Search - Joe Louis Walker :: In the Morning

No bluesman so successfully segues from the secular to the sacred as singer-guitarist Joe Louis Walker, one of the genre's most complete artists. In the Morning continues the Walker tradition of providing a comprehensive catalog of blues styles and attitudes, from historic roots to contemporary innovations. Walker does some first-class soul-shouting while unleashing a succession of electrifying guitar lines on the propulsive, percussion-driven opener, "You're Just About to Lose Your Clown." He closes the album with "Strangers in Our House," a dark acoustic showcase about love gone cold that is the album's most extended selection, as well as its most compelling demonstration of the rich emotional resonance of his voice. The eight songs in between include everything from the bouncy "Joe's Jump" to the instant R&B classic "Leave That Girl Alone" to some soul-stirring gospel on "Where Jesus Leads." The guitar work, both electric and acoustic, is uniformly excellent in all contexts, including the esoteric Stones instrumental "2120 South Michigan Avenue" (the address of the legendary Chess Records studio). Walker's gospel background colors everything he sings, and his expansive guitar supplies emphasis without overwhelming the songs. --Michael Point