Spencer Bohren - Carry the Word - by Art Tipaldi

The Boston Blues News | November - December, 2000

Spencer Bohren's spiritual side of acoustic blues is always a breath of fresh air.

Following his critically acclaimed Dirt Roads release, Bohren here records 11 primarily gospel based tunes. Backed by the dulcet voices of the Nott Brothers Quartet, Bohren opens the CD with "I Am a Pilgrim." The sweeping musical vista of "Bound for Glory," a.k.a. "This Train," rides the rails on Bohren's pure and simple vocal techniques and his spotless finger picking. His reference to "no Jim Crow riders" shows how spirituals like these were the rallying point of the Civil Rights movement. I haven't heard "Samson and Delilah" since the days of Peter, Paul and Mary. Bohren's version finds its power in the restraint he uses in his delivery. When Bohren adds Lemon Jefferson's darkly colored "One Kind Favor," he shows how close blues and gospel have always been. With his dark as a river bottom slide and vocal approach, Bohren takes Jefferson into a somber realm not often heard. "Gospel Plow" and "River Jordan" are as simple a pleasure as stars in the night air. The hand clappin' and slide guitar on "I've Been Delivered" centers the spirit in the pews of every cotton field church. He ends the service with a moving cover of "Amazing Grace." Often this comes with popular culture clutter.

Bohren's stripped down instrumental approach instead relies on the essence of his evocative slide to transport listeners into their spiritual meditations. "Beulah Land," with its offer of salvation "way beyond the blue," closes these musical sermons. Bohren has always been one of those who travels the roads of the spirit close to the taproot of American music.

For that dedication, I am always thrilled to hear his music.

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