Review by Matt Fink
Adding ten bonus tracks to the original release, 1995's This Ain't No Rock N' Roll is an impressive, extensive collection of the later work of Mississippi Fred McDowell. Though he uses a backup band consisting of second guitar, bass, and drums, the majority of the tracks simply feature McDowell unaccompanied, showing off his masterful bottleneck guitar skills. The material here documents a rather transitional period for the artist, as he was using electric instruments and expanding his repertoire to include some traditional songs which he was rediscovering. To be sure, a good deal of the material is of traditional origin, with "Levee Camp Blues," "When the Saints Go Marching In," and "Dankin's Farm." Covering over 75 minutes and 18 tracks, this is a pretty complete picture of where McDowell was in the late '60s.
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Late in his career, legendary country bluesman Mississippi Fred McDowell (1906–1972) would often begin his performances by saying he didn’t “play no rock an’ roll,” playing instead the “natural blues.” Although he was known for his acoustic bottleneck guitar sound, this 1969 recording features McDowell on amplified guitar in two different settings: in a studio environment and at Arhoolie Records founder Chris Strachwitz’s house. In both sessions, McDowell amply demonstrates that the “natural blues” can be played on an amplified guitar.