John Campbell
Howlin Mercy




Label: Elektra
Released: 1993
Source: Original CD 
Size Torrent: 353 MB
Format: FLAC





John Campbell took blues technique to new heights in concerts with a blend of driving rhythms, staccato riffs and bravura slide guitar sequences, his favoured instruments were a 1952 Gibson Southern Jumbo acoustic, a 1934 National Steel and a 1940's National resophonic guitar. 
He grew up in Center, Texas, and his first group was the Texas based electric power trio, Junction. Formed in 1973, the trio disbanded two years later, and Campbell cut his first album titled Street Suite. At the eve of the 1980s he spent a time at the Robin Hood Studios in Tyler, Texas and taped a demo with his acoustic versions of blues standards. In 2000 these twelve tracks were issued as the compilation album, Tyler, Texas Session.
As a solo artist, Campbell continued to play in clubs of east Texas, and he also appeared in New Orleans. In 1985 he moved to New York and joined the local blues scene. His next album, A Man And His Blues, featured Ronnie Earl as producer and guest guitarist, was recorded during two days in April 1988, and was released on a small German record label. Its follow-up releases were on Elektra, One Believer (1991) and Howlin' Mercy (1993). The latter included the single cover version of Led Zeppelin's "When The Levee Breaks". This song was written and first recorded by husband and wife Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929.
At the time when his recordings and live performances, including an extensive U.S. tour with Buddy Guy as well as two European ventures in 1992 and 1993, were gaining him popularity, Campbell suffered heart failure, in his sleep, aged 41, at his home in New York. 



Howlin' Mercy is the heaviest John Campbell album and his last one as well. He passed away at the age of 41 of a heart attack in his sleep while he started to come into fame in the blues revival world in the footsteps of Stevie Ray Vaughan. 

If you are into raspy voices like Tom Waits and into guitar heavy blues, John Campbell is for you. "Down in the Hole" is an excellent Tom Waits cover with deep bass guitar.
In "Saddle up My Pony" in which the tempo changes several times, John refers to "Me and Devil Blues" of Robert Johnson. It's one of the best tracks here with excellent guitar playing and haunting blues tempo.
"Love's Name" is a kind of ballad in the same vein of "Down in the Hole", another highlight here.
"Wiseblood" has a cool guitar playing into a good tempo.
Campbell covered "When the Levee Breaks" written by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie and popularized by Led Zeppelin; an interesting version. 

A recommended heavy blues-guitar album. 





Personnel

John Campbell (vocals, guitar), 
Zonder Kennedy (guitar), 
Jimmy Pettit (bass), 
Davis McLarty (drums).





Additional personnel

Jamie Dardanis, 
Elvin Diablo, 
Mid Memphis Rhythm Section, 
Antoine Salley, 
Madison Cooper, 
Edwin Ravel.





Track Listing

01. Ain't Afraid Of Midnight
02. When The Levee Breaks 
03. Down In The Hole 
04. Look What Love Can Do 
05. Saddle Up My Pony
06. Firin' Line 
07. Love's Name 
08. Written In Stone 
09. Wiseblood 
10. Wolf Among The Lambs