Be prepared to be scared when you pop on Takes One to Know One (Fat Possum/Epitaph 803133-2; 30:52). This drums-guitar duo of Elmo Williams and Hezekiah Early is about as raw as it gets. The kids today talk about jungle music…this one is deep in the jungle. Picture Cedell Davis jamming with Bongo Joe. (Ewwwww! Scary!) The aptly titled “Insane Instrumental” is raw and brutal, at times veering into some Sonny Sharrock-ish outre limits. They reach a horrific intensity on “Booster” while “Nothin’ Man” is positively psychedelic without even trying. Both “Hoopin’ and Hollerin'” and “Natchez Fire” feature some of the most disturbing distortion I’ve heard on record. This one makes Hound Dog Taylor sound like he just left finishing school; so weird it’s wonderful.
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