With Dylan, the Kingston Trio, and Peter, Paul and Mary being the preferred artists of that market in the days before the British Invasion hit, Folk Singer must have seemed like a cagey title for Waters' sophomore disc. Don't be fooled though. This is no hootenanny, even with its all-acoustic decree. Folk Singer is a hardcore blues record by a guy who clearly had zero interest in pandering.
The only widely known Waters original on the record is a remake of his twelve-year-old single "Long Distance Call", but Folk Singer will hit the spot for both anyone who wants to sink deeply into the singer's signature sound and those who want to hear him stretch himself a bit beyond it. The record gets off to a bit of a samey start with its first two tracks before broadening its approach. Willie Dixon's "My Captain" and "You Gonna Need My Help" are spacious, spacey moans that thumb their noses at conventional notions of composition and beat. Conversley, his sprightly reading of Sonny Boy Williamson's "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" is borderline pop music. Elsewhere, Buddy Guy's lilting acoustic lead guitar adds a near jazz touch.
Those acoustic sounds beg for a top-notch presentation to convey their presence and textures. This is the goal of Chess' Acoustic Sounds series, so Folk Singer is a smart inclusion in the series. It doesn't disappoint in terms of sound stage. The drums are incredibly present. The bass is deep and potent. The acoustic guitars are clean and natural. Because this disc is cut kind of hot, and because Muddy Waters sings like Muddy Waters, the vocals are especially up front, and while I wouldn't say they distort, they do tax the speakers a bit. As was the case with the recent entry of Bo Diddley in this series, a mono cartridge or mono switch will be necessary to deliver the smoothest sound. With the correct set up, this record sounds great. The vinyl is flat and silent and the glossy gatefold is excellent quality.
