Hard Time Killing Floor Blues

• Artist: Skip James
• Rating:
• Release Date: July 15, 2003
• Genre: Blues

Review

Hard Time Killing Floor Blues was the first session Skip James recorded following his rediscovery by John Fahey and Henry Vestine in the mid-'60s. Though he had not played the blues for more than 20 years, his skills were largely undiminished, and he turns in a fantastic set here. James was the pinnacle of the Bentonia (Mississippi) sound, which combines complex fingerpicking with falsetto vocals, resulting in somewhat spooky-sounding strain of blues. James reprises several of his 1931 Paramount sides on this session, as well as a couple new tunes that chronicle the illnesses of James' latter days. Anyone with a passing interest in acoustic blues should own some James. This set would make a great starting point, especially for those who don't take well to the surface noise that can accompany his '30s sessions. The new mastering here sounds rich and warm. Highly recommended. [This set was previously released as Biograph 122, with a different running order.] ~ Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues	Skip James	Skip James	(3:28)
Sickbed Blues	Skip James	Skip James	(3:40)
Washington D.C. Hospital Center Blues	Skip James	Skip James	(4:19)
Devil Got My Woman	Skip James	Skip James	(6:20)
Illinois Blues	Skip James	Skip James	(3:41)
I Don't Want a Woman to Stay Out All Night Long	Skip James	Skip James	(4:45)
Cherry Ball Blues	Skip James	Skip James	(3:54)
Skip's Worried Blues	Skip James	Skip James	(4:22)
Cypress Grove Blues	Skip James	Skip James	(4:08)
Catfish Blues	Skip James	Skip James	(3:33)
Motherless & Fatherless	Skip James	Skip James	(4:08)
All Night Long	Skip James	Skip James	(4:55)

Credits

Skip James (Guitar (Acoustic)), Skip James (Vocals), Greg Allen (Art Direction), Greg Allen (Design), Arnold S. Caplin (Reissue Producer), Brett J. Bonner (Liner Notes), Michael Ochs (Photography), Shawn Amos (A&R)