Album Mini-review: Jimbo Mathus — Band of Storms
File next to: JD McPherson, Dr. John the Night Tripper, The Replacements
Every so often, an artist comes along who displays a true understanding of what rock ‘n’ roll is really about. It’s a mongrel with clear ancestry in blues, country, gospel, and even hokum of the 19th century. Only the rarest of artists can resist the temptation to carve out some supposedly new genre (post-rock, anyone?) and instead make original rock ‘n’ roll with his or her own personal spin. Jimbo Mathus is such an artist. Whether he’s serving up southern rock with beefy horns (courtesy of The Bo-Keys’ Scott Bomar), channeling Huey “Piano” Smith, raising the ghost of Johnny Cash, or paying subtle tribute to Big Star, Mathus proves that there’s plenty of life left in this thing we call rock ‘n’ roll. One can hardly go wrong with any of Mathus’ efforts, but Band of Storms may just be his best to date.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.