll fly away (providing harmony vocals for lead singer Gillian Welch) and Didn't leave nobody but the baby (joining Gillian and Emmylou in three-part harmony).

The inclusion of two Carter Stanley songs on a soundtrack such as this is predictable but welcome, with the Whites performing a superb version of the oft-recorded Keep on the sunny side, while the Peasall children (Hannah singing lead with Sarah and Leah providing harmony vocals) are in great form on In the highways. Children's recordings rarely impress me but this track does.

One song here that surprised me (though perhaps it shouldn't have) is Big rock candy mountain. It can be found on plenty of albums of children's songs, when it is invariably presented as an up-tempo song that children can (if they wish) sing along to. Here we get the original 1928 recording by Harry McLintock, who sings it at a more measured, reflective pace, showing that there is more to this song than I originally thought. I still prefer it as an up-tempo song generally but I'm glad I heard this version. I wonder what the Peasall sisters would have done with this song.

The Coen brothers clearly hoped that this soundtrack would provide a resurgence of interest in traditional music. While this soundtrack was a big commercial success, it seems that the majority of people who bought it (and continue to buy it) regard it as something of a novelty. Nashville record labels signed some traditional singers (Elizabeth Cook, though not featured here, is one that comes to mind) but they didn't get enough airplay on American country radio, so such artists were dropped and Nashville returned to its contemporary format. I'm sure that this soundtrack helped to win some new fans for traditional music, but not as many as the Coen brothers would like.

a lovely mix of traditional music, 04 Nov 2003
Performed by some of today's best singers, this multi-Grammy Award winner is a marvelous addition to any country/folk music collection. Some of these artists are at the top of their field, but some will be "discoveries" for most of us, like the beautiful rendition of "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" by Chris Thomas King, a versatile young man who is versed in many styles, and here sings in the old blues tradition and does it brilliantly.

The highlights for me are: The legendary Ralph Stanley, with his plaintive acappella chant of "O Death", which carries with it all the pain and soul of Appalachia, and the purity of "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys, who consist of Union Station member Dan Tyminsky on lead vocals and guitar, backed by Harley Allen and Pat Enright. For anyone who likes traditional music, you can't get any better than this.
Another acappella gem is "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby", with Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Gillian Welch harmonizing like an angels from another era. Everything on this disc recalls days gone by; there is a refreshing simplicity, and a lot of the songs are filled with faith.

There is exquisite musicianship on this CD, and it is a nice long one at 60'34 minutes. The booklet insert is something I appreciate too; it is a collage of yellowed stained paper on peeling walls, with a terrific layout, and as it says on one of its pages, "Old-Time Music Is Very Much Alive".

oh brother where art thou, 13 Jul 2002
first class traditional country and a bit of bluegrass. represents excelent value for money. so many good tracks its hard to pick one that shines above the rest.listen to YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE by norman blake if you are not tapping your toes then someone has nailed your feet to the floor.then there's I'm a man of constant sorrow-Soggy bottom boys Wow!then for a real treat try The Stanley Bros. Angel Band Traditional country at its best. many other great tracks from Alison Krauss the queen of country and the Whites with keep on the sunny side,backings are fantastic. This is one CD you won't be dissapointed with

GREAT ALBUM . . . BUT TRY BEFORE YOU BUY, 06 Jun 2002
Let me make one thing clear. "O Brother..." is one of my favourite films of all time. Not only that, but the musical soundtrack is one of its strongest features and stands as a valuable cultural document in its own right. In short, this is an album that anyone who loves country, bluegrass or folk music is likely to want in their collection.

So why, as I write, am I tossing up whether to only give it four stars? The answer is that I'm attempting to review it, not as a collector's item or a socio-historical document but as an album of music for repeated listening in the comfort of your own home. For that reason I'm not going to review the film rather than the album, as some reviewers here have done, because I don't assume that every listener is going to have the movie playing back in their heads as they listen to the music.

Rather, my comments are based on how this album will sound to someone who has picked up on the hearsay, or watched the Grammy ceremony, and is tempted to go out and buy this as a musical compilation. And in that setting, many listeners are going to be disappointed. The fact that a song has integrity, emotion, historical importance or great musicianship doesn't automatically make it great entertainment.

There are some standout contributions: The title song is long-term loveable (although why four different renditions of the tune are needed on the album is a mystery - a couple of the "period" instrumental versions which work well on the movoe soundtrack are somewhat less successful as pure listening music. Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch are as usual faultless. Ralph and the other Stanleys are devastating. But how many times will you want to listen to the 4+ minutes of prison chant that opens the album? Or the squeaky kiddy song (the Peasalls)? Or the ancient ditties like "Big Rock Candy Mountain"? After a couple of spins, you may find yourself reaching for the skip button more than is comfortable.

I'm not really knocking this record - in a sense it's a masterpiece. And it's rightly selling by the millions. But if you haven't seen the film I'd give it a whirl in the listening booth before you part with your cash.

More to come...., 11 Nov 2008
I agree with Kevan - this is just the first of three box sets, apparently and very fine it is too. It's a bit frustrating knowing that there are 15 CDs worth of programmes out there and only 9 will get an official release.The sound quality is great and has obviously been cleaned up from the original acetates - unfortunately, most of the chat from the shows has been taken out and that's the big loss, for me with this set, because it provides a fascinating insight into the band dynamic of the Driftin' Cowboys.

I'd give it more than 5 out of 5 too, but for the missing bits there'll still be people trawling the dark recesses of the internet...!

A Truly Wonderful Release!, 30 Oct 2008
I feel bad giving this box set 5 stars - it honestly deserves more!!

These recordings really are the holy grail for country music fans (though they might be called 'unreleased' but if you know where to look they've been available via the internet for years!). It's hard to fault it (well, I can actually but I'll come to that later) - a marvellous selection of songs, some well known in other versions but the majority not previously available; very nice packaging, far better than the earlier "Complete Hank Williams", with a great booklet; and with a sound quality, on the whole, that is quite astonishing considering these tracks were records in a radio studio over 50 years ago.

If I have one complaint it's the fact that each discs only runs for slightly under an hour - knowing that there is a lot more material from these sessions, it's a shame each disc wasn't filled to bursting! But it's a minor thing - 56 recordings from a time when Hank was at the height of his career is still a real treat!

So it's SEVEN stars for Hank!!

Seasick Steve - The man, the hat, the beard and the music., 20 Nov 2008
I first saw / heard Seasick Steve (Steve Wold) on Jools Holland's 'Later' TV show on the BBC a couple of years ago. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when he appeared on my TV screen. He looked more like a busker than a star in the making, but by the time he had finished his song, I was a fan, along with thousands of others who saw him that night. In short, he blew us all away. He was on the show again recently in order to publicise this new album and guess what, he blew us away again! The star performer.

This album is probably the result of Steve's first appearance on Jools' show and it would seem that Mr Holland has to some degree provided a guiding hand or least support, in it's making...the presence of Ruby Turner (A regular performer with Jools' band) on the track 'Happy Man', being one example.

Any fan of Steve will love the album. It's classic Steve from start to finish and will have you foot stomping and finger tapping as the maestro does what he does best. The slower, more reflective tracks are excellent as well and provide a good contrast with the livelier numbers. All of them come from a man who has clearly lived a full and eventful life, acquiring a collection of tales and some wisdom along the way.

To be honest, I didn't realise just how good Steve was until I listend to this album. In an ocean of musical mediocrity, thank goodness that people like Seasick Steve have deployed the lifeboats and invited the rest of us to come aboard to escape the boring banality of what lurks in the singles charts these days.

Buy the album. Enjoy and treasure it.


Get the blues, 12 Nov 2008
Some people have got quite wound up about this guy being popular when there are lots of other "real" blues artists who deserve more attention... I'm no expert, but Seasick Steve's music seems fairly authentic and it's a good listen. The spoken introductions are a little annoying after a while, though, (to me, at least). Maybe he'll lead people on to other sorts of blues, which has to be a good thing. And if you like this, can I recommend you give Chris Whitley a try?

loved it, 10 Nov 2008
I will be honest, this popped up on my screen as an "other people have bought this" recommendation from Amazon, and I bought it on the strength of other curstomer reviews and mainly for the title - I really wanted this CD on my shelf.
I have just listened to it for the first time - and you know what? It is excellent, I love it. Strongly recommended.

Not the down dirty boogie I was hoping for, but still good., 04 Nov 2008
I bought this album like many others I guess, after catching steve on Jools Holland and watching some live performances on youtube.
I was a little dissapointed, now dont get me wrong, I'm not slamming this album, its very good, with some nice songs and polished production values, and therein lies the problem for me, this didnt sound like the stuff I heard elsewhere, its.. sanitized? It doesent seem to have the raw enrgy and refreshing simplicity, there are drums and percussion and backing singers and apart from a couple of exceptions these are mostly laid back gentle tunes. I REALLY found myself hoping the next song would turn out to be a dirty foot stomping down home blues boogie affair, but this never happened. I realise that the whole point to music is the constant evoloution and it never stays the same but it would have been nice if it was a fifty fity split between polished material and the raw stuff.
This is a GOOD album but could have been so much more by putting less into it.

terrible, just terrible .., 30 Oct 2008
There's nothing on offer in this album. Absolutely terrible effort. Do yourself a favour and buy a Supersuckers CD instead.

Raw, honest, foot-tapping fun, 07 Aug 2008
Like others, I saw the man on Jools Holland. I suppose the romantic in me loved the idea that this guy had experienced the lowest of the lows but had come through it all and was here playing his 3-string geetar live on the JH show. However, I liked what I heard and his enthusiasm for the blues was infectious. Okay, it's not as polished as the great blues musicians and he's not going to outdo Robert Cray for technical ability but just listen to the stories he tells and you'll be tapping your foot along. We all love to see people do well that have faced grim adversity and Seasick Steve provides a soulful, bizarre and honest approach to his version of the blues. So, stop being so cynical and give it a blast.

Modern Music, 25 Jul 2008
Contemporary music troubles me, Ive been listening to blues for years and suddenly someone "new" plays the same stuff thats been around for decades and its "cool."

If you want to listen to this kind of music, listen to delta blues: son house, robert johnson. This is pretty unoriginal...thats not to say he's not talented, but the founders of this music get no recognition but this guy does? it makes no sense.

Thank Heavens for Jules, 23 May 2008
I am another who saw the performance on Jools' show and yet another who was amazed. I am new to the Blues so forgive me if I can't liken it to anything else. As I listened to this I could imagine myself sat on some wooden porch on the edge of a swamp listening to some real homestrung blues. Very raw but very real and all with three strings. Amazing stuff. If you enjoy the blues this is highly recommended - all from such an unimposing figure - he really looks like he just turns up with his geetar, beat box and nothing else.

Stunned!, 13 Feb 2008
I first heard a bit of him on the Jools Holland show and decided to give the album a go. Well, what can I say? Absolutely fantastic! Never a big fan of old time blues but this is something different.

Suprised, 13 Feb 2008
I Picked this album up as a "wonder if this is any good".

Worth a Laugh, Bit Tom Petty Esk, Love it!

Stunning, evocative music., 14 Apr 2008
I'm not from the US, my family hail from Kashmir and I was born in the UK, grew up listening to punk rock but WOW! The soundtrack literally drips with the era and place it hails from; every time I hear a snippet I swear I can feel the heat and smell the wheat - so amazing!

Diverse selection of old-time music, 01 Jul 2005
The music here, like the film it provides the soundtrack for, is presumably intended to take us back to the thirties. Several songs from that era are featured along with traditional material that would have been popular then. Recorded mainly with state-of-the-art technology (except for some old recordings that are included and re-mastered), the sound quality is far superior to anything available in the thirties. Several different types of music can be found here - blues, gospel, country and folk - mainly performed by contemporary artists with a deep respect for tradition. I'll just pick out some of them although there are many excellent songs here.

Even Alison Krauss sticks firmly with tradition here - she often brings contemporary influences into her music these days but not here. Alison can be heard here on Down to the river to pray (as a solo singer), I'll fly away (providing harmony vocals for lead singer Gillian Welch) and Didn't leave nobody but the baby (joining Gillian and Emmylou in three-part harmony).

The inclusion of two Carter Stanley songs on a soundtrack such as this is predictable but welcome, with the Whites performing a superb version of the oft-recorded Keep on the sunny side, while the Peasall children (Hannah singing lead with Sarah and Leah providing harmony vocals) are in great form on In the highways. Children's recordings rarely impress me but this track does.

One song here that surprised me (though perhaps it shouldn't have) is Big rock candy mountain. It can be found on plenty of albums of children's songs, when it is invariably presented as an up-tempo song that children can (if they wish) sing along to. Here we get the original 1928 recording by Harry McLintock, who sings it at a more measured, reflective pace, showing that there is more to this song than I originally thought. I still prefer it as an up-tempo song generally but I'm glad I heard this version. I wonder what the Peasall sisters would have done with this song.

The Coen brothers clearly hoped that this soundtrack would provide a resurgence of interest in traditional music. While this soundtrack was a big commercial success, it seems that the majority of people who bought it (and continue to buy it) regard it as something of a novelty. Nashville record labels signed some traditional singers (Elizabeth Cook, though not featured here, is one that comes to mind) but they didn't get enough airplay on American country radio, so such artists were dropped and Nashville returned to its contemporary format. I'm sure that this soundtrack helped to win some new fans for traditional music, but not as many as the Coen brothers would like.

a lovely mix of traditional music, 04 Nov 2003
Performed by some of today's best singers, this multi-Grammy Award winner is a marvelous addition to any country/folk music collection. Some of these artists are at the top of their field, but some will be "discoveries" for most of us, like the beautiful rendition of "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" by Chris Thomas King, a versatile young man who is versed in many styles, and here sings in the old blues tradition and does it brilliantly.

The highlights for me are: The legendary Ralph Stanley, with his plaintive acappella chant of "O Death", which carries with it all the pain and soul of Appalachia, and the purity of "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys, who consist of Union Station member Dan Tyminsky on lead vocals and guitar, backed by Harley Allen and Pat Enright. For anyone who likes traditional music, you can't get any better than this.
Another acappella gem is "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby", with Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Gillian Welch harmonizing like an angels from another era. Everything on this disc recalls days gone by; there is a refreshing simplicity, and a lot of the songs are filled with faith.

There is exquisite musicianship on this CD, and it is a nice long one at 60'34 minutes. The booklet insert is something I appreciate too; it is a collage of yellowed stained paper on peeling walls, with a terrific layout, and as it says on one of its pages, "Old-Time Music Is Very Much Alive".

oh brother where art thou, 13 Jul 2002
first class traditional country and a bit of bluegrass. represents excelent value for money. so many good tracks its hard to pick one that shines above the rest.listen to YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE by norman blake if you are not tapping your toes then someone has nailed your feet to the floor.then there's I'm a man of constant sorrow-Soggy bottom boys Wow!then for a real treat try The Stanley Bros. Angel Band Traditional country at its best. many other great tracks from Alison Krauss the queen of country and the Whites with keep on the sunny side,backings are fantastic. This is one CD you won't be dissapointed with

GREAT ALBUM . . . BUT TRY BEFORE YOU BUY, 06 Jun 2002
Let me make one thing clear. "O Brother..." is one of my favourite films of all time. Not only that, but the musical soundtrack is one of its strongest features and stands as a valuable cultural document in its own right. In short, this is an album that anyone who loves country, bluegrass or folk music is likely to want in their collection.

So why, as I write, am I tossing up whether to only give it four stars? The answer is that I'm attempting to review it, not as a collector's item or a socio-historical document but as an album of music for repeated listening in the comfort of your own home. For that reason I'm not going to review the film rather than the album, as some reviewers here have done, because I don't assume that every listener is going to have the movie playing back in their heads as they listen to the music.

Rather, my comments are based on how this album will sound to someone who has picked up on the hearsay, or watched the Grammy ceremony, and is tempted to go out and buy this as a musical compilation. And in that setting, many listeners are going to be disappointed. The fact that a song has integrity, emotion, historical importance or great musicianship doesn't automatically make it great entertainment.

There are some standout contributions: The title song is long-term loveable (although why four different renditions of the tune are needed on the album is a mystery - a couple of the "period" instrumental versions which work well on the movoe soundtrack are somewhat less successful as pure listening music. Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch are as usual faultless. Ralph and the other Stanleys are devastating. But how many times will you want to listen to the 4+ minutes of prison chant that opens the album? Or the squeaky kiddy song (the Peasalls)? Or the ancient ditties like "Big Rock Candy Mountain"? After a couple of spins, you may find yourself reaching for the skip button more than is comfortable.

I'm not really knocking this record - in a sense it's a masterpiece. And it's rightly selling by the millions. But if you haven't seen the film I'd give it a whirl in the listening booth before you part with your cash.

More to come...., 11 Nov 2008
I agree with Kevan - this is just the first of three box sets, apparently and very fine it is too. It's a bit frustrating knowing that there are 15 CDs worth of programmes out there and only 9 will get an official release.The sound quality is great and has obviously been cleaned up from the original acetates - unfortunately, most of the chat from the shows has been taken out and that's the big loss, for me with this set, because it provides a fascinating insight into the band dynamic of the Driftin' Cowboys.

I'd give it more than 5 out of 5 too, but for the missing bits there'll still be people trawling the dark recesses of the internet...!

A Truly Wonderful Release!, 30 Oct 2008
I feel bad giving this box set 5 stars - it honestly deserves more!!

These recordings really are the holy grail for country music fans (though they might be called 'unreleased' but if you know where to look they've been available via the internet for years!). It's hard to fault it (well, I can actually but I'll come to that later) - a marvellous selection of songs, some well known in other versions but the majority not previously available; very nice packaging, far better than the earlier "Complete Hank Williams", with a great booklet; and with a sound quality, on the whole, that is quite astonishing considering these tracks were records in a radio studio over 50 years ago.

If I have one complaint it's the fact that each discs only runs for slightly under an hour - knowing that there is a lot more material from these sessions, it's a shame each disc wasn't filled to bursting! But it's a minor thing - 56 recordings from a time when Hank was at the height of his career is still a real treat!

So it's SEVEN stars for Hank!!

The best of Johnny Cash captured on one CD, 22 Sep 2008
At first I was skeptical of the whole Johnny Cash is a great musician/songwriter, and thought it was oldie country music for the oldies to reminisce about, and say how they never make music like they used to; that was until I was given this CD to try after seeing the film based upon his life.

Johnny Cash is without doubt a very clever songwriter/commentator with catchy 2-3min songs that reveal a story with very poignant and/or witty poetry set to music you'll hum along to after very few listens. Clear examples of this can be found in songs such as 'A boy named Sue' and 'San Quentin.'

This album captures the highlights of his music career from the early songs right to the covers of modern artists - which he covers in his 'Cash sound' that I feel are better than the originals.

If you are undecided, like I was, give it a try as you can always sell it on, but I am sure, you will not be disappointed.

True Legend, 28 Aug 2008
This is a great intro to new fans of Johnny Cash, a true icon whose music covered several generations.

When I first played it and the trumpets of Ring of Fire came on I wandered if I'd done the right thing ! The early tracks are pure 50s country, a complete contrast to the later U2/Depeche Mode covers/corroborations. There's something for everyone here but don't just buy it for the later stuff.

Cash has an amazing deep and warm voice, full of charisma and soul. It would have almost been worth being banged up in the notorious San Quentin to have seen him play live there. One of rock and roll's original bad boys, he lived his life and sang as he saw it.

For me and probably other non die-hard country fans, the later tracks probably have more appeal but I tend not to skip the early songs nowadays as they are mostly excellent. Personal Jesus is delivered deadpan but with so much meaning, a great interpretation of a classic. Hurt (Nine Inch Nails) could have been written about him, it has more emotion than any song I've ever heard and always sends a shiver down my spine. You can feel the "Hurt" in his voice as he mourns his late wife June Carter and no doubt voices the regrets of how he behaved to her and others during his pill popping years. It all comes out in spades and if it fails to move you, go and see the doctor to see if your heart is still beating....

Never owned a Cash record? This is where to start.


fantastic!, 15 Dec 2007
I'd never heard of Johnny Cash until this cd appeared in the cd player at work. Needless to say, it came home with me about a week later, and has been in my car ever since. There's something about johnny Cash that is totally mesmerising, & i'm even more hooked since watching walk the line, which is one of my favourite films. This deserves a place in every CD collection.

Top rate, 30 Oct 2007
If you can only afford one CD from the Man in Black, get this one. All the classics from the great man. Superb.

fine stuff , 29 Oct 2007

By sean paul mccann "mccanns23" (ireland) - See all my reviews


Johnny cash is a music icon,not just a country music icon but a fully fledged music icon,his fame is hard to measure but he wouldnt be that far behind elvis ,after all they are from the same era,and while elvis passed away early,cash racked up nearly 50 years of success before he gave way to death in 2003,and this is a testament of his work,21 tracks spanning his career and all i may ever need of the mans work,that isnt meant to be a sign of disrespect,i just accept that this is the best of his work, and as i am not a c ountry fan ,i will leave it at this more than likely but what a collection.
Cash was a songwriter that loved telling a story,along with his barritone voice,it is all very simple,yet effective,he had a nact of drawing you in with the simplicity of it all,the backing band kept it simple yet distinctive,shuffling along with the sound of a train is what springs to mind.
All the classics are here,'ring of fire' opens proceedings,probably his most famous of songs,hard to beat indeed.The classics keep coming,its hard to skip a track,the songs are short and sweet,'thing called love' is simply magical,maybe one of my fave tracks.
Cash gained new fans with his american recordings releases which were produced by rick rubin,of slayer and now metallica fame,these included cover versions of bands that cash had little in common with such as soundgarden and nine inch nails and to a lesser extent u2,and this makes up the final quarter of the album and what a bunch of songs these are,lease of all being the haunting 'hurt',possibly the most real sounding song i have ever heard,you can feel the pain and the realisation that his time on earth was up,chilling and no wonder that trent who wrote the song for his band nine inch nails reported on hearing this that the song was no longer his,a great album to own and cherish.

On first thought, the idea of the Man in Black recording such covers as "Bridge over Troubled Water", "Danny Boy" and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" might seem odd, even for an artist who's been able to put his personal stamp on just about everything. But The Man Comes Around, which also draws on Cash's original songs as well as those by Nine Inch Nails ("Hurt"), Sting ("I Hung My Head") and Depeche Mode ("Personal Jesus"), may be one of the most autobiographical albums of the 70-year-old singer-songwriter's career. Nearly every tune seems chosen to afford the ailing giant of popular music a chance to reflect on his life, and look ahead to what's around the corner. From the opening track--Cash's own "The Man Comes Around", filled with frightening images of Armageddon--the album, produced by Rick Rubin, advances a quiet power and pathos, built around spare arrangements and unflinching honesty in performance and subject. In 15 songs, Cash moves through dark, haunted meditations on death and destruction, poignant farewells, testaments to everlasting love, and hopeful salutes to redemption. He sounds as if he means every word, his baritone-bass, frequently frayed and ravaged, taking on a weary beauty. By the time he gets to the Beatles' "In My Life", you'll very nearly cry. Go ahead. He sounds as if he's about to, too. --Alanna Nash

Seasick Steve - The man, the hat, the beard and the music., 20 Nov 2008
I first saw / heard Seasick Steve (Steve Wold) on Jools Holland's 'Later' TV show on the BBC a couple of years ago. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when he appeared on my TV screen. He looked more like a busker than a star in the making, but by the time he had finished his song, I was a fan, along with thousands of others who saw him that night. In short, he blew us all away. He was on the show again recently in order to publicise this new album and guess what, he blew us away again! The star performer.

This album is probably the result of Steve's first appearance on Jools' show and it would seem that Mr Holland has to some degree provided a guiding hand or least support, in it's making...the presence of Ruby Turner (A regular performer with Jools' band) on the track 'Happy Man', being one example.

Any fan of Steve will love the album. It's classic Steve from start to finish and will have you foot stomping and finger tapping as the maestro does what he does best. The slower, more reflective tracks are excellent as well and provide a good contrast with the livelier numbers. All of them come from a man who has clearly lived a full and eventful life, acquiring a collection of tales and some wisdom along the way.

To be honest, I didn't realise just how good Steve was until I listend to this album. In an ocean of musical mediocrity, thank goodness that people like Seasick Steve have deployed the lifeboats and invited the rest of us to come aboard to escape the boring banality of what lurks in the singles charts these days.

Buy the album. Enjoy and treasure it.


Get the blues, 12 Nov 2008
Some people have got quite wound up about this guy being popular when there are lots of other "real" blues artists who deserve more attention... I'm no expert, but Seasick Steve's music seems fairly authentic and it's a good listen. The spoken introductions are a little annoying after a while, though, (to me, at least). Maybe he'll lead people on to other sorts of blues, which has to be a good thing. And if you like this, can I recommend you give Chris Whitley a try?

loved it, 10 Nov 2008
I will be honest, this popped up on my screen as an "other people have bought this" recommendation from Amazon, and I bought it on the strength of other curstomer reviews and mainly for the title - I really wanted this CD on my shelf.
I have just listened to it for the first time - and you know what? It is excellent, I love it. Strongly recommended.

Not the down dirty boogie I was hoping for, but still good., 04 Nov 2008
I bought this album like many others I guess, after catching steve on Jools Holland and watching some live performances on youtube.
I was a little dissapointed, now dont get me wrong, I'm not slamming this album, its very good, with some nice songs and polished production values, and therein lies the problem for me, this didnt sound like the stuff I heard elsewhere, its.. sanitized? It doesent seem to have the raw enrgy and refreshing simplicity, there are drums and percussion and backing singers and apart from a couple of exceptions these are mostly laid back gentle tunes. I REALLY found myself hoping the next song would turn out to be a dirty foot stomping down home blues boogie affair, but this never happened. I realise that the whole point to music is the constant evoloution and it never stays the same but it would have been nice if it was a fifty fity split between polished material and the raw stuff.
This is a GOOD album but could have been so much more by putting less into it.

terrible, just terrible .., 30 Oct 2008
There's nothing on offer in this album. Absolutely terrible effort. Do yourself a favour and buy a Supersuckers CD instead.

Raw, honest, foot-tapping fun, 07 Aug 2008
Like others, I saw the man on Jools Holland. I suppose the romantic in me loved the idea that this guy had experienced the lowest of the lows but had come through it all and was here playing his 3-string geetar live on the JH show. However, I liked what I heard and his enthusiasm for the blues was infectious. Okay, it's not as polished as the great blues musicians and he's not going to outdo Robert Cray for technical ability but just listen to the stories he tells and you'll be tapping your foot along. We all love to see people do well that have faced grim adversity and Seasick Steve provides a soulful, bizarre and honest approach to his version of the blues. So, stop being so cynical and give it a blast.

Modern Music, 25 Jul 2008
Contemporary music troubles me, Ive been listening to blues for years and suddenly someone "new" plays the same stuff thats been around for decades and its "cool."

If you want to listen to this kind of music, listen to delta blues: son house, robert johnson. This is pretty unoriginal...thats not to say he's not talented, but the founders of this music get no recognition but this guy does? it makes no sense.

Thank Heavens for Jules, 23 May 2008
I am another who saw the performance on Jools' show and yet another who was amazed. I am new to the Blues so forgive me if I can't liken it to anything else. As I listened to this I could imagine myself sat on some wooden porch on the edge of a swamp listening to some real homestrung blues. Very raw but very real and all with three strings. Amazing stuff. If you enjoy the blues this is highly recommended - all from such an unimposing figure - he really looks like he just turns up with his geetar, beat box and nothing else.

Stunned!, 13 Feb 2008
I first heard a bit of him on the Jools Holland show and decided to give the album a go. Well, what can I say? Absolutely fantastic! Never a big fan of old time blues but this is something different.

Suprised, 13 Feb 2008
I Picked this album up as a "wonder if this is any good".

Worth a Laugh, Bit Tom Petty Esk, Love it!

Stunning, evocative music., 14 Apr 2008
I'm not from the US, my family hail from Kashmir and I was born in the UK, grew up listening to punk rock but WOW! The soundtrack literally drips with the era and place it hails from; every time I hear a snippet I swear I can feel the heat and smell the wheat - so amazing!

Diverse selection of old-time music, 01 Jul 2005
The music here, like the film it provides the soundtrack for, is presumably intended to take us back to the thirties. Several songs from that era are featured along with traditional material that would have been popular then. Recorded mainly with state-of-the-art technology (except for some old recordings that are included and re-mastered), the sound quality is far superior to anything available in the thirties. Several different types of music can be found here - blues, gospel, country and folk - mainly performed by contemporary artists with a deep respect for tradition. I'll just pick out some of them although there are many excellent songs here.

Even Alison Krauss sticks firmly with tradition here - she often brings contemporary influences into her music these days but not here. Alison can be heard here on Down to the river to pray (as a solo singer), I'll fly away (providing harmony vocals for lead singer Gillian Welch) and Didn't leave nobody but the baby (joining Gillian and Emmylou in three-part harmony).

The inclusion of two Carter Stanley songs on a soundtrack such as this is predictable but welcome, with the Whites performing a superb version of the oft-recorded Keep on the sunny side, while the Peasall children (Hannah singing lead with Sarah and Leah providing harmony vocals) are in great form on In the highways. Children's recordings rarely impress me but this track does.

One song here that surprised me (though perhaps it shouldn't have) is Big rock candy mountain. It can be found on plenty of albums of children's songs, when it is invariably presented as an up-tempo song that children can (if they wish) sing along to. Here we get the original 1928 recording by Harry McLintock, who sings it at a more measured, reflective pace, showing that there is more to this song than I originally thought. I still prefer it as an up-tempo song generally but I'm glad I heard this version. I wonder what the Peasall sisters would have done with this song.

The Coen brothers clearly hoped that this soundtrack would provide a resurgence of interest in traditional music. While this soundtrack was a big commercial success, it seems that the majority of people who bought it (and continue to buy it) regard it as something of a novelty. Nashville record labels signed some traditional singers (Elizabeth Cook, though not featured here, is one that comes to mind) but they didn't get enough airplay on American country radio, so such artists were dropped and Nashville returned to its contemporary format. I'm sure that this soundtrack helped to win some new fans for traditional music, but not as many as the Coen brothers would like.

a lovely mix of traditional music, 04 Nov 2003
Performed by some of today's best singers, this multi-Grammy Award winner is a marvelous addition to any country/folk music collection. Some of these artists are at the top of their field, but some will be "discoveries" for most of us, like the beautiful rendition of "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" by Chris Thomas King, a versatile young man who is versed in many styles, and here sings in the old blues tradition and does it brilliantly.

The highlights for me are: The legendary Ralph Stanley, with his plaintive acappella chant of "O Death", which carries with it all the pain and soul of Appalachia, and the purity of "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys, who consist of Union Station member Dan Tyminsky on lead vocals and guitar, backed by Harley Allen and Pat Enright. For anyone who likes traditional music, you can't get any better than this.
Another acappella gem is "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby", with Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Gillian Welch harmonizing like an angels from another era. Everything on this disc recalls days gone by; there is a refreshing simplicity, and a lot of the songs are filled with faith.

There is exquisite musicianship on this CD, and it is a nice long one at 60'34 minutes. The booklet insert is something I appreciate too; it is a collage of yellowed stained paper on peeling walls, with a terrific layout, and as it says on one of its pages, "Old-Time Music Is Very Much Alive".

oh brother where art thou, 13 Jul 2002
first class traditional country and a bit of bluegrass. represents excelent value for money. so many good tracks its hard to pick one that shines above the rest.listen to YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE by norman blake if you are not tapping your toes then someone has nailed your feet to the floor.then there's I'm a man of constant sorrow-Soggy bottom boys Wow!then for a real treat try The Stanley Bros. Angel Band Traditional country at its best. many other great tracks from Alison Krauss the queen of country and the Whites with keep on the sunny side,backings are fantastic. This is one CD you won't be dissapointed with

GREAT ALBUM . . . BUT TRY BEFORE YOU BUY, 06 Jun 2002
Let me make one thing clear. "O Brother..." is one of my favourite films of all time. Not only that, but the musical soundtrack is one of its strongest features and stands as a valuable cultural document in its own right. In short, this is an album that anyone who loves country, bluegrass or folk music is likely to want in their collection.

So why, as I write, am I tossing up whether to only give it four stars? The answer is that I'm attempting to review it, not as a collector's item or a socio-historical document but as an album of music for repeated listening in the comfort of your own home. For that reason I'm not going to review the film rather than the album, as some reviewers here have done, because I don't assume that every listener is going to have the movie playing back in their heads as they listen to the music.

Rather, my comments are based on how this album will sound to someone who has picked up on the hearsay, or watched the Grammy ceremony, and is tempted to go out and buy this as a musical compilation. And in that setting, many listeners are going to be disappointed. The fact that a song has integrity, emotion, historical importance or great musicianship doesn't automatically make it great entertainment.

There are some standout contributions: The title song is long-term loveable (although why four different renditions of the tune are needed on the album is a mystery - a couple of the "period" instrumental versions which work well on the movoe soundtrack are somewhat less successful as pure listening music. Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch are as usual faultless. Ralph and the other Stanleys are devastating. But how many times will you want to listen to the 4+ minutes of prison chant that opens the album? Or the squeaky kiddy song (the Peasalls)? Or the ancient ditties like "Big Rock Candy Mountain"? After a couple of spins, you may find yourself reaching for the skip button more than is comfortable.

I'm not really knocking this record - in a sense it's a masterpiece. And it's rightly selling by the millions. But if you haven't seen the film I'd give it a whirl in the listening booth before you part with your cash.

More to come...., 11 Nov 2008
I agree with Kevan - this is just the first of three box sets, apparently and very fine it is too. It's a bit frustrating knowing that there are 15 CDs worth of programmes out there and only 9 will get an official release.The sound quality is great and has obviously been cleaned up from the original acetates - unfortunately, most of the chat from the shows has been taken out and that's the big loss, for me with this set, because it provides a fascinating insight into the band dynamic of the Driftin' Cowboys.

I'd give it more than 5 out of 5 too, but for the missing bits there'll still be people trawling the dark recesses of the internet...!

A Truly Wonderful Release!, 30 Oct 2008
I feel bad giving this box set 5 stars - it honestly deserves more!!

These recordings really are the holy grail for country music fans (though they might be called 'unreleased' but if you know where to look they've been available via the internet for years!). It's hard to fault it (well, I can actually but I'll come to that later) - a marvellous selection of songs, some well known in other versions but the majority not previously available; very nice packaging, far better than the earlier "Complete Hank Williams", with a great booklet; and with a sound quality, on the whole, that is quite astonishing considering these tracks were records in a radio studio over 50 years ago.

If I have one complaint it's the fact that each discs only runs for slightly under an hour - knowing that there is a lot more material from these sessions, it's a shame each disc wasn't filled to bursting! But it's a minor thing - 56 recordings from a time when Hank was at the height of his career is still a real treat!

So it's SEVEN stars for Hank!!

The best of Johnny Cash captured on one CD, 22 Sep 2008
At first I was skeptical of the whole Johnny Cash is a great musician/songwriter, and thought it was oldie country music for the oldies to reminisce about, and say how they never make music like they used to; that was until I was given this CD to try after seeing the film based upon his life.

Johnny Cash is without doubt a very clever songwriter/commentator with catchy 2-3min songs that reveal a story with very poignant and/or witty poetry set to music you'll hum along to after very few listens. Clear examples of this can be found in songs such as 'A boy named Sue' and 'San Quentin.'

This album captures the highlights of his music career from the early songs right to the covers of modern artists - which he covers in his 'Cash sound' that I feel are better than the originals.

If you are undecided, like I was, give it a try as you can always sell it on, but I am sure, you will not be disappointed.

True Legend, 28 Aug 2008
This is a great intro to new fans of Johnny Cash, a true icon whose music covered several generations.

When I first played it and the trumpets of Ring of Fire came on I wandered if I'd done the right thing ! The early tracks are pure 50s country, a complete contrast to the later U2/Depeche Mode covers/corroborations. There's something for everyone here but don't just buy it for the later stuff.

Cash has an amazing deep and warm voice, full of charisma and soul. It would have almost been worth being banged up in the notorious San Quentin to have seen him play live there. One of rock and roll's original bad boys, he lived his life and sang as he saw it.

For me and probably other non die-hard country fans, the later tracks probably have more appeal but I tend not to skip the early songs nowadays as they are mostly excellent. Personal Jesus is delivered deadpan but with so much meaning, a great interpretation of a classic. Hurt (Nine Inch Nails) could have been written about him, it has more emotion than any song I've ever heard and always sends a shiver down my spine. You can feel the "Hurt" in his voice as he mourns his late wife June Carter and no doubt voices the regrets of how he behaved to her and others during his pill popping years. It all comes out in spades and if it fails to move you, go and see the doctor to see if your heart is still beating....

Never owned a Cash record? This is where to start.


fantastic!, 15 Dec 2007
I'd never heard of Johnny Cash until this cd appeared in the cd player at work. Needless to say, it came home with me about a week later, and has been in my car ever since. There's something about johnny Cash that is totally mesmerising, & i'm even more hooked since watching walk the line, which is one of my favourite films. This deserves a place in every CD collection.

Top rate, 30 Oct 2007
If you can only afford one CD from the Man in Black, get this one. All the classics from the great man. Superb.

fine stuff , 29 Oct 2007

By sean paul mccann "mccanns23" (ireland) - See all my reviews


Johnny cash is a music icon,not just a country music icon but a fully fledged music icon,his fame is hard to measure but he wouldnt be that far behind elvis ,after all they are from the same era,and while elvis passed away early,cash racked up nearly 50 years of success before he gave way to death in 2003,and this is a testament of his work,21 tracks spanning his career and all i may ever need of the mans work,that isnt meant to be a sign of disrespect,i just accept that this is the best of his work, and as i am not a c ountry fan ,i will leave it at this more than likely but what a collection.
Cash was a songwriter that loved telling a story,along with his barritone voice,it is all very simple,yet effective,he had a nact of drawing you in with the simplicity of it all,the backing band kept it simple yet distinctive,shuffling along with the sound of a train is what springs to mind.
All the classics are here,'ring of fire' opens proceedings,probably his most famous of songs,hard to beat indeed.The classics keep coming,its hard to skip a track,the songs are short and sweet,'thing called love' is simply magical,maybe one of my fave tracks.
Cash gained new fans with his american recordings releases which were produced by rick rubin,of slayer and now metallica fame,these included cover versions of bands that cash had little in common with such as soundgarden and nine inch nails and to a lesser extent u2,and this makes up the final quarter of the album and what a bunch of songs these are,lease of all being the haunting 'hurt',possibly the most real sounding song i have ever heard,you can feel the pain and the realisation that his time on earth was up,chilling and no wonder that trent who wrote the song for his band nine inch nails reported on hearing this that the song was no longer his,a great album to own and cherish.


We'll Meet Again..., 30 Oct 2008
If the Grim Reaper traded in his scythe and recorded an album of melancholic country guitar music this, one imagines, is what it would sound like. Johnny Cash's rich Fire N' Brimstone tones haven't diminished one bit despite his advancing years, but listen carefully and we now find it tinged with something soft and imperceptibly fragile. Something almost like regret (or relief) of a life lived through.

Cash is one of those rare artists that can take a song, any song, and turn it utterly on its head, allowing the dark stuff of life to ooze out and re-contextualize it in ways you'd never even considered. Just listen to his version of We'll Meet Again. It belongs right at the end of Dr Strangelove when all the nukes are going off and the whole world has gone to heck. There's something quite morbidly beautiful about both the utter resignation and sheer joy in his voice that we know deep down in our marrow that he is indeed going to a much better place and the loss truly is all ours.

Outstanding performance, 16 Aug 2008
Yes, Johnny Cash was obviously ailing when he performed these songs, no, it makes absolutely no difference. The power is there, the sheer aura of the man is there, his outstanding ability to take the simplest song and make it special. Yes, Trent Rezner 'took back' his song 'Hurt' at the Reading Festival but no, he hasn't entirely regained his crown. Johnny Cash's rendition of the song is still heartbreaking. It brought tears the first time I played it.
Brilliant album. Buy it. Love it. Treasure it. They don't come better than this.

The Man Comes Around, 15 Jul 2008
I can't understand the rave reviews given to this CD. As a fan of Johnny Cash since the mid-fifties with a huge collection of his recordings, I have to say this last one is, frankly embarrassing to listen to, because it is the "singing" of a dying old man, feeble and terribly out of tune.It should never have been made.With one exception, this applies to the other Rick Rubin recordings.
Let's face it, Johnny was never a great singer in the accepted sense, but was popular because of the wonderful way he put his music across, with that distictive voice and superb backing. His best stuff has to be the Sun and CBS recordings spanning 30 years from the mid-fifties to the mid-eighties, when he had youth on his side. They were truly great. I think there are two exceptionally good recordings from the "later" years though.They are "Classic Cash '88" (Mercury) - a stunner and the second volume of the American recordings with the backing of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers (Unchained). People new to his music should listen to those two for his best later stuff and of course,the Sun and CBS recordings "Walk The Line", "Ring Of Fire" and the countless others from that great 30 year period!

Fantastic, 09 Jul 2008
Being a 23 year old i am a big hip hop fan and have been since the age of about 10. I grew up on 60 music thanks to my parents and only ever really listen to it when my parents do. Since watching walk the line it opened my mind to country music and got me on to Mr cash.

Listening to hip hop,a lot of artists express there life through their music,but having bought this album this wins hands down. it is a truely fantastic album and as pour meaning from start to finish. No matter what your music type this album must be bought. He covers some great clasics and makes them his own.very talented man that as gave us some great songs. R.IP Jonny Cash

Go out and bye it, you will not be disappointed!

Honest, Insightful and Human , 10 Jun 2008
The five American Recordings comprise the most honest art I have found as a great man comes to terms with the human condition as his life builds to its close. If you add to them The Sound of Fury by Billy Fury you have the perfect bookends to the male life.

Ray Gill

Seasick Steve - The man, the hat, the beard and the music., 20 Nov 2008
I first saw / heard Seasick Steve (Steve Wold) on Jools Holland's 'Later' TV show on the BBC a couple of years ago. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when he appeared on my TV screen. He looked more like a busker than a star in the making, but by the time he had finished his song, I was a fan, along with thousands of others who saw him that night. In short, he blew us all away. He was on the show again recently in order to publicise this new album and guess what, he blew us away again! The star performer.

This album is probably the result of Steve's first appearance on Jools' show and it would seem that Mr Holland has to some degree provided a guiding hand or least support, in it's making...the presence of Ruby Turner (A regular performer with Jools' band) on the track 'Happy Man', being one example.

Any fan of Steve will love the album. It's classic Steve from start to finish and will have you foot stomping and finger tapping as the maestro does what he does best. The slower, more reflective tracks are excellent as well and provide a good contrast with the livelier numbers. All of them come from a man who has clearly lived a full and eventful life, acquiring a collection of tales and some wisdom along the way.

To be honest, I didn't realise just how good Steve was until I listend to this album. In an ocean of musical mediocrity, thank goodness that people like Seasick Steve have deployed the lifeboats and invited the rest of us to come aboard to escape the boring banality of what lurks in the singles charts these days.

Buy the album. Enjoy and treasure it.


Get the blues, 12 Nov 2008
Some people have got quite wound up about this guy being popular when there are lots of other "real" blues artists who deserve more attention... I'm no expert, but Seasick Steve's music seems fairly authentic and it's a good listen. The spoken introductions are a little annoying after a while, though, (to me, at least). Maybe he'll lead people on to other sorts of blues, which has to be a good thing. And if you like this, can I recommend you give Chris Whitley a try?

loved it, 10 Nov 2008
I will be honest, this popped up on my screen as an "other people have bought this" recommendation from Amazon, and I bought it on the strength of other curstomer reviews and mainly for the title - I really wanted this CD on my shelf.
I have just listened to it for the first time - and you know what? It is excellent, I love it. Strongly recommended.

Not the down dirty boogie I was hoping for, but still good., 04 Nov 2008
I bought this album like many others I guess, after catching steve on Jools Holland and watching some live performances on youtube.
I was a little dissapointed, now dont get me wrong, I'm not slamming this album, its very good, with some nice songs and polished production values, and therein lies the problem for me, this didnt sound like the stuff I heard elsewhere, its.. sanitized? It doesent seem to have the raw enrgy and refreshing simplicity, there are drums and percussion and backing singers and apart from a couple of exceptions these are mostly laid back gentle tunes. I REALLY found myself hoping the next song would turn out to be a dirty foot stomping down home blues boogie affair, but this never happened. I realise that the whole point to music is the constant evoloution and it never stays the same but it would have been nice if it was a fifty fity split between polished material and the raw stuff.
This is a GOOD album but could have been so much more by putting less into it.

terrible, just terrible .., 30 Oct 2008
There's nothing on offer in this album. Absolutely terrible effort. Do yourself a favour and buy a Supersuckers CD instead.

Raw, honest, foot-tapping fun, 07 Aug 2008
Like others, I saw the man on Jools Holland. I suppose the romantic in me loved the idea that this guy had experienced the lowest of the lows but had come through it all and was here playing his 3-string geetar live on the JH show. However, I liked what I heard and his enthusiasm for the blues was infectious. Okay, it's not as polished as the great blues musicians and he's not going to outdo Robert Cray for technical ability but just listen to the stories he tells and you'll be tapping your foot along. We all love to see people do well that have faced grim adversity and Seasick Steve provides a soulful, bizarre and honest approach to his version of the blues. So, stop being so cynical and give it a blast.

Modern Music, 25 Jul 2008
Contemporary music troubles me, Ive been listening to blues for years and suddenly someone "new" plays the same stuff thats been around for decades and its "cool."

If you want to listen to this kind of music, listen to delta blues: son house, robert johnson. This is pretty unoriginal...thats not to say he's not talented, but the founders of this music get no recognition but this guy does? it makes no sense.

Thank Heavens for Jules, 23 May 2008
I am another who saw the performance on Jools' show and yet another who was amazed. I am new to the Blues so forgive me if I can't liken it to anything else. As I listened to this I could imagine myself sat on some wooden porch on the edge of a swamp listening to some real homestrung blues. Very raw but very real and all with three strings. Amazing stuff. If you enjoy the blues this is highly recommended - all from such an unimposing figure - he really looks like he just turns up with his geetar, beat box and nothing else.

Stunned!, 13 Feb 2008
I first heard a bit of him on the Jools Holland show and decided to give the album a go. Well, what can I say? Absolutely fantastic! Never a big fan of old time blues but this is something different.

Suprised, 13 Feb 2008
I Picked this album up as a "wonder if this is any good".

Worth a Laugh, Bit Tom Petty Esk, Love it!

Stunning, evocative music., 14 Apr 2008
I'm not from the US, my family hail from Kashmir and I was born in the UK, grew up listening to punk rock but WOW! The soundtrack literally drips with the era and place it hails from; every time I hear a snippet I swear I can feel the heat and smell the wheat - so amazing!

Diverse selection of old-time music, 01 Jul 2005
The music here, like the film it provides the soundtrack for, is presumably intended to take us back to the thirties. Several songs from that era are featured along with traditional material that would have been popular then. Recorded mainly with state-of-the-art technology (except for some old recordings that are included and re-mastered), the sound quality is far superior to anything available in the thirties. Several different types of music can be found