Hide Head Blues

Chronique

The fact that Jim Mills plays banjo in Ricky Skaggs' Kentucky Thunder is a ringing endorsement that the man knows his stuff. Hide Head Blues, then, gives Mills a chance to step into the spotlight and show bluegrass fans what he's got. The album moves between instrumental and vocal (mostly by guests) tracks, with fancy picking from Mills and friends and more radio-friendly cuts by Don Rigsby and other vocalists. While the album's title cut is a Mills original, most of the material is drawn from the classic country music and bluegrass song bag. An instrumental version of Merle Haggard's "I Started Loving You Again" is a real standout, with the lackadaisical pace perfectly suited for some lovely, blues-inspired banjo work. Hide Head Blues returns to Haggard later in the program, with a fine take on "Daddy Frank," featuring Paul Brewster on vocals. The most unusual and one of the most fun cuts on the album features Mills' vocals and electric (yes, electric) guitar work on Merle Travis' "Guitar Rag." His crisp and clean Travis-style guitar picking is guaranteed to brighten up a gloomy day. Hide Head Blues never sags, and will bring lots of listening pleasure to Jim Mills fans.

© Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. /TiVo