Good For What Ails You - Music of the Medicine Shows 1926-1937

While I will always be a lover of loud'n'wild, wailin' guitar-driven rock'n'roll, I am continuing to discover more'n'more music from the beginning of the century that, while sonically different, contains the energy'n'enthusiasm, the humor'n'fun, the wild edginess and instrumental talent of great r'n'r. Original blues is the obvious precursor to r'n'r, but old school country, bluegrass, folk and lots more combined to give us our more modern genres.

This compilation is a great gift for lovers of acoustic guitar, banjo, harmonica, kazoo, jugs, barber shop harmonies, hokum and, as the packaging says: "comic songs, parodies, popular favorites, dance tunes, novelties, folk songs, ballads and blues together with humorous repartee and uncommon displays of instrumental prowess!" The music is all highly entertaining, with some overlap with other comps such as the blues calendar collections and the bonus CD with the Blind Blake album I have written about previously, but packed with plenty that I have never heard before.

This set also includes a huge booklet with fantastic photos and extensive liner notes about all of the selections here. A terrific package all around!