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Southbound

Doc Watson - Southbound Audio CD

A fair review of the Doc Watson "Southbound" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Doc Watson reviews here, or go back to the Doc Watson tabs.

Band: Doc Watson
Title: Southbound
Rating:

Release Date: 1990-10-25
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Walk on Boy 2: Blue Railroad Train 3: Sweet Georgia Brown [Instrumental] 4: Alberta 5: Southbound 6: Windy and Warm [Instrumental] 7: Call of the Road 8: Tennessee Stud 9: That Was the Last Thing on My Mind 10: Little Darlin' Pal of Mine 11: Nothing to It [Instrumental] 12: Riddle Song 13: Never No Mo' Blues 14: Nashville Pickin' [Instrumental]

Bluegrass Essential
In many senses, these are great. While we are in the midst of a belated folk revival, a number of compilations of this bluegrass master's work have been produced. But if your funds are limited and you want the best Doc Watson studio session, or one representative CD - you've found it.

Made by Vanguard, back in the days when the coherence of moods on a record had something to do with its acceptance, Southbound is not only a dazzling glissade of pickin' (esp. the title cut) - but is a recording with atmosphere, and well, wisdom.

Most everyone loves the oft covered "Tennessee Stud" - most haunting, however, is "Call of the Road" which, like Dylan's "Lonesome Hobo", cuts to the core. My only critique here is that Watson is almost too polished a musician too ever convey the raw side of emotion (although he can evoke the depths) - the rawness which everyone of those classic delta blues people effortlessly project. Yet, in its own right, Southbound endures as one of the true monuments of folk. Profound, moving, plain song, in the best sense of the word, with as many shifts in mood and feeling as there are in the day.
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Six Star, an historic and controversial album you need it
I remember the shock it engendered as well as the smiles. I can remember the controversy this album caused when I bought it in the summer of 1967 was it? I remember taking up to play it at the home of a great fiddler with the banjo player in our band (I was what passed for a guitarist then). Then I remember 15 minutes ago, still disputing its importance and reference to the history of folk music collection and production on an e-mail list composed of world-class scholars and pickers of this kind of music. If you don't have it, buy it.

This is Doc Watson unleashed. He is no longer just providing traditional folk music renditions for the true folklore crowd. He and his now late son Merle are there to present the kind of music of broad mixtures that they wanted to play and share.

We have everything from real blues and banjo music, to a hot swing jazz rendition of Sweet Georgia Brown, and soft pop jazzy Chet Atkins stuff. We have singer song writer music like Last Thing on Your mind, and ersatz folk music arranged to sound like pop folk in Alberta. We have new songs written by Doc and Merle like Southbound.

We have an explosion of talent, creativity, a new direction in music that foretells the great acoustic mixture of country, bluegrass, folk, jazz, and swing played at virtuosi a level that was to become a great blend of music not only for the Doctor, but for thousands of musicians and millions of listeners in the 35 years since.

Most of all this is a warm sweet fun album. It is an album that takes the weariness off your back, puts a smile back on your face, and may make it easier for you to get warm and friendly with someone you love! For the musician Doc and Merle goes beyond what we had thought was mind blowing abilities in "The Song of the Road" where Doc flat picks flamingo and in "Sweet Georgia Brown" where Doc takes on an all time show off take off tune and demolishes all previous pretenders to the guitar except maybe Django Rheinhart's version which may only be equaled here, and in "Nashville Pickin'" where tells the old boys on Music Row that the Doc is a comin'.

All this makes me think of is really great single malt whiskey, fine food, served out on a beautiful balcony with a good friend. Get this if you don't have it. If you have it, you might not be secure with just one copy!.

Wait! Let me explain
Say, 3. Having just reviewed Treasures Untold and given it 5 stars, I have to give this less. 2 - 3. 4. Right away that may rub people the wrong way but it's not that I don't like this album. I quite do like it, but for me it's a much more uneven album than Treasures Untold. Almost everything on that disc just totally moves me. From dancing to tears. Southbound most definitely has several excellent tracks, and there's nothing necessarily "bad" about the others, but some of it doesn't really engage me emotionally.

Having said that, yes, if you like Doc Watson you should own this cd. That Was The Last Thing On My Mind and Riddle Song are just excellent. Two gorgeous melodies worked to perfection by Doc's playing and vocals. These are the types of things that I'd hope could make anyone a Doc Watson fan. Also I love Call Of The Road simply because it strikes me as Spanish background music for a great Western flick.

Alberta and Tennessee Stud are also at the top of this recording. I guess it's just that a couple of the tracks on here have a bit of an antiseptic studio feel to me. They just don't feel nearly as expressive as do other things in the Doc Watson world.

The top of the heap stuff on this disc is great though. I have never even remotely regretted buying this cd.

HILLBILLY MASTERPIECE FROM FLATPICKING WIZARD
I've never heard acoustic country guitar playing that sounds so pure despite the very formidable technique used. Man! Is this the greatest record or what!? I've never heard singing (and sometimes yodeling) that's so authentic and deeply felt. Doc is very much a 'progressive' musician, strongly influenced by blues and jazz players; yet he never strays too far from the DEEP ROOTS which are his foundation. These roots are 'backwoods' country, but as unmistakably American as Mark Twain, John Wayne, Apple Pie and Norman Rockwell combined. The songs here run the gamut from the most beautifully and heatbreakingly sad possible ("Alberta"), to the most peaceful and mellow imaginable ("Southbound"),' to joyful instrumental odes ("Nashville Pickin',""Sweet Georgia Brown,"), and a stoically triumphant and hilarious yodeling classic ("Never No More Blues. ") All in all, one of the best records in my collection and the ABSOLUTE ANTITHESIS of all the garbage peddled by the millions in country music today.

A lengendary album
My father has had this album for over 30 years, and he knows every single note to it. For anyone who doesn't know Doc Watson, pay attention: here is possibly the greatest flat picker who ever lived. I've been listening to it for about two years and I know most of them too. This is pure American music at its heart, expressed by a man with a great appreciation for the soul and emotion behind the music. Doc Watson is technically and innovatively brilliant. The songs aren't only folk, but everything else. 'The Call of the Road' and 'Windy and Warm' sound almost like flamenco. 'The Riddle Song' is a sweet love ballad. And there are no words to describe the guitars of Doc, his son Merle, and John Pilla. I saw him in concert a few weeks ago, and he is as fast and rich as he was on this record, almost 35 years ago.

You can see a complete list of all Doc Watson discography, or go back to the Doc Watson tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.