Set Sail
New West, 2022
8/10
Luther and Cody Dickinson- the core of North Mississippi Allstars- have been at it since 1996, and this 13th album enlists Jesse Williams on bass and Lamar Williams, Jr. on vocals for the first time, as their diverse brand of roots music flows with its always exciting, unpredictable nature.
“Set Sail Part I” opens the listen with plenty of groove and soul entering the cautious landscape of soft singing and rhythmic guitars, and “Bumpin’” follows with warm jam band ideas alongside the gospel flavor amid Sharisse Norman’s backing vocals.
Halfway through, “Didn’t We Have A Time” benefits much from Cody’s precise drumming and Jesse Williams’ bouncy bass, while “Never Want To Be Kissed” recruits William Bell and Phyllislorena Smiley on vocals, as well as elegant strings provide the backdrop for the groove filled climate.
“Juicy Juice” arrives near the end and flirts with funk as bass acrobatics populate the playful spirit of the album’s best track, and “Authentic” exits the listen with a southern folk angle that relies on many voices, cozy keys and thumping drums for the uplifting finish.
If you’re unfamiliar with NMA, there’s really no bad place to start in their catalog, though the addition of strings and brass here certainly makes this a particularly luminous body of work from the always impressive Dickinson brothers.
Travels well with: Boulevards- Electric Cowboy: Born In Carolina Mud; Riley Downing- Start It Over