Review: Charlie Musselwhite ‘Look Out Highway’
By Jim Hynes
Charlie Musselwhite’s vocals haven’t sounded this robust and commanding in years. On Look Out Highway, the new album is mostly originals that adhere to tradition but have enough contemporary edge to keep it north of retro. The 13-time Grammy nominee, harmonica master, singer-songwriter, and guitarist has never feared trying something new, as long as threads of tradition remain. Look Out Highway represents the first time he has recorded with his long-time touring band comprised of guitarist Matt Stubbs (GA-20), drummer June Core (Robert Lockwood Jr.) and bassist Randy Burmudes (James Cotton). Musselwhite has had an enduring relationship with Kid Andersen, who has been in and out of his band for years. Andersen participates here as well, both as a musician and the recording engineer in his Greaseland Studio. Some tracks were also recorded at Clarksdale Sound Stage in Musselwhite’s newly adopted hometown of Clarksdale, MS.
There is a natural flow to the record where all eleven tracks hold interest. It’s as vibrant as Musselwhite has ever sounded; quite a statement for an artist that has been making music for over six decades. He has long been the acknowledged master of the harmonica and you’ll hear that of course, yet what makes Look Out Highway so special is his songwriting. His storytelling is as natural as it comes; the harmonica and guitar sound fit just right in the context of the song. The musical breaks are generally tasteful and concise, ferocious when called for. It’s the real deal.
The titular opening tracks rests on a gospel tune that had been swimming around in his head for years until, as he says, “I caught the scent and found the trail that led to the melody and lyrics.” It’s a trance-like groove, not unlike that fixation with the white line on the highway. In that sense, it sets the stage for the themes of the road and rambling that course through the album, specifically the infectious shuffle of “Highway 61” with Andersen on barrelhouse piano, “Ramblin’ Is My Game,” and the closer “Open Road” with Andersen doubling on piano and guitar. There are autobiographical statements weaved into these restless songs too with the revved up shuffle “Baby Won’t You Please Help Me,” featuring stinging guitar from Stubbs and bracing piano from Andersen. It has the indelible chorus “I was born in Mississippi, I was raised in Tennessee” as well as perhaps the most searing harmonica break on the record.
“Sad Eyes” is a classic slow blues, with greasy guitar licks, insistent beats from Core, and Musselwhite laying out the portrait of two pretentious lovers who know that their relationship is ultimately doomed. He uses the term “Storm Warning” to connote the return of an unwanted lover.- “I see dark clouds rolling/I hear Thunder when she walks/She’s a high pressure woman/There’s lightning when she talks/Storm warning/My baby blowin’ back into town.”
Three other tracks stand out. Musselwhite invites his friend, rapper Al Kapone, to inject some verses at the end of the most unusual track, “Ghosts of Memphis” as Musselwhite sees nothing but ghosts when returning to the city to the point where he declares, “I’ve been diagnosed/I’m not crazy/ My friends are ghosts/Now it’s hard to say who I miss the most.” “Blues Lounge”showcases his feel for the slide guitar while the only non-original, the accessible and indelible “Ready For Times To Get Better,” by Allen Reynolds features the unexpected young singer Edna Nicole who duets with Musselwhite on some verses. While the tune was likely penned during the pandemic, it also likely serves as a commentary on today’s chaotic political and economic landscape.
Lookout Highway sits firmly in the top five of Musselwhite’s storied catalog. He is a national treasure.
Pre-save the album here
“Look Out Highway”
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