Bad Temper Joe - The Maddest of Them All: Curated Collection (CD)

If you seek some of Europe's finest blues and roots artists, songwriters and guitarists, look no further than Germany's Bad Temper Joe. While honoring the old bluesmen from the Mississippi Delta, Bad Temper Joe brings the blues into the 21st Century – and does so with excellent songwriting, a powerful performance, and staying true to the tradition. With songs as raw as they are haunting, the grumpy blues bard has gained attention in the blues scene over the last few years, receiving numerous nominations for blues awards and winning the German Blues Challenge in 2022. But the German has also already been making waves in the international blues scene, and was the only European Act to reach the finals of the 2020 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. As the British Blues Matters Magazine put it, “It’s hard to believe that the sounds of the Mississippi-Delta have relocated to Germany, but they have.”

With “The Maddest of Them All: Curated Collection,” Bad Temper Joe announces the release of a special reissue of his 2019 album through the Osnabrück record label Timezone. Originally released as a double album, the work consisted of 22 songs divided into two distinct parts: an acoustic section where BTJ presented his compositions solo with minimal support from David Lübke on banjo, guitar, and vocals, and a predominantly electric section with a full band, including electric guitar, drums, bass, and harmonica. However, time showed the Bielefeld singer, guitarist, and songwriter that listeners often focused on one of the two parts. “Some of my personal favorite pieces from both parts have been overlooked,” says BTJ. With the “Curated Collection,” a unified and cohesive album has now been created that combines the best of both parts, staying true to the original spirit of the album and featuring songs that have become staples of Bad Temper Joe's live performances over the years.

“The Maddest of Them All: Curated Collection” impressively showcases the power, depth, and natural ease with which the blues bard was already composing back then. This quality, enhanced by the support of his fellow musicians, makes the album one of his strongest works even over half a decade after its initial release. The carefully selected song choices add extra refinement. This album is a must-have in any Bad Temper Joe fan's collection and is also the perfect introduction for those who are yet to discover his music.

01 Hell's Gonna Fly
02 Waiting in Vain
03 Bury Me Anyplace but Mississippi
04 Cheap Beer & One Night Stands
05 Blues Never Stumbles
06 Postcards Ain't Enough
07 Races to Run
08 Our Love (For Livia)
09 Everything's Gonna Be Just Fine
10 My Favorite Things
11 Bad Gasoline
12 Rebel River Incident
13 Mind Over Matter
14 Highway Takes the Lonely