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7/9/2006
Jeff Johnson
William Lee Ellis obviously has an appreciation for folk-blues great Mississippi John Hurt and deep roots in bluegrass (his dad is banjo player Tony Ellis, his godfather is bluegrass god Bill Monroe). But the acoustic guitarist-vocalist is even more plugged in to the Rev. Gary Davis, his spiritual forefather for "God's Tattoos," even beyond the tune most inspired by Davis, "Search My Heart."
Ellis explores the grace of God and the imperfections of man without getting preachy on this musical quest for spirituality. Skillfully produced by Jim Dickinson (Bob Dylan, the Replacements, et al), "God's Tattoos" features sparse but effective instrumentation and well-integrated backing vocalists. Ellis' shimmering, intricate finger picking is reminiscent of John Fahey, the master.
There are times when it drags a bit, but the flourishes of joyful noise make this one of the most welcome acoustic blues albums of 2006.