Clocking in at a meager 24 minutes,
Mississippi River Delta Blues
is a cheap, randomly assembled compilation of some of
John Lee Hooker
's sessions from the '40s and '50s. There are no liner notes to explain the provenance of these selections, and with the exception of
"Please Don't Go,"
none of them are what would be considered "hits" (there's no
"Boogie Chillun"
here), but it's also true that none of them are the least bit unlistenable. Compared to the polished material
Hooker
delivered later on in his career (replete with slick production and high-profile guest stars), this is still a welcome reminder that, at one point,
was one of the most proudly crude, unfiltered bluesmen of his time.
"I'm Gonna Kill That Woman,"
for instance, still sounds just as brutal now as it did back when it was recorded. There are far more comprehensive
compilations to start with, but for a quick cheap fix, this will do in a pinch. ~ Victor W. Valdivia