Do Right, Say Right is the new album form the highly regarded Mississippi MacDonald, a three-time British Blues Awards nominee, hailing from London. Like Joe Bonamassa, Mississippi MacDonald is one of those rare individuals for whom the blues runs deep, starting out at the tender age of eleven, and later hitting the US Blues trail, meeting artists such as Otis Clay and the late B.B. King along the way. MacDonald’s previous albums, Dress For The Money and American Accent, both received considerable acclaim, with the latter receiving the coveted Blues Is Back Album of the Year award in 2017. Ever prolific, MacDonald then released a third album, This Is How It Is, in 2020, once again receiving no small amount of praise for his passion for the form and attention to detail. Now signed to Another Planet Music, MacDonald is back with brand new album Do Right, Say Right¸ featuring eight original tracks and one cover.
The album kicks off in a smooth, soulful vein reminiscent of Robert Cray with the brass-soaked blues of I Was Wrong. From the start it’s clear that Mississippi MacDonald has that rare ability to inhabit a song, and the resultant track is one of those blues pieces that instinctively makes you feel better, even if the central lyric speaks of a deep regret. Next up, the sprightly I Heard It Twice retains the soul and adds a dash of Walter Trout to proceedings, making for a hugely enjoyable track. With gritty lead work form the outset, It Can’t Hurt Me is a soulful delight, with both the brass and the backing singers adding depth, but it’s MacDonald’s fantastic performance behind the mic that steals the show, his impassioned performance placing him alongside the likes of Buddy Guy and BB King who recognised the importance of really living the lyrics. The first half concludes on a calmer note, slowing the pace with Drinker’s Blues, the lyrics for which provide the album with its title. A late-night blues filled with whiskey and regret, Drinker’s Blues gives plenty of space to Phil Dearing’s keyboards, while the slower pace allows for some of the album’s most glorious lead work.
Opening up the second half, Let Me Explore Your Mind keeps things slow and steady, with the piano leading the way and the lights turned down low. Picking up the pace, the whimsical That’s It I Quit throws an autobiographical lyric at some heavy soul, and you can’t help but feel the joyful glow emanating from the musicians as they tap into the groove. The heavier blues of If You Want A Good Cup Of Coffee sees some truly fantastic lead work, while MacDonald really digs into the lyric, giving a theatrical performance worthy of Buddy Guy himself. A touch darker, Keep Your Hand Out Of My Pocket details a parting of the ways (goodbye, no regret) over tinkling ivories and sanguine lead work. It has a wonderfully live-in-the-moment vibe, and you can hear MacDonald, off mic but on fire, shouting as he coaxes his band through the lengthy solo. The album finishes with a breezy take on Little Milton’s Your Wife Is Cheating On Us, a strong finale to a deeply impressive album, although it should cause listeners to take note that Mississippi MacDonald not only makes the song his own, but also that it sits comfortably along his original material, highlighting just how capable a songwriter he truly is.
Do Right, Say Right is a wonderful album. Like all great blues records, it has that timeless feel that can only truly be conjured up by musicians deeply passionate about the form. Hitting numerous familiar beats and referencing any number of the genre greats along the way, what makes Mississippi MacDonald’s approach so impressive is that he can obviously speak the language, but he does so with his own accent, inhabiting the lyrics and causing his guitar to wail and cry as he pours himself into his role as band leader. A real treasure, Do Right, Say Right should see Mississippi MacDonald’s star continue to rise. 9/10
Order Do Right, Say Right here.
