J.B. Lenoir - If You Love Me (2004)

Artist: J.B. Lenoir
Title Of Album: If You Love Me
Year Of Release: 2004
Label: Universe Italy
Genre: Blues
Quality: flac
Art: scans
No.

Notes:
In retrospect, J.B. Lenoir's finest albums are the last two he recorded before his death in 1967, Alabama Blues (1965) and Down in Mississippi (1966) (both are combined on an absolutely essential single disc from Evidence called Vietnam Blues), which together outlined the path Lenoir hoped the blues would take. Stripped-down, acoustic, intelligent, and fiercely political, Lenoir's final recordings are a far cry (at least on first hearing) from his 1950s material collected here. Drawn from his 1951-1953 stay at JOB Records, his single year at Parrot Records (1954-1955), and his 1955 to 1958 tenure at Checker Records, If You Love Me shows a younger, looser Lenoir heavily under the influence of Jimmy Reed, albeit a bit more peppy. Lenoir's affinity for subtle, clever lyrics is evident on some of the songs here, including two of his best, "Mama Talk to Your Daughter," which is both humorous and poignant, and "Eisenhower Blues," which is bold and political, and everything skips along in a jittery blues boogie direction, given ballast by the twin saxophone work of Ernest Cotton (tenor) and Alex Atkins (alto). It adds up to some intriguing music, but lacks the hard, clear, and innovative vision of his final work, although it'll get your feet tapping, which is always the first step toward going somewhere new. ~ Steve Leggett


Tracklist:

1. Carrie Lee
2. Korea Blues
3. I'm in Korea
4. Eisenhower Blues [Take 1]
5. Elsenhower Blues
6. Mama, Talk to Your Daughter
7. Man, Watch Your Woman
8. Sittin' Down Thinkin'
9. Mama, Your Daughter's Going to Miss Me
10. What Have I Done
11. Give Me One More Shot
12. We Got to Realize (We Can't Go on This Way)
13. Fine Girls
14. I Lost My Baby
15. I'm Gonna Die Someday
16. Natural Man
17. Don't Dog Your Woman
18. Let Me Die With the One I Love
19. If I Give My Love to You
20. Everybody Wants to Know
21. If You Love Me
22. J.B.'s Rock
23. Low Down Dirty Shame