Righteous! The Essential Collection offers a savory taste of the Holmes
Brothers, a venerable blues trio with a twist. From the first moments of
the disc's opening track, "Got Myself Together," you know that this is not
your typical "blues" band: the driving funky shuffle of the first verse is
cut by a tight, three-part harmony "Yeah!" that proves these guys would be
as comfortable in a sweltering Southern gospel revival as in a smoky
Chicago club. Throughout this compilation, drawn from the group's four
albums recorded for Rounder (In The Spirit, Where It's At, Soul Street, and
Promised Land), the Holmes Brothers—Popsy Dixon and brothers Wendell and
Sherman Holmes—offer the mature fruits of their decades of collaboration,
and demonstrate their ability to move effortlessly between the blues,
gospel, funk, soul and country.
Each member of the Holmes Brothers brings unique qualities to the group.
Wendell Holmes offers solid, rhythmic guitar work throughout, reminiscent
at times of Jimmy Reed (especially in "A New and Improved Me"), and a
cracking, rough-edged voice that's both passionate and pained (a perfect
blues combination). Sherman Holmes is steadfast on the bass, and gives
smoky, slurred vocal lines, featured best in his gospel-tinged "Promised
Land." Wendell and Sherman are the songwriters of the group, and their
original works and arrangements are featured on eight of the disc's 17
tracks.
But the Holmes Brothers's shining moments come through the vocal work of
drummer Popsy Dixon. On "Train Song," the spare piano and bass support a
classic soul tenor straight out of a Stax session. He captures the feelings
of loss and hope for redemption of the Tom Waits-penned tune ("It was a
train that took me away from here/But a train can bring me home"). However,
it is his falsetto—sometimes used in a doo wop fashion ("I Surrender
All"), sometimes reminiscent of Philip Bailey ("When Something Is Wrong
With My Baby")—that brings an extra degree of emotional depth to the
group's performances. The highlight of the album is the devastating gospel
lament "Don't Spare Your Sword." Dixon's heart-rending vocals, delivered
across his range, express his grief over a wasted life of drugs and
despair, and cries for both punishment and mercy.
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