Swampy and funky are words you don't want to hear describing your basement, but when applied to a musician of Tab Benoit's caliber, they offer high praise indeed. On Wetlands, Benoit pays tribute to the many varieties of blues from his home state of Louisiana: the bayou boogie of "Down in the Swamp," the zydeco soul of Boozoo Chavis's "Dog Hill," the down-home acoustic blues of "Georgia," and the New Orleans beat of "Let Love Take Control." Benoit's rough but soulful voice bears the mark of too many gigs in smoky roadhouses, but it's a perfect match for his masterful guitar playing. He really knows how to make six strings grumble, growl, shriek, and sing. The one weak spot on this CD is Benoit's lyrics, which rarely rise above the level of cliché. But as his skillful performance shows, it's not the words you say or the chords you play, it's how you say them and how you play them that make all the difference. --Michael Simmons
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