Mixed Bag

Mixed Bag

Junior Brown’s 2001 album Mixed Bag provides an ideal balance between the artist’s tight-knit songwriting and his often-explosive guitar leads. When a virtuoso such as Brown steps forward to solo, there's always the possibility that his blinding facility will turn the playing sterile. That's not the case on “Guitar Man.” The solos are full of grit and spontaneity, touched as much by the spirit of Jimi Hendrix as Jimmy Bryant. Brown’s solos don’t simply function as fireworks; on “Catfish and Collard Greens,” they also provide texture and momentum. While Brown's a masterful instrumentalist, he's also a superlative craftsman when it comes to songwriting. While sidestepping the mantle of “neo-traditionalism,” Brown find new ways to invigorate the rural family values and steadfast attitudes of Ernest Tubb on originals like “Runnin’ With the Win,” “Hard Livin’ Hard," and “Grow Up America.” Toward the end there's a relaxed, naturalistic rendition of Tubb’s “Kansas City Blues,” providing another superb showcase for Brown’s stylish guitar. It almost functions as much as a vocalist as it does an instrument.

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