Maria Muldaur - self titled debut

 

Undoubtedly, everyone knows Maria's huge 70's hit, "Midnight at the Oasis", but while I actually dig that tune and found it enjoyably sexy on the AM radio in the day, her real strength lies in the more old-timey numbers that make up the majority of this album. When I saw her on one of the late night concert shows (In Concert /Midnight Special/ Rock Concert) I thought she was pretty steamy in her halter top (ala the photo above) as she crooned 30's-styled dirty blues like "Don't You Make Me High (Don't You Feel My Leg)" and many of these songs are equally alluring as she moves from pure country - she covers Dolly Parton's "My Tennessee Mountain Home" - to blues - the opening "Any Old Time" in a Dixieland-like way - to jump'n'jive, bluegrass, vaudeville-ish and more. Her voice croons'n' swoons, swoops'n'soars, with a bit of a hillbilly hitch'n'lilt, but with a terrific range and highly expressive. 

She covers the likes of Jimmie Rogers, Dan Hicks and Dr. John, among others, and the good doctor appears on and arranges several of the cuts, while the rest of the crew is an impressive lineup, as well - some true superstars appear here, backing this former jug band singer! 

Although it's a good tune, and meant to be an old-fashioned, almost minstrel number about slave labor, "The Work Song" is a little uncomfortable in some of its terminology - I know she meant no harm, but a white girl couldn't sing all these lyrics today. "Walkin' One and Only" is similar to something that Bob Willis would have done - Dan Hicks wrote it, which makes sense - and it includes the great line "he's walkin' etouffee", while "Long Hard Climb" is a somewhat forgettable 70's ballad, Dr John's "Three Dollar Bill" has a good New Orleans swing to it, and "Vaudeville Man" has some Dixiland bounce again while the concluding "Mad Mad Me" reminds me a bit of a mix of Carole King and Joni Mitchell, especially with Maria's soaring high notes an impassioned delivery.

This record certainly does not have the rawness that I normally dig, but if you can get past - or even appreciate - the 70's gloss then there's some really good songs and great performances.