CHRIS WHITLEY
War Crime Blues (Messenger)
Weed (Messenger)
Reviewed by John Sekerka

---

After splashing on to the hard rock FM radio scene as a hot shot steel guitarist, Chris Whitley quickly faded from sight. Now he's slowly and surely clawing his way back by re-inventing himself as a bare bones blues master. Following Tom Waits and Paul Westerberg, Whitley releases two distinct albums simultaneously; a sure fire way to get attention and ensure dismal unit sales. No matter, the expected dilution ain't present, as each disc stands quite well on its own. Weed is a classic studio record, showcasing a unique voice, superb plucking and dusty desperation tunes of the first order. War Crime Blues takes it down a notch as Whitley explores a darker side, peppering his stark ghost blues with an almost bluegrassy version of Lou Reed's "I Can't Stand It", a harrowing, hollow cry of despair reworking of the Clash's "The Call Up", and a seemingly out of place "Nature Boy", which isn't at all. The comeback, I do believe, is complete.

© 2004 - John Sekerka