Album Review: Mavis Staples – We Get By (Anti-)
With her 80th birthday just two months away, Mavis Staples continues to make soulful, funky music with a very contemporary message.
The soon-to-be octogenarian is already celebrating with a victory lap that has brought her to New Zealand earlier this this, while releasing a live album, recorded on her 79th birthday, and, just recently, performing at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem with a star-studding guest list, 63 years after first performing at the iconic venue with her family, The Staple Singers.
Although she had friends such as David Byrne, Maggie Rogers, Jason Isbell and Norah Jones with her at the Apollo, Mavis proves that she needs little help when it comes to making great records.
Over the past dozen years she’s had a string of notable producers on board…Ry Cooder, Jeff Tweedy, M Ward…and this release is no exception.
Ben Harper has produced and written We Get By, but its Mavis’ voice that takes centre stage. And from the sounds of it, she shows no sign of aging.
Harper has wisely decided to use Staples’ touring band in the studio, and guitarist Rick Holmstrom does a superb job of fleshing out Harper’s songs with guitar flourishes that recall Mavis’ late father, Pops Staples’ tremolo-laden sound, without aping it.
In fact, a bluesy, distorted guitar riff kicks off Change, the opening song (and first single) from the album.
“Things gotta change around here…what good is freedom if we haven’t learned to be free”, Marvis sings with her gutsy contralto. These are sentiments that she has been championing for over 50 years, yet shows no sign of giving up.
Meanwhile Holstrom gives the track some added punch with a ragged guitar solo that sounds almost like garage rock.
Up next is Anytime, a funky number with a loping bass line and another message of steely resolve.
“I’m rock paper scissors and I’m bound to win. You can’t shake me,” sings a defiant Mavis.
Harper himself shows up on the following track, the title track, duetting with Mavis on the emotional gospel ballad.
For the most part though, Harper stays out of the way, letting Mavis and her band do what they do best. The production is sparse, never showy, keeping the focus on Mavis.
The songs themselves range from the contemplative gospel numbers such as Heavy On My Mind to the upbeat funk/rock of Sometime.
I’ll admit that the songwriting quality starts to wane in the second half, but Mavis is such a strong vocalist that she can make the barest bones of a tune sound profound.
On album closer, One More Change, Staples sings, “Been running too hard to slow down”. And with that 80th birthday in her sights, Mavis shows zero signs of slowing down.
Marty Duda
