Various Artists

Various Artists
Black Snake Moan OST
(New West)
Maybe the producers of Black Snake Moan concocted some wild story about North Mississippi hill country just to deliver the area’s blues. Being chained to a radiator might chase the demons if one had some of these tunes to ease the pain. Samuel L. Jackson’s songs are unlikely to spark a career change but are far from embarrassing. There’s plenty of deep South heat, not the least being Burnside and his gut-bucket trance, “Old Black Mattie.” The traditional wail of Precious Bryant is joined by artists like the Black Keys and the North Mississippi All-Stars. As a taste of unvarnished blues, this soundtrack may prove more significant than its film.
—Doug Taylor