Bad Temper Joe – The Acoustic Blues Guitar Review
Time Zone Records
10 tracks/47 minutes
Bad Temper Joe is an acoustic bluesman from the countryside of Germany’s Eastern Westphalia. His gritty vocals and fingerpicking have gained him notice in his homeland and in 2020 he was the only European act to participate in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis.
He offers up nine well-known covers that he puts his own stamp on and one original song. Marcel Rahe adds harp to three tracks. His website shows this to be his 27th album.
Charlie Patton’s Down The Dirt Road Blues” is nicely covered by BTJ. His guitar work is spectacular as he growls out the lyrics. “Poor Black Mattie” is an R.L. Burnside cut that Joe delivers with his grit and charm.
Next up is the classic “Freight Train” and BTJ picks this out nicely. He growls out the lead as his sweet finger picking contrasts his gruff vocals. Jimmy Reed’s “Baby What You Want Me To Do” follows and we get some great harp added to the mix. BTJ gives us some great guitar and Rahe blows some pretty harp to accompany Joe.
Willie Dixon’s “Spoonful” continues with harp support as BTJ gives us his take on this song that Howlin’ Wolf and others indelibly stamped into the blues lexicon. His guitar work is impressive and the blending of harp with it make this one a winner. “Laid My Burden Down” is a Mississippi John Hurt cut we all know and love. BTJ gives us a slightly up tempo version of this one and plays more of his fantastic “brand” of guitar picking.
Robert Johnson’s “Come On In My Kitchen” is up next and BYJ slows this one way down and makes us listen as he winds his way through it ever so slowly and coolly. He does make each of these covers his as he make this song thoughtful and pensive. “Big River” is the final cut with added harp. BTJ transforms this Johnny Cash song into a gritty and down home song.
Leadbelly’s “Goodnight, Irene” gets transformed into a somber and down tempo cut with thoughtful guitar and forlorn vocals by BTJ. It’s interesting and nicely done. The final track is his own “If Tears Were Diamonds.” He takes us slowly, somberly and contemplatively through his song. It’s beautifully done as he picks and makes the guitar moan like his vocals; we builds to a powerful conclusion. It’s another well-done number!
BTJ is an interesting and guitarist and performer. He takes these cuts from the last 100 or so years that we’ve heard many times and spins them in his style and manner to give then a fresh and interesting sound. If you’re an acoustic blues fan, I think you’ll really enjoy this album – I did!
