Since he’s most famous for his stylistic fusion of blues licks, bellowing harmonica, and hip-hop lyrical delivery prevalent on more than a handful of his records, it’s easy for listeners to forget that in order to make the blues his own, Garrett Dutton had to fully immerse himself in all of the genre’s ghosts and larger-than-life personalities first.
While he may have hinted at his rootsy background on 1998’s Has Gone Country, Dutton – otherwise known as G. Love – goes all out on Fixin’ To Die (out this week on Brushfire Records).
Produced by the Avett Brothers (who initially bonded with Dutton over a “mutual affinity of back road blues”), the 13-track effort opens with a jangly tribute to your morning cup of coffee that is rife with Avett-style banjos and a singular, heart-thumping drumbeat. While the trademark harmonica howl makes an obligatory appearance less than two minutes into song, the rest of the album represents new G. Love territory for even the most devout fan.
This article appears in Feb 17-23, 2011.