Reviews
Artist: Blind Boys Of Alabama
Album: Take The High Road
Label: Proper
Tracks: 13
Website:http://www.blindboys.com/
Take The High Road by Blind Boys of Alabama is, I have to confess, not my usual fare. I don't really do God, so I come to this as a bit of an outsider. I've always instinctively liked Gospel but get turned off it as soon as the G or J words come up. And at first listen I found it quite hard to get through the religious references in the lyrics on this CD. I have this weird sense that if I don't keep my guard up I'll suddenly find myself converted and start coming over all 'born again'. ('Stay strong Frank' - Ed)
But then you start to hear the pedigree of these guys, you listen to the quality of the singing and the production. Then you notice names like Willie Nelson and Hank Williams, Jr on the sleeve notes. And before long you're swaying and chirping along with them. This band was first formed in 1939 for Christ's sake! (No pun intended - or are they getting to me?) They've played for two US Presidents and have won 5 Grammys! And it shows! By the time I'd made it through to 'I Saw The Light' (probably my favourite) I was hooked and wanted to go back to the beginning to re-hear the earlier tracks I'd felt excluded from earlier. And it keeps getting better with each listen.
I had to overcome a tiny prejudice before I could get into this CD (I'm writing this on Good Friday, so maybe that helped too.) but I have to report that it was worth it. Turns out you can do Gospel and not have to do G or J!