Music Review: Leo “Bud” Welch, I Don’t Prefer No Blues

By Melissa Bratcher

Eighty-two-year-old bluesman Leo “Bud” Welch has recently recorded an album for Fat Possum/Big Legal Mess Records, home of R.L. Burnside and Mississippi Fred McDowell, as well as current favorites Jimbo Mathus and Jim Mize. While being a blues record through and through, I Don’t Prefer No Blues sounds so current and fresh that Jack White is probably gnashing his teeth in envy. I Don’t Prefer No Blues has an incredibly live feeling that features Welch’s well-weathered vocals and his flat-out amazing guitar playing. It’s a stunner of an album, and it’s only his second record (the previous was the all-gospel record Sabougla Voices).

The spectacular opener, “Poor Boy,” is produced by labelmate Jimbo Mathus (though the rest of the album was produced by Bruce Watson of Big Legal Mess Records). The bass and drum combo is menacing and Welch is joined by Sharde Thomas, whose silky vocals provide rich contrast to Welch’s earthy voice. It’s a haunting song and a perfect way to start the album.

Mathus joins on guitar for the swampy “Girl In The Holler,” adding a fizzy psychedelia to Welch’s heavy, buzzy guitar work and pleasingly rough vocals. The vocals are killer—from grungy verses to Mr. Welch’s impassioned yips. “I Don’t Know Her Name” rocks hard and hits that perfect garagey/blues spot with a nice, dirty guitar riff and a dash of Hammond organ. Rounding out the incredibly tight beginning of the album is “Goin’ Down Slow,” another live sounding song, a lowdown juke joint stomp with a sinuous beat. It’s gritty and honest and heavy.

Things take a turn with the classic “Cadillac Baby.” The production is much brighter sounding; in fact, it sounds downright shiny. Welch’s vocal delivery is still top notch, but after the previous four tracks, “Cadillac Baby” feels generic.

That’s the only track that doesn’t work so well on I Don’t Prefer No Blues. “I Woke Up” begins spartan and curious, strolling in the verses, before erupting into a raucous, furious rave up of a chorus on which Welch wails. The grit and smoke in his voice is perfect on the classic front porch blues of “So Many Turnrows,” about plowing behind a mule as he grew up. The song begins simply with his guitar and voice, plus drums, until the bass ekes in along with understated organ, leaving the focus on Welch’s raw vocals. It’s unrelenting and amazing.

You will never hear a better version of The Lord’s Prayer than in “Pray On.” This is a true fact. Garagey and upbeat with wah wah guitar, “Pray On” is also fiery and loose with a fine insistent guitar riff.

Leo “Bud” Welch has made an incredible album on I Don’t Prefer No Blues. There’s no way to fake the sort of honesty that he has. His voice is singular and his guitar playing is unusual and prodigious. It’s wonderful for someone as talented as Mr. Welch to get his rightful due, even if it is when he’s 82.

I Don’t Prefer No Blues was released by Fat Possum/Big Legal Mess Records on March 24.