In the early days of this century, a generation of Motor City punks
connected the generational dots between their swagger and that of this
late, gravel-throated godfather, aiding in his brief reappearance on
the scene. Why Won’t You Let Me Be Black? is culled from the
same sessions that spawned 2007’s Why Don’t You Give It to Me? On that earlier disc, members of the Dirtbombs, Outrageous Cherry and
the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach accompanied Mayer as he cut loose in a
most unapologetic manner, heaving his case-hardened, street-corner soul
against a wall of post-Stooges garage mayhem. Black plays much
the same but more often turns the spotlight in the direction of Mayer’s
original turf. The ballads “If You Would Be My Guide” and “The Girl
Next Door” are relatively mellow rest stops for this badass crew. A
pair of acoustic tracks from a radio appearance are added gems. If
these are leftovers, they are leftovers worth savoring.
— Duane Verh
This article appears in Aug 19-25, 2009.
