At age 77, folk icon Ramblin’ Jack Elliot’s A Stranger Here offers a collection of depression-era blues standards that range from traditional 12-bar blues to looser pieces sounding like a New Orleans Mardi Gras with dark lyrical twists. Ramblin’ Jack’s voice defies his age as he calls out in some instances, struggles in others and stands firm at just the right moment – sometimes combining all three of these elements in the same song like on the album’s closer “Please Remember Me,” that is filled with a smoky-jazz vibe that sounds right off of Bourbon Street.

The album’s best moments are when the band and Ramblin’ Jack explore dark territory. The slide guitar intro of “Soul of a Man” draws the listener in before Elliot’s gripping voice creeps through the speakers singing, “I want somebody to tell me/Answer if you can/ Want somebody to tell me/ What is the soul of a man?” as the band methodically enters. “Grinnin’ in Your Face” is the album’s darkest song and features a slow gothic country force driving it. Elliot’s voice is downright sinister as he recalls the letdowns of all those around him including family and friends. The darker songs also allow the backing band the freedom to explore these moods more so than the lighter numbers. Though they’re good in their own right, the more traditional and lighter pieces like “New Stranger Blues” just aren’t as interesting when placed next to brutally honest depictions of misery and loneliness, like on “Falling Down Blues,” that finds Elliot describing how his blues is so bad it literally causes him physical pain to speak.

The album draws from songs that are oftentimes 70 years old, but there is a common and timeless truth that is projected. Elliot’s work here brings these songs to light again, and one can’t help but hear the similarities between their themes and our current issues.

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