Slick Ballinger - Mississippi Soul (CD)

All Music Guide

It's not meant as an insult to describe North Carolina born, Mississippibased blues singer and guitarist Slick Ballinger's vocal style as being in the tradition of old school blues queens like Big Maybelle, Big Mama Thornton or even Janis Joplin; it's merely an accurate description of the highpitched rasp this young man (barely 21 at the time of recording) has developed to deliver his take on electrified Delta blues. The vocals are by far the most interesting aspect of Mississippi Soul, which is otherwise a fairly undistinguished retread of the usual southofMemphis tropes. Saying that he makes blues standards like "You Don't Love Me" and Muddy Waters' "Rosalie" sound like originals is less a compliment to the offtherack generic quality of Ballinger's original songs than it is an indictment of Jim Gaines' onedimensional production and Ballinger's onetrickpony performing style. It's a shame, because Slick Ballinger is a truly interesting, original singer who could shine in the right co...ntext, but Mississippi Soul doesn't show him off at his slickest. - Stewart Mason, All Music Guide Read more Less