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Critic's Review
Al Campbell, All Music Guide
Classic Cuts 1933-1941 contains 87 tracks, spread out over four CDs, tracing the earliest recordings of the Delmore Brothers. These pre-King sides highlight the initial stages of the brothers' unique vocal harmonies and early forays into blues, ballads, Appalachian folk songs, and spirituals that would later jell into country boogie by the mid-'40s. These tracks are rich in early Americana fare, as indicated by the titles: "Bury Me Out on the Prairie," "Blow Yo' Whistle Freight Train," "Careless Love (Bring My Baby Back)," and "Old Mountain Dew." Also emphasized is the Delmore Brothers' love of gospel material, highlighted by "Are You Marching With the Saviour," "When We Held Our Hymn Books Together," and "God Put a Rainbow in the Clouds." JSP did an admirable job remastering the tracks, providing recording dates, and separating the discs into specific areas: Chicago 1933 and New Orleans 1935; Charlotte, NC, 1936-1937; Charlotte, NC, 1937-1938 and Rocky Hill, SC, 1938-1939; and Atlanta, GA, 1940 and New York 1940-1941.
