Combine the fatback guitar tone of Eric Clapton during his Cream days with the slap-back rhythms of the delta, and you've got the spontaneous combustion that fires through the best of Hernando. After excursions into psychedelic jamming, this Mississippi trio returns to its roots, titling the CD after its hometown and drawing deeply from blues and early rock & roll. The results showcase the virtuosity of guitarist Luther Dickinson more prominently than ever, though drummer and brother Cody takes a vocal on "Mizzip," a celebration of good times in their home state, and bassist Chris Chew sings "I Would Love to Be a Hippy," where the borderline novelty lyrics contrast with the sweet subtlety of Luther's guitar. Producer-pianist-patriarch Jim Dickinson lets the interplay develop organically. While the first four cuts bring out the band's juke-joint best, the aptly titled "Long Way from Home," a harmony-laden ballad, shows that the Allstars still have fresh territory to explore. --Don McLeese
