Delta Hardware
Shot through with attitude, the songs on Delta Hardware feel rough-hewn and tough, just as they should for a guy "born in Mississippi [and] raised up in Tennessee". Charlie cuts loose a good time in Clarksdale, pipes up for the downtrodden, and gives a lover the ol' heave-ho. This is raw, passionate music from a howlin' blues legend who's still invigorated by a youthful spirit.
It's Charlie's mix of wild country abandon seasoned by years of playing urban electric blues in Chicago that spurs the likes of Ben Harper, Tom Waits and Gov't Mule to welcome Musselwhite onto their stages and records. That same brash, blues/rock rebel vibe was Dan Aykroyd's inspiration for his Elwood Blues persona, and it's what has won Musselwhite a pile of blues awards and earned the admiration and respect of his own heroes: Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters ? John Lee was even the best man at Charlie's wedding.
Pulled, like the albums of R. L. Burnside and the North Mississippi Allstars, out of the storied Mississippi Delta and Hill Country, Delta Hardware is a mixture of songs written over the past few years and ideas fleshed out in the studio, and includes a new twist on the longtime live staple, Clarksdale Boogie. True to the blues as an expression of a range of honest emotions and stories, Delta Hardware ranges from upbeat jewels like the party track Church Is Out to more socially conscious songs like Black Water and The Invisible Ones. With the latter two tracks, inspired by the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, Charlie paints a stark, honest tribute to those suffering in and around New Orleans and in his home state: "Old black water lappin' at your back door/Hello America, better get ready for more/Trouble, trouble all around here/ just too tired to shed one tear/ Black Water/ It's a sign of our times."
"Things just seem to be falling apart," Musselwhite says. "And I think people are waking up to that. I think people are starting to see that there's something really rotten going on." Admittedly, the political arena is an odd and uncomfortable arena for him to step into. "I don't want to be offensive to anybody. I respect everybody and their opinion, and I hope they respect mine."
Backed by his touring band, Musselwhite, now based in Sonoma County, California, lends his guitar skills to one track on Delta Hardware and otherwise just goes stompin, blowin' and shouting his way through the album's 10 tracks. The album walks the line between rock and electric country blues, sometimes playing it straight, sometimes taking new turns. On Clarksdale Boogie, he offers up a virtual mantra for his life behind his first-ever use of a drum and bass loop: "Meet me where they play good blues." The crowd noise in this track is sampled from a night at Red's juke joint in Clarksdale.
With Delta Hardware, Musselwhite says simply, "I'm keepin' it real. For the listener, I hope it's like a journey, I hope each tune takes 'em to another little place, and I hope at the end they're glad they went."
Reviews
Delta Hardware - Nominated for 2007 Blues Music Award
Charlie Musselwhite uses familiar blues devices in unfamiliar ways on Delta Hardware. He reaches back to his roots for inspiration, but this is no nostalgia record....The traditional elements in these songs could have led to pleasant, fun, but obvious music. Here, it feels fresh and vital. This is still the blues, but not in all the obvious ways.
“Church is Out,” nominated for Song of the Year, is a fabulous opening sermon in the newest chapter of the Charlie Musselwhite ministry. It combines a massive guitar riff with an indifferent vocal evoking “Sultans of Swing”-era Mark Knopfler. That dominating riff rings large enough and loud enough to make Keith Richards jealous....The masterwork of Delta Hardware is the shadowy "Black Water." This track is an example of the power that is generated when music and lyric blend perfectly. The amplified effects on Musselwhite's mournful harp make it sound like it was recorded underwater. The murky sound of Chris 'Kid' Andersen's skillful touch adds another layer to the haunting, mysterious atmosphere. Musselwhite's laid back vocal allows his harp duel with Andersen's guitar to provide the emotional center to these words of apocalyptic warning.
Delta Hardware is a lean, muscular record without filler — ten songs, 40 minutes...This is a basic harmonica, guitar, bass, drum configuration but producer Chris Goldsmith assists the players in finding great tones and effects for the instruments. In addition to the sonic variety in the instrumental texture, Musselwhite's vocal attack is also varied, running the gamut between gritty and detached. The performances and production achieve a level of excellence rarely heard these days.
All straight, natch'l blues
Musselwhite and band rock, but they rock not like rockers but like blues-soaked veterans of lowdown barroom and sweat-stained dancehall... If you haven't heard the blues served Musselwhite style, Delta Hardware is where to go for your first helping. I expect that you'll be back for more.
The F&M Playlist "Church Is Out"
From his latest album Delta Hardware, this is stomping R&B from surely the best blues harmonica player in the business. The angry Black Water (his take on Katrina and New Orleans) sounds pretty good, too.
Plumb full of harder rockin’ Blues
One of the world’s greatest living Blues harp players has just released his 35th album. Delta Hardware will be little surprise to the legions of fans who firmly support this great artist. Those who are familiar with the 1967 release of “Stand Back” will recognize the harder edge on this one. This release is plumb full of harder rockin’ Blues. The songs deal with everyday challenges as well as the joys of life. ...With “Hardware” Musselwhite returns to a style that has always been a hit with many. This is a raw and passionate display of Delta Blues from a man who still has a youthful spirit despite his many years touring and performing. The upbeat party track, “Church is Out” is tempered with the Hurricane Katrina inspired “Black Water” and “The Invisible Ones”. It’s about as political but it’s honest, from the heart, music. Ever the gentleman Charlie says “I don't want to be offensive to anybody. I respect everyone and their opinions, and I hope they respect mine.”
His Very Best Yet
Mr. Charlie Musselwhite has been one of my favorite blues harmonica player for over 20 years now and his new cd, "Delta Hardware", is possibly his VERY BEST yet. In fact, "Delta Hardware" is the best cd from Charlie since "Ace of Harps" that he did on Alligator Records many years back. Charlie Musselwhite has gotten back to his very deepest roots on this new cd, and his tone on the harp is his best yet. In the past few years Charlie has gotten into latin rythms etc and I am so glad to see him back playing the soulfull blues music that he excels at. Charlie has got that fat/rich tone on the harp this time around that he had on "Ace of Harps", but EVEN better, it just wants to explode. He is a musician that is not content relying on past deeds, he is improving and taking his playing to the next level!
Some of the best blues tracks of the year
A great blues album by a classic blues veteran... The playing is tight and crisp, and radical politics accompanied by awesome solos. Uh, hell yeah.
An outstanding addition to his illustrious career
Charlie Musselwhite is a unique artist who continues to broaden his horizons with each new offering. "Delta Hardware" is a prime example, and well worth adding to your collection!
A raw and rugged return to basics
If there are any blues fans who don't consider Charlie Musselwhite deserving of a spot in the pantheon of great blues harmonica players, Delta Hardware will serve as strong evidence that they should reconsider. Musselwhite's latest release, his second for Real World, is a raw and rugged return to basics, as he serves up ten powerful tracks of stripped-down blues and boogie.... Hard as it may be to believe, Charlie Musselwhite's been putting out some great blues for 40 years (and over 30 albums) and is continuing to raise the bar with each release.
