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IN YOUR ARMS AGAIN
(Back Porch)
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Hammond, the son of the legendary Columbia Records A&R man who signed a roster of giants that ranged from Billie Holiday to Bruce Springsteen, is today something of an icon himself. For 42 years, he’s made a career in blues as a high-energy song interpreter — first as a solo performer, then with the Band (pre-Dylan) as his backing group, and later with outfits that included such great players as Duane Allman and Dr. John. In 2001, Hammond had something of a renaissance with Wicked Grin (Pointblank), a collection of blues-ified Tom Waits tunes produced by the ruffled songmaster himself. He followed that in 2003 with the textural experiments of the David Hidalgo–produced Ready for Love (Back Porch). Now he’s back to his roots once more with a stripped-down trio on In Your Arms Again. Tunes by Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed, and Bob Dylan get Hammond’s signature visceral treatment. Every choked note and moaning phrase of his voice rings with total commitment. And Wolf’s "Evil" gets an extra ration of menace from Stephen Hodges’s thunderous, impulsive drumming. Hammond’s own title cut and "Come To Find Out" fit comfortably among the classics, exploring love and sadness in acoustic arrangements that frame his vocals, guitar, and harmonica. Marty Ballou’s upright bass and Hodges’s rim-slapped snare kick up the right amount of backwoods dust. And Hammond’s six-string is bolder than on his last two albums, especially when he demonstrates his laid-back virtuosity on slide acoustic and resonator guitars.
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