Poplar Jake - From The Delta To The Docks (2013)

01. See See Mama (3:13)
02. Miss Etta (1:53)
03. Whipping Boy (2:54)
04. Milady (4:54)
05. Pretty Peggy (4:47)
06. Burned (4:31)
07. 32-400 (2:56)
08. When I Get To Drinking (3:24)
09. Five And Some Change (2:25)
10. Tribiani Time (3:31)
11. Sweet Marianne (4:03)

Poplar Jake finally releases his much anticipated debut album following on from his EP release Ridin’ The Blinds. The album title defining the route taken by the sailors travelling on the infamous trading shipping routes between the USA and UK docks, which along with cotton, sugar and tobacco, also bringing with them the music and the musicians to play it.

There is plenty of acoustic blues here to please the Blues purists in the more frequent times of electric guitar obsessed blues; this is a refreshing return to the more natural form. Jake is in the main man on the majority here with a little help on occasion from guesting musicians, especially on the band format with bass and drums on album closer ‘Sweet Marianne’. The other exceptions are the traditional blues sounding ‘Whipping Boy’ featuring some lovely harmonica from ZZ Birmingham and then Mark Rae featuring on piano on the old time bar atmosphere of ‘Tribiani Time’ which also contains a wonderful emotive vocal from Jake.

There are a couple of outstanding melodic blues tracks here in the form of ‘Milady’ and ‘Five And Some Change’, more up-tempo on the classy ‘Miss Etta’ and ’32-400’. Vocally Jake also has improved on this album , none more so than on album opener ‘See See Mama’ and the storming ‘Burned’, and then taking it to new depths of range on the quite rustic and primal ‘Pretty Peggy’, a sense of joyfulness accompanying some glorious slide work with ‘When I Get To Drinking’.

This album covers nearly every aspect of acoustic blues putting on show Jake’s influences and playing styles and showing good skills on guitar and vocals. I am really enjoying listening to this album; I just hope it gives Jake the success and recognition he rightly deserves. ---Roger Allen, poplarjake.com

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