Press
February 04, 2008
Gutsy Country Blues
Texan Mosley plays dobro with stompboard percussion and steams his way through his debut album with gusto. Backed on occasional songs by harmonica, pedal steel and bass, it’s his gutsy picking and ballsy voice that stand out. Coming from territory inhabited by Ben Harper and to a lesser extent Rainer Ptacek, he plays a country blues that is dominated by percussive, slippery and mean slide guitar. His take on Son House’s Preachin’ Blues is as authentic as any modern version I’ve heard. Apart from three covers, the majority of the material is written by Mosley. “Leavin’ Here” has some sweet pedal steel (played by Chris Zaloom) which reminded me of Red Rhodes’ work with Mike Nesmith and is excellent. His vocals have a soulful, warm easy edge , never forced and flowing over a song like “Water Girl” as if Van Morrison had come from a sharecroppers’ farm. On “Deliver Me” however, the menace of the more devilish and dark blues tradition is handled equally well, although the comparison is slight, one is reminded here of the late Chris Whitley. The penultimate song, “Climbing the Floor” encapsulates the album, soulful, punchy and evocative. The album ends with a rendition of Amazing Grace which is taken at a fast pace as if the devil was indeed on his trail.
—Paul Kerr