Jimbo Mathus – Blue Light (2012)

Share this:

Perhaps best known as the leader of the now-defunct band Squirrel Nut Zippers, Jimbo Mathus is returns with a raw, ambitious six-song EP. Moving from stomping Southern rock (“Blue Light”) to dirt-road garage rock (“Haunted John”) to Stones-y white blues (“Fucked Up World”), then back again to a gospel-soaked country ballad (“Burn the Honky Tonk”), Mathus couldn’t be moving any further afield from his old band — which played something that might best be described as ragtime on steroids. Actually, though, Mathus has since been involved with a pair of Buddy Guy projects (Sweet Tea, and Blues Singer), the North Mississippi Allstars (Electric Blue Watermelon) and Luther Dickinson and the Sons of Mudboy (Onward and Upward). So, in a way, everything has been leading up to Mathus’ recent breakthroughs in Southern musical alchemy — a run of thrilling retro-roots triumphs that also includes 2011’s Confederate Buddha.Nick DeRiso

‘Half Notes’ are quick-take thoughts on music from Something Else! Reviews, presented whenever the mood strikes us.

[amazon_enhanced asin=”B008645XXG” container=”” container_class=”” price=”All” background_color=”FFFFFF” link_color=”000000″ text_color=”0000FF” /]

Nick DeRiso