Hard Time Killing Floor Blues was the first session
Skip James recorded following his rediscovery by
John Fahey and
Henry Vestine in the mid-'60s. Though he had not played the blues for more than 20 years, his skills were largely undiminished, and he turns in a fantastic set here.
James was the pinnacle of the Bentonia (Mississippi) sound, which combines complex fingerpicking with falsetto vocals, resulting in somewhat spooky-sounding strain of blues.
James reprises several of his 1931 Paramount sides on this session, as well as a couple new tunes that chronicle the illnesses of
James' latter days. Anyone with a passing interest in acoustic blues should own some
James. This set would make a great starting point, especially for those who don't take well to the surface noise that can accompany his '30s sessions. The new mastering here sounds rich and warm. Highly recommended. [This set was previously released as Biograph 122, with a different running order.]