Taj Mahal – The Natch'l Blues (Pure Pleasure)

Taj Mahal's second album, recorded in the spring and fall of 1968, begins, similar to his first, with a purified Mississippi pidelta-style blues, but is a little more powerful (partly thanks to Al Kooper on the organ) before developing into a much fuller sound with songs like "She Caught The Katy And Left Me A Mule To Ride" and "The Cuckoo".

The latter in particular puts crisp electric and acoustic guitars in the foreground, while Gary Gilmore plays the bass almost like a lead instrument - a blues musician's answer to John Entwistle. Perhaps most remarkable, however, are the two self-written closing tracks "You Don't Miss Your Water ('Til Your Well Runs Dry)" and "Ain't That A Lot Of Love", when Taj Mahal enters the territory of Otis Redding in the field of soul. This is especially noticeable on "You Don't Miss Your Water", which achieves a gospel-like intensity, including a horn arrangement by Jesse Ed Davis in Stax / Volt style, which sounds more real than real. In contrast, "Ain't That A Lot Of Love" is driven by a hard electric guitar sound and merciless bass, which sounds more like a more pressing version of the bass line in "Gimme Some Lovin'" by the Spencer Davis Group.

This re-release of "The Natch'l Blues" contains a trio of bonus tracks: an interpretation of "The Cuckoo" at a faster tempo with a distinctive lead guitar, the electric, slow plaintive "New Stranger Blues" with a great guitar played like a mandolin, and the rocking instrumental "Things Are Gonna Work Out Fine", which is a stunning example of Davis' electric lead guitar and Taj Mahal's virtuosity on the harmonica.