Get Up! is an album that had to happen eventually; the question is why did it take so long? It unites two generations of bluesmen (Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite were born twenty-five years apart) and, in the process, demonstrates the universality of the blues idiom. Harper and Musselwhite first worked together in 1997 on a John Lee Hooker recording. It took them this long to find the time to record a full album together but, once they did, they clearly had a good time recording it. The resulting CD has a loose feel, yet they are also focused; jamming out some deep and hard blues.
On Get Up!, Harper and Musselwhite take us on a tour through the forms and possibilities of the blues. There’s everything from acoustic to hard rocking electric, from gospel to sexy romps, shuffle to boogie to slow jamming. Along the way, they demonstrate the power of the blues to communicate emotion. The driving John Lee Hooker beat and dark chords of “I’m In, I’m Out, I’m Gone” capture the implied evil in the song. The music of “I Don’t Believe a Word You Say” is flat out angry, almost punk, fitting the accusation of its lyrics, while “You Found Another Lover” is sad and soulful, catching the wistful disappointment of accepting betrayal. The haunting chords and subtle picking of “I Ride at Dawn” makes you feel the horror of impending war. On the other hand, “She Got Kick” is pure exuberance.
And so they take us through love, heartache and betrayal, politics, poverty and war. They cover most of the concerns of the blues, which are, of course, nothing less than the concerns of the human condition.
One recurring theme is the eternal battle between the earthy and the spiritual. They move directly from a tune like “She Got Kick” (should need no explanation) into “All That Matters Now,” a reflection on what’s ultimately important. “But we’re together,” Harper sings, “That’s all that matters now.” Of course, those lyrics could refer to either God or a woman. This just emphasizes the tension between the two. They utilize this technique several times, especially on “I’m In I’m Out I’m Gone;” is it the tale of a manipulative man, or the Devil himself? Another way they push this tension is in a mismatch of styles. Some of the most spiritual songs, like “I’m In I’m Out and I'm Gone," rock the hardest, while a gospel tinged tune such as “We Can’t End This Way,” deals with the earthly concerns of poverty and economic inequity. Again, demonstrating the versatility of the form.
Get Up! is two bluesmasters feeding off each other, and creating a classic new dose of the music they love.
Artist:
www.getup.benharper.com/
www.charliemusselwhite.com/
www.facebook.com/benharper
www.twitter.com/BenHarper
Album:
Get Up! is out now. Buy it here on Amazon .
