Blind Lemon Jefferson was one of the early Blues music greats and proves that today’s Top 50 isn’t always the best place to go for great music. In his short lifetime, he managed to record many amazing songs that still stand tall nearly 100 years later. He was undoubtedly a great musician and deserves to be heard. Let’s listen to his compilation of songs from 1928 and hear if it sounds any good.

Blind Lemon’s Penitentiary Blues begins with hiss-laden audio and some mellow guitar. Blind Lemon Jefferson sings from a deep, soulful place that hits the emotional register very well. Although it is simply acoustic blues music with singing added into the mix, this does sound amazing to this day. This is good proof of the early guitar-based music being perfectly listenable. Using a great amount of techniques and guitar skill, Blind Lemon Jefferson does what he does very well. An amazing performance from start to finish, this is a nice piece of music from decades ago. Good job man. It ends with some nimble guitar playing.

Electric Chair Blues comes next, and has a huge amount of tape hiss on it, with some subdued but beautiful guitar playing and singing from Blind Lemon Jefferson. It’s a typical old-style 12-bar blues that sounds really cool and excellent and is a nice composition to listen to. This is proof of the early Blues greats, and our man Blind Lemon Jefferson is undoubtedly a Blues great, without question. The precision and execution here through this very old-sounding recording sound brilliant. A great effort from start to finish. Excellent work.

See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (20374) is a more clear-sounding composition with some adorable guitar playing and some deep, mellow singing from Blind Lemon Jefferson. This is an early Blues staple that is just the right thing for the listener. It sounds precise and excellent to this day and is proof that the simplicity and execution of old Blues music is fantastic compared to the digital extremes of postmodern music. Simple music from a simple time, just close your eyes and relax to these wonderful songs. A great tune to hear, and something that one should hear from this compilation. Excellent and simple music, with an interesting conclusion.

Lemon’s Worried Blues is a very hiss-laden piece with some pretty guitar fills, to begin with before Blind Lemon Jefferson launches into this awesome tune. It’s less Blues oriented, and more like an upbeat piece of music than you’d think. Still, the Blues is where it is at. The combination of deep soulful singing and acoustic guitar dexterity makes for an interesting listen, even if you are not a fan of very old Blues music. A great tune, and something that postmodern audiences should hear more often. Another great tune to hear, this is legendary. Great music by Blind Lemon Jefferson. A very good song.

Mean Jumper Blues comes next and is slow and soulful. It is a good and laidback Blues piece that sounds really excellent, and is a historic piece of music, just like everything else on this album. It is difficult to hear exactly what Blind Lemon Jefferson is stating lyrically here, but all the same, this music is one of the birthplaces of tradition leading up to early Rock music. A very mellow tune, it is a great performance to hear to this day. Sounding professional and excellent, Blind Lemon Jefferson was a great musician, period. Good tune.

Balky Mule Blues sounds strange, with higher fretted notes on the guitar and some unusual lyrics to match. By the sounds of it, it is a song of distress. This is the Blues, mind you, so some strange stories are present for listening here. Musically, this is another well-performed and played piece of music that sounds very cool. A great listen throughout, Blind Lemon Jefferson serves up a treat. This sounds wonderful and extraordinary throughout, even if it is difficult to hear the vocals and guitar on a recording full of tape hiss. Excellent.

Change My Luck Blues begins with some nice and subtle guitar work. It quickly launches into a magnificent Blues number that sounds great. This is undoubtedly a great composition and it shows off the best of gentle, slow and relaxing music. No matter what your luck is like, this is an excellent piece for you to hear. There is, unlike most of today’s music, zero pretentiousness about the songs here, and it shows through the simple and beautiful tunes on this compilation. In any case, a joyful and impressive listen that makes you want to come back for repeats. Excellent work.

Prison Cell Blues has lots of tape hiss and a deep and interesting introduction. Blind Lemon Jefferson gives us his all with this song, and it is one of his more popular pieces in general. He does sound really excellent on this song, full of fiery passion and delightful tunefulness. A very great song to hear, Blind Lemon Jefferson sings brilliantly on this song, using his deep bluesy wail to his best abilities. Indeed, this music is fantastic and raw in its own way. Good to hear, all these years later, the legend of great music lives on in these songs. It ends with a nice little guitar section. Fantastic.

Lemon’s Cannon Ball Moan is obviously a sexual reference, but a lightheartedly humourous one. In any case, this song sounds like another good dose of the Blues. This is very pretty-sounding music and it just sounds very decent and amazing throughout. We are very lucky to hear these awesome tunes today, as the technology back in the 1920s to record music was very poor. Nonetheless, this tune is awesome and interesting to hear, it just sounds fresh and top music to listen to. A very nice song, this sounds very excellent. Good stuff.

Long Lastin’ Lovin’ is a strange name for a tune that is obviously Blues music. This one is slightly more audible than what has come before it. In any case, this sounds super good and like a professional and decent listen. A very raw and decently delivered piece, these songs are all below three minutes in length but are totally worth hearing. Great Blues music to soothe the soul, this is essential listening. A very enjoyable tune, this is a quirky slice of retro goodness. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Piney Woods Money Mama is an unusual title for a Blues based tune. Still, this is a very slow song that demands your attention. The music here is outstanding and just sounds very laidback and tranquil. There is great music in all areas of human history, and this song (and compilation) prove so. A great and excellent listen throughout, this sounds very excellently done. Blind Lemon Jefferson was a great musician who knew the Blues. A great and soothing listen from start to finish, this is a joy to hear. Great tune and undeniably addictive to hear, if you dig Acoustic Blues. Nice work.

Low Down Mojo Blues is a very weird piece with acoustic guitar playing that sounds distorted from the recording. It sounds great, and although it is difficult to hear exactly what is being done here, it really does sound cool, calm and excellent. A very delicious-sounding piece of music, this certainly shows some great promise to the listener. Even though many of the recordings on this album are barely audible amongst tape hiss, this is a fine compilation of good tunes, without a doubt. This is one of them. A really enjoyable tune to hear, great for fans of old Blues music. Excellent.

Competition Bed Blues is very, very hiss laden. This one should not have been added to this compilation as it is almost impossible to hear what is going on. Still, it is a good tune recorded, but the hiss is undeniably there to destroy the ability to enjoy this tune. A good effort, despite this issue, it is another Blues classic. Anyway, not exactly throwaway, but disappointing that this could not have been recorded better. An interesting addition to this album anyway.

Lock Step Blues (20815) is thankfully, much clearer to listen to. This has a high register of singing by Blind Lemon Jefferson and just sounds really awesome, with pretty guitar fills to match. In fact, this is more a vocal-oriented tune than one based on guitar playing. A very enjoyable and refreshing tune, this sounds uplifting and exciting all the same. Enjoyable to the full, this is another fine example of real musicianship from a Blues hero. A really fine and decent listen from the late 1920s when life was much simpler. Upon listening, one is transported way back in time to that era. Excellent and enjoyable music throughout, this sounds really enjoyable. Good job.

Hangman’s Blues (20816) begins with some call-and-response motions between the vocals and guitar, before launching into a fantastic and enjoyable tune piece of music that is deep, melodic, beautiful and soulful. Indeed, early Blues musicians no doubt influenced later greats such as Eric Clapton many decades later. Still, this is a really cool listen and just sounds totally enjoyable throughout the eras to this day. It’s difficult to believe that such were the times when things like the internet and smartphones did not exist. Nonetheless, we can hear this music to enjoy in any case. A very pretty and excellent listening experience, this sounds very good. A really great song.

Sad News Blues has an enormous amount of tape hiss. As a result, it is extremely difficult to hear exactly what is going on here. It makes Blind Lemon Jefferson sound like a backing band to atonal tape hiss, which is very sad, but not unexpected, given the technology of the time. Still, you can hear how good this song is, amongst all that. Too bad that poor technology ruined a great historical moment, whereas these days, it is generally poor musicianship ruining technology. How things have changed since the 1920s. It’s okay, but the tape quality ruins it, unfortunately. A sad listen in that respect.

How Long How Long is a little clearer, but the tape sounds a little warped. In any case, the guitar sounds more like piano here and the singing is full of sadness and regret. Nonetheless, a good listen that still sounds very precise to this day. It is an enjoyable piece of artistry back in the black and white era of suits and ties. Great tunes to hear on this album, this is another very good listen throughout. Soft and relaxing music, it just sounds wonderful. Not bad for a piece that runs below three minutes long. Great listening here.

Christmas Eve Blues begins with some lone vocals, before the acoustic guitar returns to action. This is an interesting subject matter within, although it is difficult to decipher the lyrics due to the poor audio quality recorded on tape. Nonetheless, this is enjoyable and interesting enough to hear throughout. A really great listen, even for music that is very old, this sounds interesting and wonderful. A really great tune to hear, this is really very enjoyable. A good listen that is pretty and addictive to hear, Blind Lemon Jefferson does his very best as a performer. Too bad the audio quality isn’t the greatest on this compilation.

Happy New Year Blues begins with a New Year’s declaration before launching straight into another Blues number. This sounds very soulful and direct and just is a really cool and interesting listening experience. A really consistent listen for an album like this, although it is clear that many tracks are inaudible for the most part, there is proof of the wonderful nature of great music on this release. In any case, this is a good and steady-sounding piece of music that has lasted the test of time. Brilliance from the 1920s.

Maltese Cat Blues begins with a spoken word intro, before quickly launching into an intricately played Blues piece that again, does the job. These songs are short, interesting and deeply emotional listens for anyone out there interested in the Blues. A really awesome tune that has quality over quantity, this is a great representation of a musical era now long gone. In any case, this deep music will touch your soul upon hearing it. A really cool and awesome listen, this sounds like something one should cherish musically. Good work by Blind Lemon Jefferson.

D B Blues is the last track on this compilation, with a repeated open low E note and Blind Lemon Jefferson initiating the song with his singing. This quickly launches into a song that sounds passionate and interesting. Blind Lemon Jefferson puts in some great guitar fills to match his deep vocal delivery very nicely. No sound effects, no electronics, no backing band, this is just as simply good as it gets for a performance of its kind. A really refreshing and tasteful Blues piece, this sounds mega good. A great song to finish off the collection of songs, this is proof of the soul in Blind Lemon Jefferson’s Blues music. Great work.

This may not exactly be a classic album that is along the lines that would enter the history books per se. Still, this sounds incredibly good and amazing to this day. The only flaw? There is some terrible tape hiss on some of these songs and it is incredibly difficult to hear what Blind Lemon Jefferson is singing about. Despite that, this is a must-listen for those who dig Blues based Acoustic music. Great to hear, despite the fact that this was recorded many decades ago.

Fine craftsmanship.

8/10