Omar & the Howlers - Essential Collection (2011)

Mississippi-born but Texas-based Omar Kent Dykes understands a fundamental fact about the blues. He knows there are only a handful of rhythms and themes in the blues grab bag, and he uses them all over and over again in slightly different guises, which is far from a bad thing. It is the fundamental conservatism of the blues and its limited palette that has kept the form alive long after its colorful offspring (R&B, soul, rock & roll, etc.) flew the roost, taking a large part of the audience with them. But Omar understands all this. He has had a 30-year career playing these rhythms, and he knows how to keep it all simple, direct, and powerful, and how to build new songs out of the fabric of the old songs without destroying their familiarity. Sometimes he trips over the inherent clichés that have always haunted the form, but at his best, with songs like "Muddy Springs Road" (included here), Dykes' gruff, raspy vocals (which sound at times like Wolfman Jack fronting a blues trio) carry an impressive emotional wallop as he blends the personal and autobiographical inside the familiar rhythmic structures he uses. This two-disc set does a great job of showcasing his talents, with the first disc collecting his fan favorites while the second disc collects the tracks that are his own favorites. It adds up to the best introduction possible to his work and career.