Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

Perhaps best known for having his signature song and this release's title track covered by the Rolling Stones on their 1969 'Beggar's Banquet' LP, this collection of tracks recorded in 1964 by Mississippi-born bluesman Reverend Robert Wilkins understandably draws on his link with the Stones and even mimics - somewhat jarringly - the infamous graffiti toilet cover of the band's album. That aside, Wilkins' version of the song in question is a thing of beauty and reflects the man's ability to faithfully communicate a Bible parable through the medium of the blues and hold the attention of the listener throughout all of its 10 glorious minutes. Predominantly a pre-war recording artist, this lovingly-assembled retrospective is made up of tracks from Wilkins' renowned 'Memphis Gospel Singer' album and a multi-artist compilation called 'This Old World's In A Hell Of A Fix' and sees Wilkins in a great light thanks to the improvements in sound quality since his heyday. With just voice and guitar, tracks like "Jesus Said If You Go", "Jesus Will Fix It Alright" and the cautionary "The Gambling Man" showcase Wilkins' sublime finger-picking style and his raw but utterly listenable vocal delivery whilst all the time reflecting his commitment to only sing sacred songs following his conversion to Christianity. Also included are Wilkins' somewhat downbeat takes on standards such as "Old Time Religion" and "Just A Closer Walk With Thee" as well as some informative liner notes and a brief spoken word history of Wilkins' life as told by the great man himself.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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