John Campbell One Believer (LP, 180g colored Vinyl, Ltd.)

(Music On Vinyl) 10 tracks, 180g transparent blue vinyl, limited edition of 750 individually numbered copies

“One Believer,” the Elektra debut of the late bluesman John Campbell, was outside virtually every trend at the major labels and in pop at the time. Apart from Chris Whitley's “Living with the Law,” it was the only roots record released by a major label in 1991.

A deeply atmospheric record full of subtly shimmering organs and warm guitar textures, it emphasizes the dreamy, haunting side of the blues more than the crisp stomp and roll Campbell was known for in clubs and presented on his follow-up, Howlin' Mercy.

Tracks like “Angel of Sorrow,” “World of Trouble,” and “Wild Streak” offer shimmering ambient textures from which the blues springs forth from the ether. Campbell lived and worked in New York, and his music was certainly influenced by this nocturnal environment. These are beautiful songs that practice restraint and shadow, showing their teeth at just the right moments.

“Couldn't Do Nothin',” “Devil In My Closet,” and “Person to Person” unfold the magic of the roadhouse. The last two tracks on the album, “Take Me Down” and the title track, are menacing in their conviction and eerily swampy in their execution.