King of the Twelve-String Guitar is a stunning collection of sides and outtakes that Leadbelly recorded in the mid-’30s, not long after his release from Louisiana’s notorious Angola prison. It leans heavily on the artist’s blues material: hard times, endless gambling, and fast women. “Honey, I’m All Out and Down” is a spellbinding example of how his ominous voice tore into verse. Significantly more tender is “Daddy I’m Coming Back to You,” a subtle reworking of a Jimmie Rodgers number that shows off Leadbelly’s versatility.