Too Blessed to Be Stressed

The son of a Pentecostal minister, Tupelo, Mississippi’s Paul Thorn knows a thing or two about gospel and the roots music styles that go along with it. So with touches of R&B and dirty blues, Thorn sings of the world he’s known his entire life. He doesn’t mince words, either. “Old Stray Dogs & Jesus” takes a sturdy blues and tells the story of a life lived on the margins where you eventually find yourself alone. “Mediocrity Is King” expresses frustration with the world around him. “What Kind of a Roof Do You Live Under” incorporates a country-western guitar lick and a gospel choir for a tune that flirts with power pop. Bill Hinds’ slide guitar adds excitement to Thorn’s ode to procrastination, “I Backslide on Friday.” The title track traces back to Thorn’s childhood where the members of the local African-American Baptist churches that he frequented would answer exactly that when asked how they were doing: “Too Blessed to Be Stressed,” indeed! With love and affection, Thorn offers up “Don’t Let Nobody Rob You of Your Joy.” Thorn may have the blues, but he isn’t about to let that get him down.