Five Blind Boys Of Mississippi - Something To Shout About

Group vocals that leave you breathless

Still largely associated with the 50s golden age of gospel, many of these tracks are drawn from the Blind Boys’ 1950-59 period, when tenor Archie Brownlee was the lead vocalist. Their organ intros immediately give them a more churchy feel, while the songs vary from narrated sermonising to full vocalisations (as on the powerful Someone Watches).

Other tracks come from 1964, when the group’s lead tenor voice was Henry Johnson, a very fine replacement for Brownlee. These tracks have more elements of an R&B crossover, varying from Oh Why (doo wop balladeering at its best), to the fast and frantic group vocals, such as on Just A Little While. Each of these have something to commend them, whether it’s fleeting reminders of Sam Cooke, Johnson’s searing lead vocals, or the joy of the highly audible group background vocals that drive so many of them along.

4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars

Shout | 34

Reviewed by Kingsley Abbott
<< Back to Issue 338

Login Here