I’ve flirted with a “Bluegrass Tuesday” and toyed with a “Honky-Tonk Friday” (even if it doesn’t always end up on a Friday). So it shouldn’t come as complete surprise tha I’m considering a “Blue Monday”. There’s a chance this may be the first and last “Blue Monday” post since I’m not the biggest fan of modern electric blues (despite my stay at Alligator Records). But I heard this song by Detroit bluesman Harmonica Shah and thought it deserved to be heard. It’s from his new record on Electro-Fi called If All You Have Is A Hammer, Everything Looks Like A Nail.
Blues is unlike any of the other prominent genres in its ability to tell a story. The format gives you the time and the space to address nearly any concept, theme or story idea. The best (people like Otis Taylor, Corey Harris) can convey a lot of emotion and knowledge in simple three bar blues jam. I think Harmonica Shah does that as well on this one, especially since he’s from the Detroit area and has seen the economic devastation first hand.
