Lowell Fulson

My Early Years will blow away those familiar only with Fulson's popular forays into polished uptown blues, soul-blues and riotous funk. This 26-track collection is all about stripped-down, bare-knuckled country blues. Though many of these tunes feature a small backup combo, the focus is always on Fulson's high-pitched moan and prickly, staccato licks. There is some pretty devastating material here, especially the brooding "I Walked All Night" and the aptly titled "The Blues is Killing Me."