Bittersweet Sixteen is in the rare category of compilations that truly have something for everyone. It works well for the casual fan who wants to learn more about Black 47, and at the same time, is loaded with all sorts of cool stuff for the Black 47 diehard like me who thought he had everything. Longtime fans will enjoy "Home Of The Brave" and "Patriot Game", unreleased material from their first recording session. The two new cuts that are included on Bittersweet Sixteen, "Southside Chicago Waltz", and "Joe Hill's Last Will" are a promising look at what we can look forward to as Black 47 continue onward making a loud noise for those that need to hear it.
Bittersweet Sixteen is a good start, but not necessarily the last word on everything that you need to hear from Black 47. If you're interested by what you hear on Bittersweet Sixteen, you would do well to hunt down albums from the rest of the Black 47 catalog, particularly the early albums, Fire Of Freedom, and Home Of The Brave.
Article comments
1 - Matt
a word on the above - not sure that "folk" really fits Black 47, but I will have to remember in future reviews to label them as "folk-rockers" :-)