BACK HOME IN SULPHUR SPRINGS

When Norman Blake cut the album Home in Sulphur Springs in 1972, the man sounded old and weathered and wise.

So you can imagine how he sounds on this release, some 33 years later—more experienced, a bit weary and even wiser. Only this time, his wife Nancy adds her own rich talents to the mix. You’ll hear traditional tunes, like the lead track “More Good Women Gone Wrong” and Blake originals, such as the title song. The Blakes are talking like they may retire in Sulphur Springs, Alabama. Let’s hope that retirement talk is a bit premature, for this pair is as irreplaceable as they come.  —Mark Boardman