
The Holmes
Brothers
In The Spirit
Rounder
Since
its release in 1990, I've listened to The Holmes
Brothers' In The Spirit more than any other album
in my collection. I still fondly remember the evening
that I first put it in my CD player. By the time the last
cut, gospel stomper "Up Above My Head," was
through I was dancing around the room like a redeemed
sinner.
The Holmes Brothers (guitarist Wendall Holmes, bassist
Sherman Holmes and drummer Popsy Dixon) were known
primarily around their home base of New York City. It
took 20 years of gigs around the Big Apple before they
came to the attention of Rounder Records. Since that time
they've toured the U.S. and the world many times, have
released four more albums, and become one of the hottest
acts on the blues circuit.
In The Spirit was described as the meeting of
James Brown, Jimmy Reed, and The Mighty Clouds Of Joy.
Indeed, it's always been extremely difficult to
categorize The Holmes Brothers. What other blues band
would dare to tour and record with a pedal steel player?
You'll truly be "in the spirit" when
listening to this disk, as some of the better cuts are
the stirring gospel numbers "None But The
Righteous" and "Up Above My Head." Their
contrasting voices harmonize into a perfect mix. And the
Brothers can also get down on straight downhome blues, as
heard on the Jimmy Reed song "Baby, What You Want Me
To Do" and the ribald "Squeal Like An
Eel."
But nothing moves me more than hearing Popsy Dixon's
wonderful vocals on their covers of "When Something
Is Wrong With My Baby" and "Going Down
Slow." The man can go from a deep growl to a high
falsetto in just a few notes. It's enough to send shivers
up and down your spine!
If you missed this CD the first time around, don't
hesitate to add it to your collection right now.
- Bill Mitchell
|