James Talley - Got No Bread / Tryin' Like The Devil (Reissue) (1974-76/2007)

Got No Bread / Tryin' Like the Devil combines James Talley's 1975 and 1976 albums for Captiol Records on one disc. Talley had a gift for writing detailed, bluesy folk songs that were aimed directly at working-class audience. of course, it was the kind of venture that worked on a cerebral level more than a visceral one, so critics -- and even President Jimmy Carter -- celebrated these songs, while very few people ever bought either album. Still, both of these records hold up remarkably well, and there's a number of understated gems scattered throughout this compact disc.