Album Notes

After seven critically-acclaimed traditional blues releases (along with two Blues Blast Music Award wins and 16 Blues Music Award nominations under his band’s collective belt), Nick Moss is taking a fresh approach and heading in an exciting new direction on Privileged. As Blogcritic Josh Hathaway writes in the liner notes, “Privileged represents a change in direction but not inspiration. Before Nick met Jimmy Rogers, Jimmy Dawkins and Lurrie Bell, he met their musical offspring in the form of Led Zeppelin, The Allman Brothers, Free, Jimi Hendrix, ZZ Top, Cream and other legends who drew their inspiration from Mississippi’s Delta and the immortal treasures that sprang from his beloved nearby Chicago.”

Moss has written some of the finest songs of his career, and by stretching beyond the traditional blues idiom, he has expanded his sound without losing his identity. That growth can be heard in the album’s first track, “Born Leader” as well as new originals “Privileged At Birth” and “Tear ’Em Down.” Those songs, combined with Moss’ stunning covers of Cream’s classic “Politician” and Stephen Stills’ “For What It’s Worth,” continue the path Moss began with his award-winning song “Mistakes From The Past” (from 2007’s Play It 'Til Tomorrow) to form a narrative that looks forward and back to assess current events. Perhaps Moss’ greatest achievement on Privileged is creating a musical universe diverse enough to incorporate those topical songs with his more traditional side, represented by his cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Louise,” and his original tune, “Georgia Redsnake.” And what Moss album would be complete without the instrumental that puts Moss’ skills as one of the top guitarists of his generation center stage? The eight-minute album closer, “Bolognious Funk,” combines his incendiary lead with one of the hardest grooves he’s ever recorded.