Blues Masters, Vol. 18: More Slide Guitar Classics

This collection in the ever-expanding Blues Masters series is the second to feature slide guitar work, and it picks up quite a few essential tunes that were missed on the first go-round. Among others, this includes Muddy Waters performing a low-key version of "I Can't Be Satisfied," Elmore James going nice and slow on "The Sky Is Crying," Blind Willie Johnson's fire-and-brimstone voice (which at times overwhelms his guitar playing) on "I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole," and Son House's excellent "Death Letter." And there are plenty of other artists represented here as well; Hound Dog Taylor with "Take Five," Earl Hooker with "Wah Wah Blues," Johnny Winter with "Dallas," and even Chuck Berry makes an appearance with "Blues for Hawaiians." There's probably nothing here that the die-hard blues fan hasn't heard before, but it's an excellent cross-section of the blues in general and slide guitar in particular, a technique that's almost unrivalled in terms of its sheer expressive power. --Genevieve Williams

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