Little Axe - Bought For A Dollar, Sold For A Dime Album Review

The now half expected 'second coming' of many an artist thought past his or her prime continues. After the legendary American recordings for Johnny Cash it now seems that it is the accepted norm that former bright lights will shine brighter again in the sunset of their career. Having started playing at age 8, in 1957, and going through various bands and changes in direction Skip McDonald rose to prominence through Sugar Hill Records. The pioneering Hip-Hop label facilitated Skip to work with Afrika Bambaata, Grandmaster Flash and the Sugarhill Gang on some of the most innovative, creative and unique records of the time.

Although Skip has never stopped recording, this is album number 3 on Peter Gabriel's Real World Records, and number 6 in total under his own pseudonym, he is having something of an Indian Summer with the release of Bought For A Dollar. His 1994 Blues and Dub debut, 'Wolf That House Built', is now a dim memory. Back then the airwaves were still full of Brit Pop Blur and the nearest most bands would get to a blues/dub connection was through Massive Attacks 'Protection' or Portishead's 'Dummy'. Through the years though tastes have changed and a more soulful resonance has taken hold.

Bought For A Dollar, Sold For A Dime may have some new versions of old songs but they all sound remarkably fresh, and heartfelt. Skip puts his all into each track, eeking out every last possible piece of performance to enhance the song. "Hey, I'm even doing covers of my own songs. It's all part of the same puzzle."

Soul and Blues fill the album. Gospel infusions creep in all over the place and are highlighted most memorably on 'Guide My Feet' and 'Can't Stop Walking Yet'. A deliciously deep bass sound resounds around, the smokin' bass lines of 'Grinning', formally from the fabulously titled 'Champagne & Grits' album, being an exemplary example. There is even a brief, 49 sec, trip into Country and Bluegrass on Hands Off, and a distinct Jerry Dammers sound turns up on 'Hammerhead' (Thankfully nothing to do with either JC or The Stig). Each of the songs owes more to the Mississippi Delta than Dayton Ohio, Skip's birth place.

Skip keeps a coherent thread running through the 14 tracks. Using Soul and Blues as a back drop, he has layered fantastically emotive vocals, 'Too Late' the best of these, with some great guitar work.

Genius lies elsewhere with the inclusion of Alan Glen on Harmonica. The man plays like a demon throughout. You could sample out each of his solos and easily listen to him without any accompaniment. "A man has to go back to the cross-roads to find himself" he says on 'Soul Of A Man'. With Bought For A Dollar there can be no doubt that Little Axe has surely found himself.

Andrew Lockwood