Ray Wylie Hubbard
Eternal and Lowdown
Philo – 1222
Released – 2001
visit Ray's website
also available on amazon
This is Ray Wylie Hubbard’s blues album, though it is not blues in the traditional sense of 12 bar and 3 chord progressions. However it is blues in feel, which is far more important. There are elements of slow country blues to the soul styling from Memphis. It is the spoken blues of Woodie Guthrie and Bob Dylan, but Ray Wylie has always been of that school of songwriter/singer going back to his early days. The big kicker here is that he has enlisted the stellar assistance of Gurf Morlix as both producer and guitarist. Gurf’s guitar and production adds sound as if it is laid down in the desert with a windstorm ragin’ and the sandy grit permeating into every smallest crack and opening there is to be found or not. This, combined with the laconic/wry wit of Ray Wylie crafted songs provides a combination that seems so natural you wonder why it was never done before. We know that Ray is no longer imbibing as he did at one time and he has seen his path, but can also laugh at where he was. He is constantly taking a good hard look at that fine line between good and evil and is not afraid to approach it. Ray Wylie pens ten of the 11 songs, and he approaches that minute line and even straddles it fearlessly in this collection that further exposes his/our demons. But under all of it there is a beauty that shines through for the life we have.
Produced by Gurf Morlix
Songs, times, all written by Ray Wylie Hubbard except where noted
1 Three Days Straight – 3:35
2 The Sleep Of The Just 3:19
3 Mississippi Flush – 3:30
4 Sugar Cane – 4:06
5 Night Time – 3:49
6 Black Dog – 3:14 – Public Domain
7 Joyride – 2:39
8 Weevils – 2:31
9 Don’t Bother Asking Me – 3:45
10 Didn’t Have A Prayer – 4:00
11 After All These Years – 3:34
Musicians
Ray Wylie Hubbard – guitar, mandolin, lead vocals
Gurf Morlix – guitars, bass, organ (#4), mandolin, harmony vocals
Rick Richard – drums, percussion
Ian McLagan – Hammond B-3 organ through a Leslie (#s 2,7, 10)
Eamon McLoughlin – fiddle (#s4, 6, 8)
Jeff Plankhorn – Dobro (#6)
Martha Merriell – harmony vocal (#10)
Bryan Standefer – viola (#11)