Gris Gris

I enjoy a lot of Dr John's work, but didn't really vibe with this one

Dr. John be weird

Trippy. Kind of weird Louisiana swamp folk voodoo rock. Idk if I liked it that much, but I'm happy I tried it.

Really cool and vibey album. Best listened to at night and in headphones. I had heard this one before but it had been a little bit. “I Walk On Guided Splinters” is without question the standout track.

I don’t do drugs but I frickin love psychedelic music. This album evokes a hazy sunset in the bayou, transitioning to pitch black night. Very cool.

This record really got my attention, with the varied, sparse instrumentation, Dr. John’s odd vocals, and the echoey, ritualistic-sounding backing vocals. There are some bird call noises here and there that were produced in such a way that it sounded like one of the birds was in the room with me. I turned around to see, like what the heck. I didn’t know anything by Dr John except for the radio hits, which were fun but nowhere as interesting as this - another very pleasant surprise. It reminds me a little of Captain Beefheart, only of course it’s much more normal. Well, for some values of "normal."

Good stuff

0.9/5 Bit weird for my taste. There was some bits I liked but overall I wouldn't recommend.

Witch doctor jazz music. Amazing for 1968. Fairly easy 30 minute listen. Glad to have heard it at least once.

Wow. If I needed further evidence that NOLA is my fav city in the US… Music is rarely this perfect a balance of odd and compelling but when it is HOO WATCH OUT. 4.5 only bc when can I play any of these songs except alone in a specific mood

I’m just happy I didn’t have to pretend to listen to another Beatles album

It feels like music that would play whilst you walked through a creepy house. I didn’t really find this enjoyable on any level and ‘Croker Courtbullion’ was a clear low point. ‘Jump Sturdy’ had potential to be a high point, but i think the volume and quality of the vocals put an end to that

My knowledge of Dr. John spans only his later years: doing the Blossom theme tune, doing the version of “Cruella De Ville” in the 90s 101 Dalmations, being in The Blues Brothers 2000, etc. This is the first time I’ve listened to really any of his music beyond “Right Place Wrong Time”, so I’d expected this album to sound much like that - but it very much does not. If you ever had any doubt Dr. John hails from New Orleans, this album should remove them. You can absolutely hear the voodoo influence, especially on the songs which are largely instrumentals, paired with the more standard 1960s psychedelia. It’s undoubtedly a very atmospheric album that I found interesting to listen to, at least. By halfway through track one, I sort of thought I’d hate it. While I wouldn’t say I necessarily liked it, there was something about it which makes it worthy of more than a 1* score.

Firstly I want to praise "I Walk On Guilded Splinters" as a genuinely great title for a song. Love it. And now to the music.... Bloody hell that was odd! I like the New Orleans style jazz bits and dislike everything else. A 1.5 which is getting a 1/5

Strong debut of the Dr! Really sets the tone for what was to come

A bit "I'm a voodoo man" sort of thing. It just reminds me of Disney caricatures of new Orleans or similar.

I'm not sure about this album. It didn't really do anything for me.

Well, that was shit.

Early, spooky Mac!

Perfect for my next ritual sacrifice!

The music itself is pretty good but it kind of reeks of cultural appropriation so idk how to appropriately rank this

Bayou funk is an apt sub-genre for this. Makes me look around the corner for the Voodoo Queen to show up.

🚬Album 303. Gris Gris (https://open.spotify.com/album/1yBoaVrgcup2hX2DCYUajs?si=-Yad5jueT6-rUg8UuBDDlA) — Dr. John (1968) Are you crazy, Doc? Well, I like psychedelia and still it was weird af. Great 3/5 Liked: — Croker Courtbullion

Really interesting mix of popular traditions and historical narratives surrounding New Orleans unique cultural phenomena. It's well produced, with great arrangements and technical play. And it's very bold in it's presentation, which makes it a great concept album that may have inspired many artists since then

Look, it might be a little problematic, but I love it.

Upolert. Har aldri vært i New Orleans, men dette føles ut som noe man kan ramle inn til i et eller annet mørkt og disig lokale der. Noe av det høres ut som en feberdrøm, mens annet er ganske groovy.

3.5

Це має бути щось цікаве) Так) Це було круто!

unusual. blues, rhythms, percussion. unusual, definitely has a taste of the 60s

love. have loved this album ever since I heard it, which i think was from scanning this list for interesting stuff in college. perfect. only the second I've had on vinyl which was extremely nice.

A 30+ minute creole fever dream set to music. Drums and chanting, voodoo - what am I listening to? Did I say I don't like it? I'm not sure... I think we sacrificed a chicken...

Ça vaut la peine de découvrir Dr. John du début à la fin de sa carrière selon moi.

Plaisant, cover rigolo, musique entraînante de bayou. Quelque chose de mystique potentiellement de cette persona que je ne connaissais pas. Pas 100% sûr que ça a si bien vieilli

Adoré ça! Surtout après Pentangle que j'ai trouvé pouiche. Quelle ambiance incroyable de bayou du sud.

jazz but with a twist! ok now. don't think it's a must listen, but if you like a bit of groovy jazz then this is for you. 3.5

Honestly, this was a lot less painful than I was anticipating. I can't really think of an itch this would ever scratch, so I probably won't ever be returning to it, but it was short and interesting enough to be inoffensive.

I might not be the intended audience for this. I can’t say I really like any of it. It was cool to listen to though.

I usually prefer a debit over later works

Hell yeah, I’ve always thought Dr. John was cool so I’m psyched he has an album on this list.

Альбом начался как ритуальные завывания для псилоцибиновых шаманов. Так же и закончился, но при этом начал мне нравиться. Все ещё странненько и несуразно, но уникально и любопытно. Топ-1 - Jump Sturdy Топ-2 - Mama Roux + I Walk on Guilded Splinters

A little odd, sure, but there's a craft to the song-building here. There's something about this album that sounds very cinematic. I kinda love it.

What kind of sickos would love this ridiculous music? How does it deserve to be on 1001 albums that you MUST listen to? Me, I am sickos. And I liked it way more than I expected. Not something I would go back and listen to again, but definitely one of those palette broadening albums that I believe are necessary for the spirit of music. Very Bayou.

Good background music, quite samey

This is delightfully odd, but very much in a way that's fun and interesting for one listen, not in a way that makes you want to add it to regular rotation. The chaotic, percussion-heavy instrumentation is eerie but sparse and Dr. John's talky delivery becomes irritating.

What an amazing album. Gritty and dirty sounding without going too hard. Very groovy arrangements in a fairly undefinable genre.

This has got to be one of the coolest album covers we've had on this list. I'll take what I can get as the aural output I regularly get from this website harms me in indescribable ways. I have suffered as you have suffered and I have done so almost 500 times. I suppose I can't say "It's almost review 500!1!" too many times, but listen, I am creatively fried. Maybe I need to take a note from the good doctor here and do a weird updated minstrel show "voodoo priest" character. Or maybe I can just sort of throw 'Nawlins word salad together. Let's try the second one as it seems less likely to be horribly offensive. Why I do say, Dr. John this is certainly a big ol' tub of Louisiana Gumbo and uhh crawdads and such. I've got nothing. Too meandering to be funny, too intellectually stunted to be interesting. THAT is why you hit up these sweet reviews. Boil me up another catfish Jumbo John, I'm goin' diving for swamp garbage! 2 HIGHLIGHTS: World Ward 3

This wasn't as good as I remember it being when I had the album growing up. It's a bit meandering and loses the thread in multiple places - goes from cool spooky voodoo swamp stuff to nonsense jazz scatting and back again a few too many times. Dr John is cool though, I saw him in concert before he died. Didn't have his finger tips. Real NOLA bayou boy. His later work is even a bit more daggy than this ironically, this is still fairly cool and mysterious.

Just, no

not for me, at first it was okay ig, then it started adding random noises and it molested me.

Muy raro, no banqué.

Gris Gris: Flowerchildren (led by the shaman Dr John) gather up a tambourine, a mandolin, a flute, and some bongos and somehow make a recording (swamp voodoo psychedelic rag?) at the end of the sixties. And evidently a few people buy it and the good doctor gets his start. They get better from here, because I’ve actually heard of them and know their ‘73 single Right Place Wrong Time. An easy listen that brought me back to the sixties. (2.51*s) Improved with time in the bottle…

Quite a trip through the bayou with a medicine man and his band of gypsies. A relatively minimalist approach with the instrumentals but Dr. John's lyrics weave a more complex story. Some drugs were had making this album and reminds me of a journey an overfed, long-haired leaping gnome once took. Based on the music paired with the album cover, one can believe Mac is a mad man. I imagine him skipping through a dank swamp with a "gregory" tied around his neck to ward off evil spirits and prevent an accidental slip-up pregnancy with any nymphs he encounters. I think Mr. Jahn may like this and will mention it next family gathering. This voodoo vagabond gets 2.68 stars for this strange record.

This album's schtick seemed pretty thin to begin with so any novelty wore off very quickly and I was mostly left with some ramblings from a Cajun witch doctor with some backup swamp instrumentation. Perhaps if you are living in the big easy it provides a good sampling of various R&B stylings from the region but I found it mostly skippable. I'm wondering why this album has garnered so much praise in restrospect as it seems like it was rightfully overlooked upon release. Seems like it should have faded over time like so many other forgotten albums. Not sure what I would be missing with this one. Maybe the character of Dr. John was more relevant at the time or had a wider reach than I am aware of. 1.56 stars

Gravelly but with some smooth groove to it. Perfect for Druids to usher in their monthly meeting at the henges.

A strange album that dials up the psychedelics to 11. The mixing is jank, with abrupt changes in volume, especially on the vocals. It occasionally devolves into abandoning all conventions of music, which depending on your mental state can be deeply confusing or mind-blowing. The rating is in the middle because I honestly don't know what to do with this.

Some of this was pretty enjoyable, but a couple of tracks were truly a slog.

What’s with all the mouth noises?

Damn. Where in the hell have you been my whole wasted life until now? (I might actually hate this album the next time I give it a listen. But I am going with my original reaction. Why? Why not.) Time to get me some Gris-gris. 5 "walking on guilded splinter" stars.

Kind of cool. I dig the gravely voice, and the New Orleans sounds.

I found the album a bit boring. A little bit of Dr. John's voice goes a long way for me. I'm sure it's an artistically worthy effort, just not my thing.

Feels as though Jonno likes the smell of his farts like that Tom Waits guy. Not really that enjoyable

Oh man it's the weird voodoo album. We would use this for Halloween parties all the time. It's great. Sets an atmosphere instantly and holds it there. Sure the atmosphere is, "We're probably gonna die" but still. Super weird experiment. I decided Dr. John got so stoned he fell off the planet, and when enough of the drugs wore off he wrote this from about 6 feet off the floor. I can see people hating it but as far as experiment albums go it's fun.

This eclectic album has a lot of soul.  There are some great grooves here.  The one negative is those lame background singers.  They sound like they were grabbed off the street and set up with microphones. Overall, I liked the loose vibe.  Dr. John's vocals are unique and outstanding! Liked Songs Added: Mama Roux Danse Fambeaux

First thoughts were "Captain Beefheart goes to New Orleans". Second thoughts were...the same! Suitably bonkers. Definitely different. I like to think I'd have been listening to this in 1968, but I probably wouldn't even have been aware of its existence, so maybe not. I can see why it was retrospectively rediscovered and admired by the likes of Paul Weller and Happy Mondays 25 years later. Good job, generator!

The whole album does comfortably give off this creepy Cajun vibe , especially in the opener and closer which were the most impressive tracks to me. The middle of the album pales to those however, but I can still see how this album could give off a "cult classic" vibe. If I ever get the wish or opportunity, I'd like to check out more Dr. John material.

Certainly, there needs to be a Dr. John LP on any list of over 1,000 I have to hear before I die, but I'm a little surprised it's this one. He certainly had more popular and commercial efforts in his long and storied career, but I suppose none of them captures his New Orleans voodoo vibe quite like this early album.

Funky and weird and spooky and bizarre. No one does this combo like Dr. John. Musically some track are a little sludgy but even those are never uninteresting with the Doctor's delivery and threats of spells and voodoo shenanigans.

I was only passingly aware of Dr. John, and I'm still not totally on board with his voodoo cosplay, but I actually liked this a lot. Turns out New Orleans music and psychedelia scratches an itch I didn't know I had.

This is different and interesting/attractive, but the "Dr John" pitch is problematic. The patois could be a barrier or point of intrigue, I find the mountebank angle a serious turn-off, with a bit of reading there are questions about legitimacy of this presentation of New Orleans Creole and Voodoo content, eg how to assess made-up chants. So Track 1 initially fascinated and repelled me, I loved the music but thought I’d be happier if "Dr John" was zeroed in the mix. Track 2 is also interesting, thankfully no Dr John, I can handle the banging percussion. Track 3 is one of my favourites, Dr John more palatable when singing rather than talking, and mostly lower in the mix is good. I Walk On 'Guilded' Splinters is a very unusual song, I do have reservations about prominence of appropriated content. How to sum up? There are some really very good features, but some other parts are kinda rubbish, my quick answer is Mix of Good and Bad, 5/10.

A few listenable tracks and others which I just don't get

Just the right amount of weird.

Very weird album, but fun. I liked the intro track, but 33 minutes still ended up to be to much weirdness. No replay value.

p144. 1968. 2 stars. Well, it's different, I'll give it that. I am guessing it loses some of its potency when taken out its native steamy New Orleans environment and played in Stoke on Trent. Glad I heard it but won't seek it out again.

ciężko go ocenić. połowa piosenek wydawała się męcząca, a połowa nawet niezła. ale na pewno nie przesłuchałabym go w całości jeszcze raz

Tekotaiteellista paskaa, kuitenkin ihan oikeaa musaa valtaosin eikä ainakaan tylsää. 2/5

Blackface, the album

What a really cool record. Influences of African, Cajun, Soul, Blues, and all done very well. There is a specific mood to this record, and its one that resonates with me because of how haunting and mysterious it sounds. The production and sequencing is fantastic. Really dig this one.

Felt slightly parodical of New Orleans but I guess that's just how it is there

Alright!! One of our households' definite no. 1 albums. Great music, wonderful Cajun style, and Dr John nails it, everytime.

Bullshit

I can see why this album flopped upon release. I can also see why it received acclaim later on. It's weird and charming. Do I want to listen to New Orleans psychedelia on a regular basis? No but I'm glad to have checked it out because it was a rather fun listen.

8 don't know what the fuck I just listened to but...I think I want...more? Other than the poor (in my opinion) choices in the stereo mix, this was really interesting and enjoyable. Great instrumentation, background vocals, and overall feel. Weird, unlike anything I ever would have imagined I'd like, but definitely worth listening to ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A combo of New Orleans blues and psychedelia, Dr. John creates a grimy, haunting listen befitting his voodoo priest persona.

not something i completely loved but i defo wasn’t bored and see the appeal

Super cool new orleans psycho trip-hop blues or something. So weird but I loved it, not constantly, but there's something to be said for a vision coming together in less than 40 min so clearly

This was definitely different than most music I've listened to and I really liked it. I was surprised to learn just now that this is a white dude though.

I'm technically still finishing the last song while writing this but meh. It has a cool vibe but no song really stuck out and I felt just a bit disconnected from the whole vibe

I completely loved this vibe. The psychedelic folk mash up works so well. Very close to a five. Will definitely check this one out again

Just add zatarans.

Een soort jaren '60 kambo-ceremonie maar dan zonder het vele braken. Denk ik. Eigenlijk is het een wat vreemd en irritant album, maar toch kan ik hem wel hebben. Het wordt allemaal niet te abstract en het blijft lekker vlot doorkabbelen allemaal. Ik was bij het zien van de hoes bang voor Captain Beefheart/Zappa-achtige toestanden en het heeft daar zeker ook wel iets van weg, maar het blijft binnen de grenzen van het acceptabele. 3,5 ster. Ik maak er een 4 van omdat ik positief verrast ben.

Having only really known Dr John as the temptingly weird presence on that 90s BBC cover of Perfect Day, the opening track here had me thinking this would be right up my street. Such a disappointment that the rest of the album is the same, but less and less so with each track, like so much watered down gumbo.

é interessante

Surprisingly original music

It's a weird one, I can't say I like it

Terrible

This is my 129th album and it's the first one in a long time that isn't guitar driven, so I was immediately invested. I really enjoyed the chilled out jazz feeling of this one and it's only 33 mins long so easy to listen to. I don't really get the low score but each to their own!

Psychadelic blues funk with a fronted by a cartoonishily swampy Cajun persona. Slow and groove based, lots of space to it but with a thick smokey fog settling over it.

I was looking forward to this album. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. Dr. John has a rough gravelly voice. New Orleans style/sound. The songs don’t seem to be going anywhere. I wish I could give it a four but it is only an average album. Three stars.

Swampy

(4/7) this must be what a bayou sounds like

Weird but musically interesting

I thought "Mama Roux" was a nice listen, easy-going and relaxing.. but I have little else to say about the rest of the album. Is this one of those albums that you just need a little extra "kick" to appreciate fully? I got the impression that is the case.

For what it is, it's fine. Not my style but a lot of his music was heard in my house as a child. I remember it as less psychedelic so maybe that was some of his later work? I'm not a child anymore, I'm not in the same house, and there's no space for Dr. John today for me. Thanks for the memories. 2.7 Oh, and for the Danish hip-hop fans - I noticed a little easter egg in Danse Kalimba Ba Doom. Did you catch it, Remy?

Are you getting drunk or are you getting poisoned?

I need a vocal supergroup with Dr. John, Captain Beefheart, Tom Waits, and Vinicio Capossela. Call em The Gravel Pit.

Well, it's not like much else on this list! It's mysterious, spooky, and best of all, short!

I can't believe I just heard this for the first time, now! Ethereal back up vocals layered with a grittiness, likened to Tom Waits conjures up a scene from the movie, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou. A lovely choice to play while driving on meandering rural roads, while staring out the window, twirling your hair around a finger.

🎧Cool and weird stuff that I mostly enjoyed

3/5. I really don’t know what to make of this album, spent a while debating between a high 2/5 or a low 3/5, and I think I’ve settled on the latter because this album is very fascinating and weird, to the extent where I left it at least somewhat satisfied. It’s a weird lo-fi, psychedelic R&B/blues album with heavy influences from New Orleans Voodoo-spirituality. When it works like on closer “I walk on guilded splinters” you get some really interesting and atmospheric songs, but at other points it just feels like a caricature.

Far out, man. I was skeptical an album could evoke a psychedelic New Orleans bayou, and yet I was wrong. Very weird, some of it meandered but some of it I really dug. Definitely the kind of unexpected pleasure that makes this exercise so satisfying.

Fun album! Definitely not my style, not something I'd listen to again, but I had fun with my time with it. Dr. John. who knew?

I’m trying to figure out who this music is for. It’s really stripped down, but too hard to be acoustic/folk kinda music. It’s too stripped down to be for hard music fans. It’s not rap, it’s not pop. Like who would actively seek out this music?

No fui fan, muy alternativo indie

Psychodela która mi nie siada. Druga, trzecia piosenka z fajnym zacięciem. Ale potem męczy

Not really for me, but also not completely offensive

The music wasn't as bad as I was expecting... Maybe I was put off by the cover and thought it was going to be one of those Captain Trout type albums but the music was decent. The production, however, turned me off. I felt like the mix was bad and it really took me out of it.

Wowza but ew mouth noises

Unsurprisingly, this was pretty fsr-out, man. Cool sound.

What a nice surprise!

Awesome. You can hear the future on this thing

Märklig skit, påminner stundtals om svensk barnprogramsmusik från sjuttiotalet. Fast inte alls lika bra. En solklar etta!

This mfer sounded like 1968 Currensy in the worst way possible. Maybe I should’ve listened to this shit stoned because sober it sounded like a humiliation ritual.

This is a very specific album, and I mean that in the best possible way. While listening I felt like I was transported somewhere dreamy and mysterious. It’s rhythmic, hypnotic, and has this thick, swampy atmosphere that completely sucks you in. The way Dr. John introduces himself on this record is brilliant — he creates this whole voodoo doctor persona that feels authentic and theatrical at the same time. The instrumentals are excellent, especially the percussions, which drive the whole thing and give it that deep, tribal, almost ritualistic feel. It’s like taking an afternoon walk through a small, sunlit West European city that somehow blends French, Spanish, and deep New Orleans Creole vibes. The grooves are rich, the production is unique, and the whole album has a very distinct character. Gris-Gris is a great and very special debut. Not something you put on every day, but when you do, it really takes you somewhere else.

yes, it was strange. Too weird for me

Yeah, not feeling this one. Like I can get why people enjoyed it, just not for me

Good weird, maybe a 3.5 for me but will give it a 4

I had only heard some of Dr. John's bigger songs like "Right Place Wrong Time" and "Iko Iko" so I was surprised by this one. It's almost a world music album with chants, rhythms, and bayou instrumentation that creates an atmosphere that's intoxicating. It's almost like a musical and is very cinematic with different characters and a dramatic feel. All of it really conjures a feeling of being in New Orleans and out on the bayous with a shaman with mixed motives casting a dark spell on those gathered to listen.

A densely creative psychadelic voodoo feast. Obviously gimmicky but with an edge of authenticity, at least the guy is from New Orleans. Creepy, funky, fun

dont do drugs kids...

I love Dr John and am so glad he moved away from this gimmicky stuff and towards just solid music. Mama Roux is the standout on this album.

Excelent mix of Blues , Swamp Rock and Psychedelic Soul The whole album is a vibe start to finish. Have to listen to it resting by a body of water!

muy original y de calidad 4.2

This album is definitely something differently. It has a very voodoo vibe to it. It sounds like music I would expect you to hear if you walked into some sort of underground club in New Orleans. Very cool almost tribal beats and background vocals. Not sure I would listen to it again, but it is something I'm glad was on the list. I enjoyed listening to it and it isn't something I would have come across and played on my own.

It may not make a whole lot of sense but you can't say this album is ever boring. Some interesting tracks and a lot of variety. Some works some doesn't. I suspect, like Dr John, one should be trippin' to get best results.

... no. This, to me, is noise rather than music. There are brief moments of interesting bits of music, but then it returns to noise. Rating: 1

A super unique album! What a cool find. This album is as dark and moody as something rooted in the bayous of Louisiana deserves to be. This is a great image of how New Orleans feels preserved in music. Favorite track: probably "Danse Kalinda Ba Doom"

It’s weird. But not in the way that vibes with me

Another 2 for the hall of ugh

Interesting

A strange album, kind of liked it

I think I listened to this album 3 times to try to decide what I thought of it, and I still have no idea.

Initial post listing ranking: 7/10 Type of music / Reminds me of: Early young Soundcloud rappers trying to be quiet while their mom is cooking spaghetti in the kitchen. African tribal call and response, plus Louisiana bayu, and blues, cool. Thoughts: Recording quality is crazy lol. I do like the vibe, blackest white guy I’ve ever heard. Croker Courtbullion was cool at first but then it became an insta-skip when the vocals came on. Generally I really like the style even if it is a little weird. Favorite Track: Jump Sturdy

I feel like I'm too sober for this album because this is barely listenable.

Physcadelically weird, a fun off kilter album

Not horrible.

wtf

Blind album and artist. What a listen of something unique and quirky thats somehow got a tone and rhythm you can't get outta your head. Whatever this list of from thr wire of "100 albums that set the world on fire..." is, im gonna have to check it out after the project. 4.

goes hard

🙂

It was not that bad, but very unpleasant to hear it at some passages.

Müstiline voodoo-album, kus pidevalt lauldakse Gris-gris (ma oletan, et joogist). Aga päris ainulaadne kõla, mis pani mind mõtlema, et ma olen kuskil saarel hõimlaste poolt kinni peetud ja mu ainuke lohutus on see, et vähemalt on muusika päris hea ja kuulatav. 3.9/5

Interesting record. Probably wouldn't listen to it on a regular basis, but it was interesting...

This was ass

I liked this. Dark, simmering jazzy-bluesy vibes. Percussion and rhythm section was excellent, vocals were catchy and interesting but not annoying. The animal sounds were a little bit much but overall it was an immersive listening experience that put me deep in the swamps of the South.

Great and sometimes spooky NOLA tunes

favs: jump sturdy i walk on guilded splinters rating 1.4/5

3 sterne

This album was an experience for sure. One I didn’t really need to have. Perfect music for a seance or voodoo ritual if I ever find myself partaking in one.

This album has a black magic kinda of tone all throughout the album. By the end of listening, I felt like I should be sacrificing a chicken and praying to Jabu (Ala Major League). The beats were funky and somewhat enjoyable, but this dark tone followed each song. Not something I’ll ever listen to again, but worth checking out once.

Dr. John is to New Orleans music what Popeyes is to New Orleans cuisine. This album feels as if someone dropped a few brown acid tabs into a lukewarm pot of ‘gumbo’ at a Popeye’s in a layover airport in the Midwest. Both the album and the gumbo will leave you confused, unfulfilled and trying to get out of your body what you mistakenly let in before your insides are poisoned or you begin to unravel. All of this to say, don’t eat at an airport Popeye’s and don’t listen to Dr. John.

Ugh, that was unpleasant. Too much wierd for me. Nothing connected, nothing positive stood out.

Really fun album.

Tudo e nada ao mesmo tempo. Ouvi notas de blues, de tarantella, de cumbia… Muito sumo, mas daqueles de concentrado, diluído sabe a pouco Merece um 3 pelo esforço

Meio esquizofrénico, nunca sabes bem o que vai sair a seguir, engraçado

Bizarro, realmente parece que estamos em Nova Orlaes no meio do voodoo todo. Nao sei se me apetece ouvir outra vez, mas o que faz faz bem

No Boom com o tio Gustavo talvez fizesse sentido. A uma quinta a tarde com um bebé a chorar, nem por isso

Dr John: I’ll give this album credit, this does immediately transport me to a rocking chair on a porch in the Mississippi Delta, my cousin Andre (we call him Sawbones) is cooking an unholy amount of jambalaya, and I’m just kind of waiting for a gator to come out of the swamps so we have some more meat to add to the pot. But besides the lovely visual this provides me, the music does next to nothing. Very bare. Quite unique, Dr. John’s voice is unlike anyone else’s. But that’s not a compliment, necessarily. Not my style, 3/10.

I could barely finish this

3/10

spooky, soulful, dreamy, music of the night

Doesn’t work for me.

Some good moments, but a ton of super annoying ones. 2.0/5.0: Disappointing

dr john is quite a character. this album is incredibly eccentric and the amount of variation is great. i dont love it but i did really enjoy it. its a 4 for me but extra point for the album cover

Super experimental, al punto que agota.

This shit pissed me off. I've never been more certain that you need to be high to appreciate/tolerate a record before. Felt like music to join a cult to. Full of irritating singing and mouth sounds... and fart noises... and farm animals. Couldn't wait for it to end.

Really dug this. Trippy and weird and bluesy and soulful. Wholly American

I can't

Some songs are bluesy and solid. Others are just weird / nightmare music and are really hard to get through (e.g. Croker Courtbullion).

Without the singing, this would be a 3 or 4 star. But Dr. John's vocal style just reminds me of a middle aged white dad in sunglasses and a polo shirt with the collar popped proving to his kids he's cool at a blue bar in a 80s movie.

Feels kind of like a southern fried Tom Waits. Maybe a bit more rhythmic, but certainly not more enjoyable. The fact that he was kicked out of choir as a kid says something.

The cover (minus the honestly ugly font) really sums up this album. It has a ritualistic, maybe even occult quality. The songs on here are chants that tell stories of magic and fate. This is supported by the instrumentation that manages to create a palpable ceremonial athmosphere. My biggest problem here is Dr. John‘s voice. It‘s nothing special and at parts grating. Just let your amazing background singers take the mic. And stop selling stuff to give to a wife „you can‘t control“ , for heaven‘s sake.

These reviews played in my face 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 listened to most of it until I got tired

Kinda interesting but not enough to tell someone they have to listen to it.

What the fuck even is this?

Interesting to say the least.

Spaceat. Vodoo style lugn rock med psykedeliska inslag? Blev paranoid av att lyssna. Knäppt.

Funky, weird, bopping. This is exactly the kind of album I was hoping to discover from this list.

Interesting. Didn’t hate it but not something I’d listen to regularly.

it reminds me of a guy getting stoned in his basement and thinking he's a musical genius while straight up ripping off traditional Creole music. if you're going to appropriate another culture for your own benefit, at the very least, make it good.

that weird bloke at the pub open mic who insists he's invented a new style of music and everyone nips to the bar when he starts playing

Gris Gris is a novel blend of styles that should be talked about more but lacks the genius of some other recordings like trout mask

I've liked Dr. John did that have showed up via algorithm, but I couldn't decide with the first track here whether it was creative or affected. Learning he was creating a character based on a historic figure (however true) helped me feel more receptive. By the second listen, I started to feel that this belongs among the albums that really cohere *as albums* rather than having a few great tracks. It conjures a world all its own and holds you there throughout. I'd have to listen more closely to really appreciate all the characters, but I can picture the hand-drawn animated adaptation of this album, and it's a fun movie to become immersed in.

I've never, ever heard this. I was mesmerized on the first listen by the production, the performances, and the weird way they mic and mix his voice. The second listen made it harder to ignore the rough edges — the barely-staying-together meanderings of "Croker Courtbullion", his voice sounding like someone recording themself onto a performance for which they weren't in the room, and the general shagginess of the whole outing. I left unsure whether this album was thoughtful or tossed off. Likely it's a little of both. There are enough cool moments that I'll be back for more, but enough shagginess that it won't be going in regular rotation. Still, a great surprise.

wanted to like it more considering the guy looks like dr. teeth from the muppets, but this was a surprisingly a little dull. found myself like the background singers much more enjoyable to listen to. this is his debut so maybe he gets a little more experimental like how i imagined he would.

Pretty cool, but mid-listenability, 2.5

Muy falopa, no me gustó mucho.

It's a vibe. Not my vibe, but it's a vibe

Very interesting atmosphere. It's like i took something before listening lol. Mama Roux and Croker Courtbullion were my standouts. 5.9/10

Decent 3

Not really my style

Took the whole album to appreciate it.

Better than Coldplay

Really liked it. I like funk in general

The instrumentals were pretty ok, but the vocals and chanting totally ruined any chance this album had, it gets a 2 out of generosity Actually, on second thought, it gets a 1 as I was so relieved to finish this album

I noticed the sparse arrangement and mixing on this album, yet it's still a warm sounding record. An eclectic mix of funk, R&B and psychedelic makes it stand out more compared to other albums from the same era.

Umm strange album. Not bad necessarily but I don't know when I'd have occasion or interest to ever listen to it again.

Not sure who this was for. Occasional grooves but nothing worth listening to more than once. Certainly not top 1000 material

Some quirky voodoo magic music! This was an interesting corner of the music world that I wouldn't have stumbled on myself. I don't see myself coming back but don't regret the trip

Not for me. Jump sturdy is a decent song but the rest just don't do it

Definitely one of the strangest albums I have ever listened to. It sounded like exploring the swamps of Louisiana in the middle of the night. The references to voodoo help create this immersive experience rooted in African culture.

I honestly don't know what to rate this. I don't know if I've heard something like this before, so it was fun to listen to in that regard, and I might listen to it again some of the songs are catchy. But also it felt like it dragged on a little bit (particularly that last song). I keep swapping between a 3 and a 4

Dr John is the coolest

I walk on Guilded Splinters ist ein Klassiker. Rest Durchschnitt.

This fucks so hard. Nighttime in the bayou distilled into audio. Wild, wild stuff.

Another interesting revelation. It's got a nice swampy vibe and the vocals are often really reminiscent of Iggy Pop in The Stooges or Lou Reed I didn't love it but still an interesting listen Highlights: Danze Fambeaux

Some albums are all about the songs, others about the atmosphere. This is pure atmosphere. Sleepy, swampy grooves. Songs that don’t really go anywhere but just sit there emanating a weird feeling. The whole thing feels stream of consciousness but in a good way

There’s some good bits in here but does descend into pretentious squawking for a good chunk of it.

O álbum é interessante. Possui muita variação musical e psicodelia. QoA Adonis New.

It's interesting? Stand-outs - Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya - Mama Roux

Meh. Didn't move the needle for me at all. Sounded like it either influenced Tom Waits of was influenced by Tom Waits.

Favorite Track: Mama Roux

An album of pure New Orleans weirdness and no one does it quite like Dr. John.

I wanted to like this but I didn't particularly enjoy it. Maybe its worth hearing for what I imagine is a pretty distinct New Orleans sound. I'm not sure. The recording quality seemed not so great and I feel like the backup singing was bothering me. It's been a week between listening and rating

Un peu bizarre

I used to live in New Orleans, so I love this vibe. And the marriage with psychedelia is welcome and interesting. Weirdly, though, Dr. John’s vocals are the weakest element. All that whispering, un-sung speech gets old. The music and the background(?) singers make this album what it is.

It's a bit too weird for my taste. It's definitely interesting, but it can grate on me at times.

Me gustó bastante, fue interesante, es como bastante tétrico y misterioso, pero no lo sentí aburrido ni tedioso

Weird, and not always good weird. I think he probably influenced other people I'm not particularly a fan of.

Creepy album, felt like Tom waits. I wouldn't often be in the mood for this album 2/5

An interesting history lesson and very much the thing I like to learn about from this list. Love the voice and cultural stew of it all, but not something I would revisit.

There's no way I'm coming back to this, but I couldn't help but appreciate how out there it is. Whatever is happening here, it feels incredibly authentic, and sounds to me like something that was recorded with no pretense and no expectations from anyone. This is a vibe and I'm on board for the ride. I am quite certain that spending a week as Dr. John in the late 60s would have been a wild, wild trip.

Even though I reactively rolled my eyes when I saw the song title "Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya" and have never really enjoyed Dr. John's music, I did my best to keep an open mind. But there's no getting around the fact this does nothing for me, or that I picture Dr. Teeth from the Muppets when I think of Dr. John.

Is it false advertising to label yourself a doctor even though you don't have a medical degree? That said, this album has its own vibe.

I kept expecting to hear lime in the coconut but it’s not the same artist. This was alright.

okay, this wasnt in my lane, but at least it was listenable.

Unfortunate that someone somewhere got suckered into buying this album at any point over the last 60 years.

2.5

3.5

There aren't many albums anymore that really surprise me when I listen to them, but this one definitely does, there are some very unique songs on this, almost unlike anything I have ever heard, that just bring me to places I never knew existed. There are however also some less interesting songs on it, that just couldn't fully grab my attention. Four stars

To call this album a vibe is an absolute understatement. I can practically taste the absinthe.

It’s rare for an album to have this thick sense of mystery in its sound, like walking down a dank and foggy alley way and unknowingly walking in front of people hiding behind the trash cans.

I knew this was going to be weird based on the only things I know about Dr John, which is that he looks and sounds like that, which I first learned from a podcast where somebody played him as a character and then confirmed when I watched The Last Waltz.

The New Orleans creole came out in every note. I love New Orleans but I didn't really care for this.

2.25 - Fine, but not really my thing. This is two in a row where I thought it was a different artist (Dr. Dog).

Jeg gik meget skeptisk ind men stemningen er faktisk rigtig fed! På vippen til 4

Virkelig bizar plade. Lød ikke rigtig som noget som helst andet (positivt)

Well this was weird and original.

Sometimes I really wish there would be an explanation for every album on this list WHY it found its place here. This is one of those albums. There is no obvious reason on Wikipedia. Listening to it does not show anything special.

Maybe i need to give it another go but didn’t massively enjoy I first listen and found myself getting abit bored. Not really my cuppa tea. Appreciate the talent though. Favourite track by far was jump sturdy

Non mi piace molto, noioso, ma danse kalinda e mama roux sono carine

The songs here feel slight, variations on the album’s Louisiana Halloween livery, but they cohere into something more haunting than the tourist blurb suggests. “Gris Gris” sounds more like a series of neighbourhoods than a sequence of tracks, moody spots with their own populations of characters, sounds and rhythms. I’m reminded of “Tago Mago”. It takes a lot of effort to sound precisely this wrong.

I love the sounds and the vibe of this album. Recorded in Hollywood, it may be as "authentic" as Ziggy Stardust but its world is equally fun and evocative. Packed with weird, enticing grooves and quirky vocals - as others observe here, it's like a voodoo Van Morrison. "I Walk On Guilded Splinters" is an odd choice for a standard - Sonny and Cher do a decent version, Paul Weller does not. Put some in your breakfast.

Pretty solid album

Dr. John makes some weird music but it also completely pulls you in when you listen. Not something I necessarily want to throw on every day but I really enjoy it.

It was weird, it was funky, it ripped!

I did not do enough drugs to appreciate psychedelic rock. This was just straight up bad.

Cool and funky, maybe a little trippy at times. Almost tribal with its mystic voodoo infused R&B come psychedelic funk. Enjoyable listen.

Meh

Man they did a lot of drugs back thern. Good fun record tho

Wham bam thank you mam

Pretty cool but the aura of it kind of disappears after a few songs. I enjoy the vibes though

I used to enjoy this one a lot more. Dr. John is a true weirdo and the there are some quality tunes here but at times it doesn't quite sit right. Still the album is bookended with absolute bangers and I will keep coming back for more.

Sometimes this project feels pointless, but records like this give me the motivation to keep going. I should rewatch Treme.

Not a big fan of swampy voodoo fueled music but this album surprised to me. Much more subdued and melodic than I expected. I Walk on Guilded Splinters is a favorite.

Sexy voodoo boogaloonacy. Extra point for dr teeth

Weird but really interesting

This was a weird sometimes good album

I was interested at the very beginning but that went away fast. Then I was just bored/ and a bit bothered.

Bagus, entah kenapa ya pas dengerin lagunya gw ngebayangin jadi ketua suku di sebuah hutan rimba

this album is sold, fun, and cool

474/1089 - Sounds like Lou Reed with slightly better instrumentation.

Rien de très intéressant

geil

Vodoo Pepper

clear to me that this album influenced many, and that dr. john's unbridled creativity was shining. not a record i would come back to but i am glad it exists

Reminds me of procuring my first Gris Gris bag in New Orleans. They can be found in mystical shops, full of fragrance, color, and intensity. Each bag is full of a potent mix of ingredients and spells to bring the things you want closer and keep others at a distance. There's a sweet smell and a tension.

It's like you're watching a meal - very festive meal - get cooked up. The roux thickens. Spices and fresh caught varmints are tossed in. There's chopping and slicing alongside singing and dancing. And praying. Not to God - exactly. But praying for something - to come. Or go. Time slows to the point it disappears completely only return like a whirling dervish. While it may seem tossed together this album is anything but haphazard. There's most definitely purpose however elusive. Less an album than an experience. Not much in the way of songs - at least not in the traditional sense - save the walk out track. I have seen three wildly different artists cover Walk on Guilded Splinters - mod punk Paul Weller, guitar gunslinger and his boo Tedeschi Trucks and of course DJs bayou brethren the Neville Brothers. Wildly different artists that find unity in something deep. Something that harkens back. Something that inhabits each of us. Something artists allow us to access -however fleetingly. This album may ultimately be lost to time only to again be rediscovered. A cycle that will forever return. It exists forever in the future past. A reminder of something that exists just beyond our grasp but the body and soul most certainly understand.

If Captain Beefheart listened to a shitload of Randy Newman I think it might sound something close to this. Not a bad thing at all.

Oh wow. Very strange and strange production. A couple of goodies here.

Nah, he’s cool though.

Drain the bayou.

Quite interesting record. I liked it.

Weird and fun and cajun

Some songs were okay but mostly seemed like a bizarre voodoo themed album that fell short of what Id want from something with such a theme

2.0

Großartig!

This album has style. That style is like a psychedelic greaser vampire. It’s weird. Weird and cool.

A big, bubbling pot of gumbo with a dash of voodoo.

That was curious and kind of entertaining, and maybe I can see why it would be there, but that doesn't make for an album I'd want to spend time listening to again.

I felt like I had alligators coming for me while I was listening to this one

Oh man. Pentangle yesterday? Gris-Gris today? Record Store Guy has taken over the project! I predict that tomorrow will be someone feeding his guitar into a wood chipper. Important album. A little silly. Sort of like eating your rock and roll spinach.

This is my favourite 1960's album, and it's currently in my top 5 of "1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". I feel like I should downgrade some of my 5-star ratings, since hardly any of them have anything on this brilliant masterpiece. This album is a work of art. This album is everything. It's magic. It's epic. There are so many things that I can say about this album. The fact that the average rating on this album here is 2.88 is heinous. The 1960's were a wild time in the world of music. So many noteworthy artists and albums came out of that decade. There were The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Velvet Underground, The Kinks, King Crimson, Bob Dylan, The Doors, Van Morrison, Aretha Franklin, Pink Floyd, and many, many more. A record that may not immediately come to mind, but absolutely deserves one's attention is the innovative masterpiece that is this album, "Gris-Gris". Upon pondering over the question of what my favourite 1960's album is, I realized that it's this one. Over the course of its half-hour runtime, the listener is being given a psychedelic trip through New Orleans via audio. Regardless of whether or not you enjoy the trip, or are polarized by it, this shall leave one with a lasting impression. Upon one's first listen, this album may not feel like much. I must admit, I actually disliked this album when I listened to it for the first time. However, its genius eventually clicked on me. This album feels freaky, and it has some dissonant elements that clash into each other, albeit in a beautiful manner. There is a stark contrast between the vocal tones of the backing vocalists. Dr. John's vocals are an acquired taste. The production of this album is quite intriguing. The instrumentation features mandolins, congas, bottleneck guitars, flutes, and saxophones. Heck, most of the instrumentalists are even credited as doctors alongside Dr. John himself. The saxophonist is credited as a governor, and the bassist is credited as a senator. The way that every element of this album has been combined feels perfect. Many artists of today would probably dream about making an album like this. There are tribal, spiritual, and psychedelic themes in this album. Drop your pearls, and fear not the New Orleans R&B, for this is a must-listen experience. On a different note, I really wonder if Tom Waits got inspired by this album. The album begins with the title track, "Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya". In a croaky voice, Dr. John made a strong (and literal) introduction into this album with the following line: "They call me Dr. John, known as The Night Tripper. Got my satchel of Gris-Gris in my hand.". The backing vocalists tenderly entered after the first verse played. Each of the backing vocalists can be distinguished from each other. The instrumentation is very intriguing, and it feels like it is pulsating. Dr. John can be heard rambling in various parts of this track. This track sets the mood for the album. The next track on this album is "Danse Kalinda Ba Doom". This track is led by the backing vocalists repeating the title of the track. The percussion of this track is absolutely intense and lively. The mandolin and saxophone provide some very nice textures to this track. This feels like music for dancing. While repetitive, this track provides a very unique feel to the album. The track that follows "Danse Kalinda Ba Doom" is "Mama Roux". Dr. John is back on vocals. The percussion of this track seems to be influenced by chachachá. The melody is catchy. The lyrics are quite simple, but pleasant. The delivery of the backing vocalists is notable. The instrumentation is quite alive. Enter "Danse Fambeaux". Unfortunately, I do not find this track as memorable, compared to the other tracks in this album. However, it does blend in very well, and it isn't a filler track. The mandolin and bass are very pleasant on this track. The female backing vocalists have been separated from the male backing vocalists, forging very nice textures as they perform different parts. Dr. John's mumbling in this track tops off this track. This track goes in various directions. The proceeding track is "Croker Courtbullion". I would say that this is the most experimental track on the album. Like in "Danse Kalinda Ba Doom", Dr. John's vocals aren't on this track. The instrumentation is very intense on this track. It is very jazzy. The backing vocalists perform in a seemingly dissonant manner. The vocals layered onto the instrumentation make the sound quite rugged. It sounds like a mess, except everything is where it is supposed to be. A lot of this track sounds improvised. It's excellent. This is somewhat irrelevant, but it is difficult to un-hear "Chroma-Chromakopia". The next track on this album is "Jump Sturdy". This is the shortest track on the album. It sounds like a nursery rhyme. Of course, the nursery rhyme in question has been pampered with love by Dr. John & Co. It could have been released decades prior. The instrumentation works very well with the melody of the song. The album ends with the track "I Walk on Guilded Splinters". This is my personal favourite track on the album. It is the perfect ending for an album like this. The conga rhythm helps carry the track. The lyrics tell a very interesting story. The backing vocalists get to individually shine in this song's chorus. The bass and wind instruments bring out the excellence of this track. Finally, the ending of this track ends this album on a tender note. Unfortunately, I do not have the ingredients in my kitchen to make gumbo, or court-bouillon, but if I did, I would certainly make some. This is one of the greatest albums that I've ever heard. Thank goodness for this album. Have a good day! Please listen to this album.

ну хз.

Gambit from X-Men totally has this shit on vinyl.

Crazy crackhead making music in the Deep South type of vibes.

Different but enjoyed it

croker courtbullion had me so confused like what am i listening to.... this album was just kinda noisy? not my favorite

Наркомания.

Very interesting, sounds somewhat familiar. On first listening I’d say 7/10 but I’m pretty sure after repeated listening I’d get more into this.

Never heard of Dr. John before, but based on general reviews this is pretty polarizing. I thought this had a very cool vibe. I enjoyed listening to it, and think I would like re-listening at some point. The music was complex and atmospheric, it felt very New Orleans. As I was listening to it I was thinking I probably shouldn't learn anything about Dr. John as an actual person because I have a feeling he's probably not really all that great.