Garage Radio Magazine

Jimmy Thackery With The Cate Brothers: In The Natural State


Genre: Blues
Label: Rycodisc 

“Got to keep movin’/stay a step ahead of you...” sings veteran bluesman Jimmy Thackery. Perhaps he’s heading to his hideout in the Ozark mountains. Thackery, the former Washington, DC based Nighthawks guitar ace, has enlisted pals the Cate Brothers to produce In The Natural State, an aptly titled album referencing both geographic location and musical approach.

“Out Of Mississippi” is a perfect album opener. It’s a well mixed blend of guitar, bass, drums, piano and voice that drives a hard swinging ode to leaving the past behind. The song is built on verses of standard I IV V blues spliced with Hendrix inspired pentatonic riffage breakdowns with hot guitar solos. 

“Arky Shuffle” is an up-tempo blues jam that further displays Thackery’s talent for guitar soloing while “I Got A Rich Man’s Woman” recalls Thackery’s mentor Muddy Waters. It’s a slow low-down lament on spending money to keep his woman satisfied. His biting slide guitar solos cry like a penniless hobo. 

The album’s highlight may be “Levee Prayer,” a commentary on Hurricane Katrina. It paints a picture of flood waters that have already risen, flowing gently over a devastated city below. The sparse instrumentation and shimmering guitar work take a back seat to Thackery’s lyrical appeal to a higher power. Thackery changes it up throughout In The Natural State, following “Levee Prayer” with the soulful “Ain’t That A Lot Of Love” and the delicate “I’ll Come Running Back To You.” 

Unlike some guitar slingers, Thackery’s songwriting is also top notch. The songs are good enough to be enjoyable without loads of elaborate guitar work. In this context, Thacker’s solos seem like a terrific bonus. His guitar work doesn’t overstay its welcome, which makes it all the more sweet when he really opens up. His soloing is undoubtedly blues based, but is often augmented with sliding octaves, blistering speed, fluttering textures, and whammy-bar plunges. He can play with snappy attitude or work out elaborate runs with hints of jazzy lyricism. 

I like pretty much everything about this album. The last few cuts don’t stand out as brightly as the first two thirds of the album but there is a wide range of interesting guitar work, deep and dirty vocals, and, yes, good songs here. Jimmy Thackery is an old pro at this game and it’s evident he’s still having a great time. 

Added: October 29th 2006
Reviewer: Mike Pursley
Score: 
Related Link: Visit Jimmy Thackery Online