CD REVIEWS
By Michael Swanger scenescribe@mchsi.com
Various artists
“Things About Comin’ My Way: A Tribute to the music of The Mississippi Sheiks”
Black Hen Music
One of the first seminal American roots music groups, The Mississippi Sheiks released about 70 songs from 1926 to 1935 that over the years would influence and be rerecorded by some of the biggest names in popular music, including Ray Charles, Howlin’ Wolf, The Grateful Dead, Bob Wills, Bill Monroe, Bob Dylan and The White Stripes. Unfortunately, the Sheiks never got their due thanks to “Traditional: arranged by…” songwriting credits, until now, with the release of this overdue tribute album, “Things About Comin’ My Way,” featuring performances by 17 Americana, blues, rock and jazz artists. Standout tracks include acoustic and electric performances by The North Mississippi Allstars (“It’s Backfirin’ Now”), John Hammond (“Stop and Listen”), The Carolina Chocolate Drops (“Sitting On Top of the World”), Geoff Muldar (“The World is Going Wrong”) and The Sojourners (“He Calls That Religion”). CV
Destrophy
“Destrophy”
Victory Records
I love it when a local band finds success beyond its hometown, as is the case with the release of Destrophy’s self-titled, powerhouse debut album for Chicago’s Victory Records. It validates a band’s hard work and talent, as well as the Des Moines music scene, from which this tight and explosive pop-rock-metal quartet has emerged. Now the rest of the world is about to find out just how brutal and precise Ari (vocals, guitar), Phil T (bass), Joe Fox (drums) and Bruce Swink (guitar) are with the nationwide release of “Destrophy.” Several tracks stand out on this 11-song album replete with bone-crunching rhythms, razor-sharp guitars and madman vocals, including early Metallica/Slayer-like rockers “Reconnect” and “Pray,” as well as ready-for-radio, pop-oriented tunes “Send in the Wolves,” “Arms of the Enemy” and “Why I Hate Goodbye.”
(Destrophy performs Friday, Jan. 8 at People’s Court for the “2010 Snow Ball,” featuring four other acts, beginning at 7 p.m. $10.) CV
