"The blues is not a plaything like some people think they are."
— Son House (1902-1988) —
Sitting here in my relatively peaceful home, I'm listening to a small sampling of life at its grittiest. While not the most original collection of blues to come down the river, Music From The Motion Picture Black Snake Moan is an album that caught me completely off guard. Soundtrack records aren't supposed to have their own soul, much less appear to have sold it to the devil in order to be able to hum with a vitality and life separate from the movie it is supposedly tied to, right? This one must have, though.

Packed deep with songs from amazing artists such as Son House, Jessie Mae Hemphill, R. L. Burnside, Bobby Rush, The Black Keys, John Doe, Scott Bomar, the North Mississippi All-Stars, Outrageous Cherry, and Samuel L. Jackson — that's right, I'm including Samuel L. Jackson in that list — this album flips the usual script. Instead of being created to support and compliment the movie, I'm firmly of the opinion that the movie only exists to give life to this soundtrack.

On just the opening track alone, the talent and determination on this album is made abundantly clear, and it only lasts 38 seconds. Packed within that small slice of music lie the musical talents of Jim Dickinson on Wurlitzer piano, backed by his sons Luther and Cody of the North Mississippi All-Stars, Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica (need I say more on that one?), along with some cicadas. It's an excellent omen of what is to come.

Here's the track-listing:

01. Opening Theme — Scott Bomar
02. Ain't But One Kind Of Blues — Son House
03. Just Like A Birth Without A Feather — Samuel L. Jackson
04. When The Lights Go Out — The Black Keys
05. Standing In My Doorway Crying — Jessie Mae Hemphill
06. Chicken Heads — Bobby Rush
07. Black Snake Moan — Samuel L. Jackson
08. Morning Train — Precious Bryant
09. The Losing Kind —John Doe
10. Lord Have Mercy On Me — Outrageous Cherry
11. Ronnie and Rae's Theme — Scott Bomar
12. The Chain — Scott Bomar
13. Alice Mae — Samuel L. Jackson
14. Stackolee — Samuel L. Jackson
15. Old Black Mattie — R. L. Burnside
16. That's Where The Blues Started — Son House
17. Mean 'ol Wind Died Down — North Mississippi All-Stars