|
THE
NEW YORK TIMES
"All it takes is the volatile growl of his singing, the terse twang
of his Fender guitar and a lone congregation member clapping and singing
responses for the Rev. Charlie Jackson to rock the heavens on 'God's Got
It'. The songs [here] were collector's-item singles that the White Stripes
must wish they owned." - JON PARELES
THE ONION
/ AV CLUB
" [these songs] capture a talent as raw and unusual as any put to
record; these songs each pack a soul-wrenching drama into the length of
a pop single. The song that lends this collection its title finds Jackson
working the same riff to hypnotic effect, cycling through problems and
their sole solution with a fervor righteous enough to move a hardened
atheist. "Wrapped Up And Tangled Up In Jesus" begins with Jackson
fishing and wishing God would snare him securely on His line, then explodes
into a celebration when that wish comes true. "Something To Think
About" uses traditional blues and gospel imagery to mourn the loss
of civil-rights leaders with a vow to keep fighting. Most of these songs
feature little more than his guitar and vocals, with some in-the-distance
handclaps, backing vocals, and the occasional unprompted affirmation.
They need little more." - KEITH PHIPPS
ROLLING
STONE
"In the 1970s, this Mississippi-born man of God made a series of
holy-blues singles for the tiny Booker and Jackson labels. This set has
'em all: heated sermons of need, devotion and joy, blessed by Jackson's
thunder-and-Lightnin' Hopkins voice and crusty-tremelo, railroad-boogie
riffing. "If you need it, God's got it," goes the opening hymn.
But the reverend rocks it." - DAVID FRICKE
BOSTON
PHOENIX
"4 Stars"
"This retrospective is fire-breathing proof that the distance between
blues and gospel is less than a razor's edge. Cut by the guitar-slinging
Reverend Jackson between 1970 and 1978, the 18 sides here sound as if
they'd been made 30 years earlier, they're so full of dust from Jackson's
native Mississippi and old-fashioned preacher's brimstone. The musical
sermon "Wrapped Up and Tangled Up in Jesus," a confession of
religious awakening, is raw as anything by the Fat Possum label's juke-joint
kings. And "Testimony of Rev. Charlie Jackson," with its probing
tremolo guitar, is a hair-raising story of Jackson's first stroke and
recovery. But his best storytelling is on "Something To Think About,"
where he sings about Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers, and the struggle
for civil rights, declaring, "In the middle of the ocean/In the middle
of the night/We'll keep on fighting/Until we bring daylight." - TED
DROZDOWSKI
Review In Full: http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/music/otr/documents/03103858.asp
ALL MUSIC
GUIDE
"4.5 stars out of a possible 5"
What better way to kick off a new label than with the collected singles
of the obscure but monumental
singer and guitarist Reverend Charles Jackson. Jackson's music is deeply
rooted in the Mississippi Delta tradition, and his singles for the Booker
label in New Orleans, and his own Jackson label make manifest the inseparable
connection between the sinning music of Saturday Night and the sanctified
music of Sunday morning. Like Fred McDowell and Sister Rosetta Tharpe,
Jackson's sound is one that comes from the well of the body. These 18
tracks reflect history certainly, but more than that they offer a striking
view of how country blues became urban blues-in the arms of the Southern
churches. In all, this set deserves to be sold along with the Fat Possum
recordings from the Delta for sheer listening pleasure, and paid as much
attention to as Arhoolie's Sacred Steel series. That's right, Fat Possum
style electric guitar sacred gospel music. What an auspicious beginning
for a new label." - THOM JUREK
Review In Full: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=MISS70308061602&sql=Alefjzf03ehpk
PREFIX
"4 Stars"
"Well if you need it, God's got it. He's got everything thing you
need. He's got everything a poor man need." So the album begins.
Apparently Reverend Charlie Jackson needed an earth-shattering voice,
demonic blues-guitar skills, and a commanding stage--well, altar--presence.
And he got it. With just his voice, a Fender Mustang guitar (with a beautiful
vibrato-marinated tone), and a few stomping feet and clapping hands, Reverend
Charlie Jackson immediately ignites any listener who can claim at least
a spoonful of soul. Singing self-referential songs, rehashing old blues,
and playing sans bass may be all the rage these days--I'm looking at you,
Jack White--but if you want to hear something in this style and be completely
electrified, put on God's Got It and shout along"
- LAWRENCE LANAHAN
Review In Full: http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews.php?page=R&a=1&rt=cd&rf=RevCharlieJackson%20GodsGotIt%20080503
DUSTED
'Holy Ghost Power'
"Reverend Charlie Jackson fits into a long lineage of gospel performers
touched by facets of the Blues. It's an illustrious family that includes
Blind Willie Johnson, Reverend Louis Overstreet and Elder Roma Wilson
among
a host of others. Each of these men used the simple instrumental tools
associated with the oft-considered profane music to galvanize their audiences-
whether they were congregations or the record-buying public. Jackson's
early Seventies singles for the Booker and Jackson are collected on God's
Got It, the inaugural release on the CaseQuarter label out of Montgomery,
Alabama; a imprint initiated to circulate little known rawboned
gospel gems from the past, present and future. From the opening chiming
strums of the title track, it's evident that these sides are the real
deal...." - DEREK TAYLOR
Review In Full: http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/918
ROOTS
& RHYTHM
"Essential. These recordings are among the most exciting and intense
gospel recordings you are
ever likely to hear. This is one of the great reissues of the past few
years." - (FS)
Review In Full: http://www.rootsandrhythm.com/roots/New_Releases/latest_072803.htm#REVEREND%20CHARLIE%20JACKSON>
ORLANDO
(FL) WEEKLY
"Although these recordings were made in the '70s, they could have
been committed to tape at any time during the past 50 years. Rev. Jackson's
raw, Mississippi-gospel style is as stripped-down and visceral as the
most revered bluesmen." - JASON FERGUSON
|