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Because Boulderado: Live at the Fox 2008 comes so closely on the heels of 2007’s splendid live document Keep on Marchin’, both casual listeners and died-in-the-wool fans may question the validity of another double-CD live set from The North Mississippi Allstars.
These February recordings from the Colorado venue document the continuing evolution of NMAS. Sounding more authentic than ever, the fiery intro of "Write Me A Few Little Lines" and "Drop Down Mama" signals the trio’s reaffirmation of loyalty to their chosen genre. Likewise, the grinding likes of "Shake (Yo Mama), as it segues virtually w/o pause from "Someday Baby" and into the languid "Mean Old Wind Died Down" solidifies a link to their contemporary jam ethic.
Boulderado also exhibits how the scope of NMAS’ music is enlarging in proportion to their experience. The Allstars clearly love playing as an end in itself, an attitude that bolsters confidence in their own abilities. Accordingly, they’re equally comfortable in accommodating likeminded guests like Alvin Youngblood Hart on "Big Mama’s Door" or the participation of R.L. Burnside on "Meet Me in the City.”
It’s tempting to focus on Luther Dickinson because his playing, mellifluous or mean, with or without his facile touch on the slide, embodies the sound of the North Mississippi All Stars, (as on "Mark on the Bus"/"Hey Bo Diddley"). Partners in the rhythm section drummer Cody Dickinson and bassist Chris Chew are too agile a team to allow the music to become static as “Stay All Night”/Lord Have Mercy” sounds both familiar and fresh.
Meanwhile, Chew’s reverent but deeply felt vocals on “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” and “Some Kind of Wonderful” inject a legitimate R&B feel to the music and provide an effective change of pace. The Allstars pay rightful, albeit brief, homage to Hendrix on "Keep the Devil Down” and expand upon the salty likes of the Rolling Stones with “Stray Cat Blues." While the latter doesn’t lead into a truly emphatic denouement on "All Night Long" and "Snakedrive,” the fact is NMAS don’t dote on melodrama.
