Brett Benton : You Got To Pray
Brett Benton
You Got To Pray
(Knick Knack)
The first studio album from Brett Benton You Got To Pray is a compelling and engaging statement of 21st century delta and hill country blues. The ten original tunes and an inspired cover of Mississippi Fred McDowell’s Kokomo are presented as a Blues duo format of guitar and drums that scored Benton placement in the semi finals at the IBC in Memphis. The album was recorded in Water Valley Mississippi at Dial Back Sound with Bronson Tew engineering. BMA award winner Cedric Burnside sat in on drums for the burning stomp ‘I Got A .45,’ and the infectious swamp blues ‘Alligator.’ Arthur Ortega Marcos handles the backbeat that spars with Benton as he shifts from finger picking rhythms to greasy Slide guitar all the while delivering hypnotic southern howling vocals. Florida guitar man Ed Adams drops in a few lead passages on the album to add spice to the mix. Benton digs deep into the solo reading of ‘Murder Creek,’ and shows off his range on the lonesome Blues ‘Hard Love.’ And the spacious instrumental “Evergreen.’ Benton channels Son House on the authentic Delta fueled title track; A fine first release from a hardworking young man with a bright future.