Hill Country Love
Cedric Burnside sounds relaxed and assured on Hill Country Love. His blues keeps enough roughness to make an immediate impression, with plenty of warmth as well. The guitar does not need an enormous part to carry a song. A good pattern and a clear rhythm often do the most important work.
I Know opens firmly, with Patrick Williams's harmonica making the sound sharper. The title track then chooses a looser, funky movement. Burnside's singing and the drums keep it simple and catchy. That combination of raw tone and an easy rhythm is one of the record's strengths.
Juke Joint also trusts a clear riff and a voice with character. The music needs few detours to be convincing. Closer gives a more personal, spiritual subject a strong groove. The performance keeps the song close without using a large arrangement to underline the words.
Later, Smile shows how much difference the bass can make. Luther Dickinson's funky part gives the music a lighter movement. Funky takes that direction further. These are clear departures which fit the rest of the album because rhythm remains more important than extra decoration.
Repetition belongs to this music, but also defines its limits. Not every song opens new ground, and some riffs and vocal lines work in similar ways. The record makes more sense when you follow the small changes in playing and delivery than when you expect another surprise at every turn.
Burnside answers that with strong performances and a distinctive sound. Hill Country Love stays rooted in the blues he grew up with while making room for funk and a lighter mood. The songs feel personal and unforced. The record makes its case through how lively a familiar approach can remain when the playing is this convincing.
