Released as a tie-in with Safe House, a 1999 installment in noir crime novelist Andrew Vachss' popular Burke series,
Safe House: A Collection of Blues tries to capture the rough, hard-edged tastes of the series' central character. But even if you're unfamiliar with the novels, or find the marketing gimmick a little suspect,
Safe House actually does a pretty good job of achieving its goal, featuring a number of tough, muscular, robust performances from male and female singers alike. Some of the highlights include selections from
Judy Henske,
Paul Butterfield,
Marcia Ball,
Otis Spann,
Howlin' Wolf,
Muddy Waters,
Irma Thomas, and
Charlie Musselwhite.
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Steve Huey, Rovi