...With well over a century in its past, the blues as a genre has been given a considerable workout. Aside from being the root of jazz, R&B and bluegrass, the style has had a profound influence on rock music just as much as Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. This is most likely due to its easily accessible format, which is based in a simple chord progression that provides the basis for haunting vocals and gut-wrenching solos to be added over. Thus, in 2008 it would seem nearly impossible to use the blues as a means of creating music that is original and vibrant, given the vast ground it has already covered...
...The album’s best track comes very late in the proceedings in the form of a soul-teased shaker called "Smilin’.” All the best elements of Sam & Dave, Otis Redding and The Isley Brothers come into the mix here and, when mixed with Ford’s guitar and Bill Barrett’s harmonica, gel into eight minutes of pure perfection. This song actually defies the listener not to move to its groove and will no doubt be a staple of any live set performed by Ford from this point on...
P.S. И как это у Марка получается - второй год подряд такие великолепные записи...