Rory Block returns to a well of some two dozen haunting, unequivocal and profound blues songs recorded by Skip James for Paramount in 1931.

An album that starts with this sparks-flying slide, on a song called “Death Rattle,” isn’t fooling around. This, friends, will never be confused with fern-bar blues. That’s obvious, even before Cook opens his mouth to sing — in a voice that’s one part gravel, one part Jack Black and oneRead More