Combining the best of two albums (1991′s Just This One and 1992′s Paulzilla) on one CD, Take It from the Turnaround heralds the arrival of a harp player who’s been a certified blues legend in his native region of Portland, OR. DeLay blows with authenticity and a full command of his instrument and way more than a hint of reckless abandon. Traditional blues, even by modern bar-band standards, this ain’t, but the high creative level of deLay’s songwriting on numbers like “Second Hand Smoke,” “Merry Way” and the heartfelt “Just This One” heralds the arrival of a new way of looking at things and bodes well for future recordings. As a parenthetical note, the liner notes that accompany this release are superlative, telling deLay’s story in a way that’s both horrifying and inspiring. The man has lived a life in the blues and not only lived to tell the tale, but has triumphed over the worst elements a road musician has to suffer through. – Cub Koda
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