After issuing the spare, entirely solo Live at Martyrs' in early 2000,
Chris Whitley returned to the studio with drummer Billy Martin and bassist
Chris Wood (of Medeski, Martin & Wood fame) to cut the similarly low-key,
all covers album Perfect Day. It's a mix of blues standards and rock songs
with a poetic bent (writers like Dylan, Reed, and Morrison) all given
hauntingly minimalistic treatments. Whitley's guitar work is subdued and
spacious, as are Martin and Wood's constantly shifting backing rhythms.
The cover photo of a haggard-looking Whitley sets the tone for his performances:
he sounds committed but weary, which gives these renditions a darkly compelling
power. "Spoonful," in particular, often seems on the verge of
falling apart, as Whitley's guitar slashes almost randomly over the rhythm
section's syncopations. But -- perhaps like the singer himself -- it somehow
holds together in the face of desperation, which is a handy way to sum
up the album's impact as a whole.
(by Steve Huey, All
Music Guide)
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