ERIN HARPE • Roots & Blues

“Harpe and Jim Countryman have delved into the vault and delivered an album of pure magic. Ten tracks spanning the career of one of Country Blues’ most celebrated people.

This has not been over thought or made into something hardly recognizable, just the sweetest vocals courtesy of Harpe, and an acoustic guitar that sees Jim Countryman joining in on accompanying bass. The title track, Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me, is simply sensational. It put me in the frame of mind to be sitting in a rocking chair, on my front porch, surrounded by a white picket fence with a cold beer in my hand and not a care in the world. To be honest, that theme more or less runs through the entire song list. Harpe and Countryman have produced something extremely rare: a simple take on simple songs.

A brilliant album from start to finish, bravo Erin Harpe, you have certainly put a smile on this writer’s face, along with a sense of enchantment.”

First of all, the sound on this album is delightfully clear, allowing you to hear every note and lyric perfectly. The songs represent a good selection of Hurt’s songs, some very familiar, some less so. 

Lovers of acoustic music and country blues will enjoy this album.

“The opener, probably Hurt’s most famous tune, “Candy Man”, reveals the ample strengths of the entire release. Harpe’s finger picking is intricate and evocative; her soprano vocalizing is enticing; and Countryman’s steady bass is supportive without being intrusive.

Kudos are due to the production values of this album. Both the vocals and instrumentation are pristinely clean. Every guitar note can be heard distinctly, allowing full appreciation of Harpe’s guitar artistry. This album conveys the gentle vibe of Hurt in the hands of skilled Erin Harpe. Mid-way through the set, Harpe covers the number “Got The Blues (Can’t Be Satisfied)”. Well, she sure satisfied me.”

Rating: “Indispensable” (ie. “a must” or “essential” – their equivalent of SIX STARS!!!)

“A collection as unique, faithful and virtuosic as the one whose legacy it perpetuates, this is the album that every John Hurt fan will enjoy savoring to their heart’s content.” 

“Harpe delivers these timeless songs with style and class – she doesn't simply cover them, she interprets them with passion and depth. Erin Harpe not only possesses the technical skill on the instrument, she embodies this music completely. 

Her voice is captivating, whether she's reviving the ballad of “Stagolee,” singing about “Candy Man,” “Frankie,” or “Richland Woman,” pleading for “Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor,” or simply expressing the feeling of “Got The Blues (Can't Be Satisfied).” This is someone who poured her heart and soul into her work!”

“gentle, affectionate… full of grace…

ethereal… unique… atmospheric…

groovy, infectious, and danceable…

Across the album, Harpe’s capable guitar work shines, providing nuanced, authentic, and heartfelt interpretations of Mississippi John Hurt classics.”

“The timeless, universal quality of Hurt’s blues gives it an air of effortless simplicity, but his syncopated rhythms and lyrical sophistication make it difficult to capture Hurt’s musical style… At least until someone like Erin Harpe comes along.

Harpe and her husband and co-performer, bassist Jim Countryman, have pulled together a gorgeous tribute to Hurt’s music with Harpe channeling the Mississippi guitarist’s inventive essence into this elegant album… simply delicious…

With “Let the Mermaids Flirt With Me,” Erin Harpe reminds us of the timeless greatness of Mississippi John Hurt while simultaneously establishing herself on the top shelf of acoustic blues performers.”

“a “stripped down” musical story in which Erin (vocals, acoustic guitar, kazoo and “foot percussion”) and Jim (ukulele bass and backing vocals) bring an excellent blues vibe, which will be especially enjoyed by all those who love these “roots” musical excursions…From the first to the last song, this duo literally “digs” through the Mississippi mud and shows us how everything is actually very simple, but the story is so serious and deep that all this sounds impressive and powerful. Erin, as an excellent singer and impressive guitarist of the so-called fingerpicking style, clearly shows that she is an established blues musician with a built-in attitude and strong reflections of the American traditional musical heritage.”

“To tackle a full tribute to Hurt, you need serious alternating-bass fingerpicking chops — and Erin Harpe has them in spades… She kicks out syncopated melodic runs with ease, always tastefully. Her rich, sensual voice, deft touch, and eloquent instrumentation make these songs shimmer with warmth and reverence. You can hear her love for Hurt — and for the tradition he represents — in every note... Erin Harpe doesn’t just cover Mississippi John Hurt — she communes with him. In Let the Mermaids Flirt with Me, she channels the warmth, grace, and quiet soul of the master, carrying the flame of acoustic blues into the modern age with reverence and joy — with humility, sweetness, and unshakable groove. Few artists today embody the spirit of the country blues as purely, as humbly, and as beautifully as Erin Harpe.”

“With Mermaids, [Erin Harpe] has again delivered a truly wonderful release covering most of the renowned, late Hurt’s greatest… the selected material is perfect and matched beautifully by Harpe’s distinctive, clear and clean picking and vocals supported by Countryman’s cool bass work… an excellent addition to the traditional acoustic blues canon.”

“a magnificent tribute to the great bluesman Mississippi John Hurt.”

“Often compared to Memphis Minnie or Bonnie Raitt, Boston singer and guitar player Erin Harpe is one of the most promising artists of actual country and roots blues. Elegant but at the same time full of charisma, Erin has a perfect voice to sing these styles, or in other words, she is a true ‘songster’.

It is a real pleasure to listen to this beautiful recording, developed with an extreme good taste, sensitivity and a much love and respect to Mississippi John Hurt’s music, along ten songs that become totally delightful for the ears of those of you who want to remember that legendary bluesman who was Mississippi John Hurt, this time displayed by the subtle voice of a woman called Erin Harpe.”

“Mermaids is an intimate affair filled to the brim with authentic versions of Mississippi John Hurt’s catalog. Harpe’s fingerstyle acoustic playing is delightful while Countryman’s simple and sympathetic basslines form a seamless and joyful bed while her expressive and occasionally sassy vocal style make for quite agreeable company... it kind of warms the heart, ya know? This record sounds and feels fresh and nostalgic at the same time – not a bad thing for a blues album.”

“The Boston-based vocalist/guitarist’s sure-fingered acoustic play rounds out a what’s-not-to-like set from an artist who belongs in any conversation about top-notch present-day blues women.”

“Perfectly capturing Mississippi John Hurt’s distinctive finger-picking style and creative storytelling ability, alongside that voice that could reach deep down and touch your soul, Erin stays true to the essence of John Hurt… Let’s be clear here, Erin and Jim create their own unique sound, paying respect, but bringing so much of themselves, their talents, their passion, into the mix… These songs are the authentic vibe of the blues, getting to the emotional heart of it, transcending boundaries and reaching out to everyone. Erin and Jim have staged a private concert just for us, filled with fiery passion, and buckets of soul. Come join me in the front row. I’ll save a seat for you!!”

“her voice has a cheeriness and rich vibrance that lifts these lyrics from the worried-all-day moods of some of them. Erin sounds effortless, but we know better – no matter how many times her Dad played these, she had to get them in her own hands and body rhythms to make them work. Mississippi John’s grooves managed to juxtapose involuntary audience movement with relaxation – so different from the subwoofer-fed forced-march dances of most of today's popular music… Jim’s uke bass works well in these arrangements, and it sounds like Erin's acoustic has the pickup being recorded along with miking the soundhole as is traditional. The result is a pure tonal center to each note she picks, with nothing tentative about any of it.”

“Harpe’s alluring vocals and mastery of the Piedmont Blues style of guitar playing hooked me on the very first listen of this soulful acoustic recording... recorded live in Harpe’s home studio with her husband Jim Countryman on bass guitar. They hold tight to keeping the music tied to its original time period and in doing so, constructed a fabulous homage… Erin Harpe and Jim Countryman’s tribute to blues legend [Mississippi John Hurt] is quite marvelous.”

“The album emerges as a refuge of evergreen blues for desperate times… Harpe is joined on the album by her husband, bassist Jim Countryman… Her signature snappy fingerpicking and nuanced vocals meet his syncopated ukulele bass for a buoyant, rhythmic rendition that honors Hurt’s timeless groove while adding her own modern flair.”

“‘Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me’ is a successful and atmospheric tribute from Erin Harpe to Mississippi John Hurt. It shows her maturity as an artist, her skill as a guitarist and her sense of tradition. For lovers of acoustic blues, fingerpicking guitar and pure, unbiased music recordings, this album is highly recommended… Although it is not a grand, exuberant production, it is precisely the simplicity that contributes to the strength of the work. The music, the voice, the guitar become more direct, more honest. Harpe manages to keep Hurt’s spirit alive while adding her own voice. Harpe is an excellent guitarist. Her finger style, her nuance in accents and her rhythmic subtlety show that she masters this tradition and can translate it into her own voice.”

“I am in awe of the immersive sensuality of the lyrics, especially in the emotive vocals of Erin Harpe. Mississippi John Hurt, too, was deeply engaged with the blues as a reflection on mortality – a reminder that death was imminent and always near… A beautiful portrait of Hurt, drawn by Erin’s father, Neil Harpe, titled Coffee Blues, completes this package. Thank you, Erin.”