The Healer

Good Blues guitar. It’s been done better. Can’t say it is outstanding.

Incredible blues. I just don't care for the blues.

I thought this was rather good. Not something I would listen to all the time. But this had enough depth and complexity to keep me interested throughout the album. Good background music when I’m in the kitchen

Sounds like a legend having a great time with some new friends. I like how understated the production is, it allows John Lee’s organic interactions with his guests shine through. The songs are standard blues fare, with the standouts being the title track and the closer.

Super cool. Could listen all day.

Good music, lots of cool guest artists.

Rambly bluesy stuff, good background

Great way to learn styles of blues, and Hooker smoothly works with each artist’s style. A few songs are too simple/slow for me to give this a perfect score, but it’s more than a four.

Solid blues album.

Good stuff.

Dang this is some really amazing blues. The first half has the energy that I certainly love and the back half settles into the softer side of blues. Lots of great features here as well, especially Santana. Very nearly a 5 here, but the back half lulled just a bit more than I would like. Obligatory David Burt shoutout.

Super bluesy which means it was very good in my book. The first song with Santana was a heater.

Нормальная музыка, с чувством, интересная, не примитивная.

He is a legend, the music is good but not outstanding. A little too smooth on the edges I guess.

I've got to admit, I used to be a certified blues hater. But John Lee Hooker's got exactly what I miss in most blues rock: some incredible, undeniable soul. The features are admittedly a bit all over the place, but that soul just keeps shining through. Mr. Hooker, you have managed to convert a certified blues hater into a certified blues agnostic.

Bluesy!

4.25

The Healer is a soulful, bluesy masterpiece that showcases his iconic sound. It blends Hooker’s raw vocals and smooth guitar with guest artists like Carlos Santana and Bonnie Raitt. The album pulses with emotion and groove, proving why Hooker remains one of the greatest blues legends. Simple, powerful, and timeless.

A great album of a great musician! It's perfect Hooker and a good step into his work even if it's one of the later albums. I personally missed some highlights but liked it nonetheless.

4/5. Good.

This is a sort of precursor to those albums, like the Johnny Cash ones, where Rick Rubin would remind old artists what they used to sound like by stripping them back to their essentials. Before that, there were a rash of "duets" type albums where older artists proved that they were important, actually, in the hope that younger people engage with their old classic catalogue. I have a very specific memory associated with this album. I remember being on a school trip, on a coach, and I had a Walkman but with these giant professional headphones I had borrowed off my Dad. They were like two round mini speakers you strapped to your head - they would have been very cool if I was a teenager, but as a kid the other children near me on the bus thought they were funny. And then, I guess I hadn't taken into account the extra power drain of these speaker-like headphones, because the Walkman ran out of battery almost immediately. The album I was trying to listen to was this one - or a tape copy on a cassette tape with a box I had covered in muted mustard floral paper which sort of reflected the border on the cover of this album. I haven't listened to this album for years, decades, if that was the last time of listening. And it's quite nice. It's old man John Lee Hooker, being joined by some famous friends in a sort of Jools-Holland-style memorial celebration. The duets are nice enough but I prefer the last few tracks when it is JLH on his own or with minimal accompaniment. So I learnt, listening to this in my pre-teens, was that I should delve back into his earlier catalogue, and so I guess this album did it's job.

👌

When it comes to listening to blues music, even when it's by legends like John Lee Hooker, I've got to be in a state where I'm prepared to just sit down and breathe. Luckily, I was in that exact mood this time around. The blues style is one that excites me and I can usually get some decent mileage out of these records, despite their often repetitive nature. This album, however, does a great job of not being repetitive while still sticking to a fundamental blues style. Say for maybe the opening song with Santana, nothing here feels particularly '80s either, which is cool...the grit, soul, and finesse of classic electric delta blues and country is still very much present. I really liked the big-band-backed 'Think Twice Before You Go' which was one of the more immediate songs here. On the opposite side of the spectrum, a song like 'Rockin' Chair' sounds like an old man sitting on a chair, outside in nature, with his acoustic guitar riffing through his sadness. In fact, the intimate turn on the final few songs may be the best part of this entire album, with my favorite song being 'My Dream' where John sings about that dreadful feeling of dreaming about someone from your past only to then wake up. He does have a way with words, painting the feelings of love and intimacy in a very fundamental and grounded manner. Kick-ass blues music.

Great blues music

I used to go to a blues dive bar because I was poor and the beer was cheap, plus it was right by my parking ramp. There was live music later at night after many beers were had, and it still sucked, and that really sullied my entire blues experience. Plot twist: This is good! It’s smooth and not too baudy, a very nice surprise for a blues naysayer.

Fire Cowboy

An amazing set of collabs as the swan song for one of the fathers of the Chicago blues.

I’ll be honest I only listened to the first few but I had a lovely time

Some decent blues. 3.5 rounded up

-this is pretty good I think. Seems to be an unpopular opinion but I do like the Santana guitar on the first track. This album has some legendary artist features that keep it interesting -i actually prefer the first half or so, after that the songs sorta blended together -Favorites are The Healer, I’m In The Mood, and Baby Lee

Never heard of him but I like his music. Good Blues to listen too.

This is a decent blues album with some nice collaborations. I’m not familiar with Hooker’s other work so can’t say how this compares but I enjoyed this. 4

Sounds a bit like he's doing his Best Of. I mean, the best of John Lee Hooker, it's pretty great, mind. It's where Eric Clapton got a lot of he's tunes from!

I liked this quite a bit. Melancholy but kinda comforting on a pretty bleak day.

This fizzles a little over the course of the album after a strong start, but it's all really grooving and chill so who cares, could have listened to 2-4 more tracks.

Silky smooth blues

I'm always suspicious of careers that are ressurected because of tv commercials but, to be fair, Hooker has paid his dues. He has a unique take on the blues and this unique style is apparent throughout this well recorded, modern take on things. A consistent stab and inoffensive enough for anyone exploring the blues as an overall genre without getting too deep into the intricate historical and geographic differences of different elements of the genre.

I've go the blues, baby.

honestly this was not bad at all. i was skeptical of it but i really came around on it by the end, pretty decent blues. i think this is probably like a 3.75 but i’ll give it a 4

Man I love JLK. He was my first exposure to real Blues music. This album did not disappoint.

Good stuff

Amazed he’s still putting out work. Very good blues album but also just… your standard blues album. Don’t get me wrong - he’s killer. But the redundant melodies in 12-bar blues does leave you lacking at points.

Heard of him but I don't know his music.

The Healer - aaaahhh this is fucken awesome. Immaculate guitar and keyboard work. Love the percussion. Santana is NOT fucken around on this one. Maybe one of the greatest collabs of all time. I'm in the Mood - another great song, nice duet. Blues guitar and bass on point, with a nice guitar solo in the middle Cuttin' out - love the tempo in this one. This'd be good walkin' around music My Dream - really pleasant song in the slower side, very well put together, sometimes less is more Rest of the album is pretty good, but it kinda blends together a bit. Good blues guitar all round. Consistently powerful vocals.

An overall solid blues album. Favorite track: "The Healer."

Quality! Love the inclusion of Carlos Santana!!

I'm not a big blues fan in general, but really enjoyed this. Don't recall ever listening to John Lee Hooker before, but I know his legend status. The first two songs here are very good, but I found those in the middle a bit dull. However, he then comes back with a trio of great solo songs to close the record. This gets bonus points for its production value as well, really sets it apart. Sounds fantastic on headphones.

Brilliant. It's not often that you come across a record that is so pure in its genre. This is 100% authentic Delta Blues. It's 100% American music at its finest. I love that this is not trying to be anything other than what it is. And what it is, is beauty, love, pain, trial, agony, joy all wrapped up into a few songs. Simple instruments and vocals, but it bends and howls and moans like the blues should. Its perfect. I love the bluesy guitar licks. His voice is so sincere. The collaborating artists just make it even more fun and adds to that tradition of folk and blues music being communal and familial. I think my favorite song on the record is No Substitute. The open tuning on his guitar is so raw and powerful. Then he uses his strings as percussion near the end, which is really really fun and raw. I loved this record.

Great blues album. Guy was in his 70s when he made this! Favorite track: the healer other picks: in the mood, baby lee, think twice before you go

Who knew the blues had any kind of presence in the late 80’s? This was great. It definitely carried the feel of “boomer music,” reminding me of more commercial blues my parents probably ate up at the time and for years after. But in that way it was a little nostalgic and honestly kind of fun. There are some excellent guests on here, too, and they do add something to the production. They’re not just there for album sales. They felt like legit collaborations. Overall I had a fun time with this, but I don’t see it sticking in my head as anything other than that. Four stars. Standout Tracks: The Healer, I’m In the Mood, Think Twice Before You Go, That’s Alright, Rocking Chair, My Dream

good album not 80's at all. I'm reading Hooker has much better albums though! not in the list apparently.

Enjoyed this new-to-me artist!

this was pretty good, killer vibes.

Supreme guitar and singers!

bluezinho de cria

Great intro to blues for an inexperienced ear. I enjoyed it!

Is this list turning me into a blues fan? WTF? I surprised myself by really enjoying this!! So many great songs here had me groovin' in my car this morning. More of a 4.5. Might have to listen to this again to decide which songs to keep on my phone.

3.5

Very listenable blues - with Carlos Santana's guitar and Bonnie Raitt's voice lending themselves to the project, it couldn't go wrong. Good stuff.

Its cool, some good ole blues

John Lee Hooker - He had some talent. You really feel the music alongside him. A "who's who" on this album. Best tracks - The Healer; Sally Mae; Rockin Chair; No Substitute A really good 4/5

Really enjoyed this - lovely bit of blues rock from a legend, featuring cameos from many other legends.

Pretty good traditional blues

4 - Some solid blues music. Don't think I could go higher honestly, but I really enjoyed it.

Favourite tracks: the healer; I'm in the mood; think twice before you go; no substitute

Fuckin love the blues

A nice celebration of the blues. I enjoyed all of the collaborations, but JLH’s three solo tracks at the end are just as mesmerizing. I’m guessing he did not, but I do wonder if Hooker ever met Robert Johnson in his lifetime - they were about the same age from around the same area.

4.5 stars. Really dug this album. After the leadoff title track that felt too 80's synth-y, it just became a really solid blues record. Standout was "That's Alright".

I really enjoyed this today. Maybe a 3 on another day, but we going 4 on this chilly april Friday - cause that HEAT warmed me right up.

I struggled with myself for a long time but I give the album 4 stars because of the song "The Healer".

This is a 1989 album from blue legend John Lee Hooker, released when he was 73. Featuring collaborations with several well known younger folk, like Bonnie Raitt and Carlos Santana. I have his 1995 album (Chill Out) which is a similar undertaking (and which I prefer). Both are solid offerings, and a testament that these old blues guys had more soul in their later years than most of today's performers in their prime. Worth hearing, everybody needs to be exposed to the blues. The "modern' recordings sound a lot better than the output from the 40's, 5's and early 60's, and that's a prime appeal of this recording. Solid 4/5

Solid effort from John Lee Hooker and friends. Lot’s of trademark John Lee Hooker mumbling and crunchy blues rifts. Standout track for me is the Healer with Carlos Santana

Released in 1989 at the ripe age of 72, John Lee Hooker's "The Healer" wasn't just an album; it was a revitalization. This in-depth review explores the record's lyrical depth, musical textures, production choices, thematic undercurrents, and lasting influence, while acknowledging its strengths and weaknesses. Lyrics: Raw Tales and Timeless Truths Hooker's signature growl isn't just a vocal style; it's a storytelling device. Lyrics on "The Healer" are often blunt and evocative. Tracks like "Boom Boom" and "Sally Mae" (featuring George Thorogood) detail gritty realities of love, loss, and the road. "That's Alright" (with Charlie Musselwhite) delves into heartache with a simple line like, "Woke up this mornin', the blues all around my bed." These aren't flowery metaphors; they're raw pronouncements that resonate across generations. However, the album isn't all hardship. "I'm in the Mood" (with Bonnie Raitt) showcases a playful side, while the title track, featuring Carlos Santana, speaks of music's healing power: "The music's like a doctor, it can ease your pain." These contrasting themes paint a well-rounded picture of the blues experience. Music: From Boogie Roots to Genre-Bending Collaborations Hooker's music is the foundation. His hypnotic, repetitive guitar riffs, often referred to as "boogie," form the backbone of most tracks. Tracks like "No Shoes" and "Chick Boogie" exemplify this stripped-down, hypnotic style. However, "The Healer" is where the magic happens. Producer Roy Rogers masterfully weaves in guest appearances that breathe new life into Hooker's sound. Los Lobos injects a Tex-Mex groove on "Ninety Nine," while Robert Cray adds soulful flourishes on "Baby Lee." The most daring experiment is the title track, with Santana's band infusing the blues with Latin rhythms, showcasing the genre's adaptability. Production: Modern Polish Meets Vintage Soul Rogers' production walks a tightrope. He utilizes modern recording techniques to ensure clarity, yet retains the raw, visceral feel of classic blues. Instruments are crisp and well-defined, but never overproduced. Hooker's vocals remain front and center, their roughness a testament to his authenticity. This approach isn't flawless. Some purists might feel the guest appearances dilute Hooker's signature sound. However, the production's strength lies in its ability to bridge the gap between traditional blues and a contemporary audience. Themes: Love, Loss, and the Power of Music Love and its tribulations are a constant theme. From the longing of "Baby Lee" to the infidelity of "Ninety Nine," these songs depict raw emotions with unflinching honesty. Loss and hardship surface in tracks like "That's Alright," while the celebratory nature of music is explored in "The Healer." Ultimately, the album is about resilience. Despite the struggles, the music itself offers solace and a sense of community. Influence: A Bridge Between Generations "The Healer" wasn't just a comeback for Hooker; it was a bridge between generations. The inclusion of popular blues and rock artists exposed Hooker's music to a new audience. This revitalized interest in the blues had lasting effects, inspiring countless musicians and fostering a renewed appreciation for the genre's roots. Pros and Cons: A Balanced Approach "The Healer" is a landmark album. However, it's not without its drawbacks. Pros: Hooker's powerful vocals and timeless lyrics Guest appearances that breathe new life into his music Production that balances clarity with a vintage feel Exploration of universal themes Lasting influence on the blues genre Cons: Guest appearances might dilute Hooker's sound for purists Production choices might feel too polished for some Conclusion: A Healing Touch "The Healer" is more than just a collection of songs; it's a testament to the enduring power of music. John Lee Hooker's raw talent, combined with innovative production and stellar collaborations, created a blues masterpiece that transcends generations. While some may find the modern touches jarring, it's undeniable that "The Healer" successfully revitalized Hooker's career and served as a gateway drug for a new generation of blues enthusiasts. Ultimately, it's an album that deserves a place in any serious music collection.

A good album, I enjoyed the music style.

enjoyed it

Pretty solid bluesy soul album

Personally, I believe the 80s and 90s was where the blues were at their lowest. A lot of the artists couldn’t compete with the rising popularity of R&B or hip hop. Those who tried did so fruitlessly. John Lee Hooker is one of my favorite blues musicians. He has such an incredibly powerful voice that I can’t help but get behind. The features are pretty fun as well. Blues albums have never been known for their wildly fabulous production, so I don’t expect that of this project either. John’s got a good range of both slow and fast tracks interspersed to give the album a good beat. Also, having the last three be without features and solely John was a great choice. Makes the album come to a beautiful and thoughtful end. It really is just a nice album, though not game changing. Simply a fun listen. 4/5

I have to admit, I would have liked an older album of John Lee Hooker better. It felt a little bit like trying to keep something alive, which just didn't fit into the times anymore. That said, it was not a bad album. Classic blues (except maybe for the first song which had a more latin-y feel) and the perfect length. I was just wondering, when it would be finished when the last song ended. It's an album for blues people. If you like blues, you're probably going to like this album. On the other hand, if you don't like blues, it won't convince you otherwise.

It's blues, but in the late 80s? Unrelated, but I had no idea. This was the one bourbon one scotch one beer guy. Pretty solid.

A fine album with some stellar cameos from the likes of Los Lobos, Santana and Bonnie Raitt complementing a varied repertoire of blues numbers from John Lee Hooker

So smooth

This album is No Substitute. I’m In the Mood now

Done at the time of the blues revival and hooker was one of the original 50s blues men and one of the most important. Apart from the slick production and guest stars, it’s a decent example of what Hooker did so well - the boogie - though I’d recommend his 50s output.

An incredible blues album. Only reason it’s not higher is because I know he has better albums, but there are some real gems in here

Wow talk about racist. wtaf

The solo songs are by far the best and breathtaking on their own terms – just massive power comes through the near whisper. The duets have the feel of (best case) victory tour/charitable testimonial and (worst case) an outright gimmick. Still, the vocals are haunting and powerful, quite obviously, JLH is the voice of god (James Earl Jones being the understudy). One's certain there are far better records to include here.

Heerlijk album. Dat heb je toch met de echte Blues legendes: zelfs na decennia actief zijn weten ze nog steeds lekkere muziek te maken. Enig puntje is dat er niks echt bovenuit steekt. Dus voor mij een hele goede 4 sterren.

This was a really cool album. Was not familiar with JLH or blues music really, but the large number of cross-genre features was interesting.

I enjoyed this album.

Would listen again.

Start studded list of collaborators. Just a fantastic blues album that I’m upset with myself for just discovering

Good traditional blues from good blues musician. I like it.

7/10. Nothing truly caught my ear, but it was pleasant and bluesy

Great guitar riffs on this album, some active listening demanded

Bluesy, I like it!

There's a lot of overlap here with many other blues groups and artists, including Carlos Santana, surprisingly(?). Hooker almost seems like a larger-than-life figure in that respect. He has a large discography that I need to work through, no doubt that it's worth listening to.

Didn’t know about this album but it’s really great. 4/5

This was a real fun Blues listen. John Lee has an incredible voice and this music is just so soulful.

It's good, really enjoyable. No song really stuck, but does that really matter?

Great collaborations

Heerlijke jazz om bij weg te swoelen

Each album I listen to while I'm high tend to get more favorable reviews since I tend to enjoy music more in general that way; but this one definitely deserves praise sober or not. It's one of my favorite types of blues rock and has a surprising amount of high profile features from santana to bonnie raitt to George Thorogood. It might not hit the same spot on relisten but it's definitely well produced and well written.

Enjoyable enough

Just what I was feeling today! Really enjoyed this album.

Pretty great.

Pretty cool bluesy album. I like the guitar and the lead vocalist's voice. A little bit repetitive on the back end, but overall really good album imo. 4/5

i just love the blues. what else can i say?

Bastante guay

Una joya del slow blues.

Klingt cool, reduziert, melancholisch.

Blues always has this wood-like charm that I've always loved. And this album is the bluesiest that I've heard in a while.

The song with Santana is cool.

I enjoyed this album, especially the duet with Bonnie Raitt. The last three "solo" songs are quintessential "bluesman with a guitar". I wish they had included Boom Boom Boom. Maybe that would have pushed it to a 5 for me.

Star Studded blues album. Enjoyable, but not particularly striking beyond the artists on display.

The Healer is explicitly collaborative, wisely frontloading the guests to leave the afterimage all John Lee Hooker. Satisfying record qua record, easy ramp into a genre highly-particular and much-stolen.

Good change of pace from what’ve I’ve listened to so far

Nice, definitely worth a revisit. Soulful easy blues. The opening track with Santana is great

I’m glad an artist like John Lee Hooker is on this list. I’m sure this could be considered a safe choice based on the more popular artists who appear on it but if that’s what it takes to get the blues recognized than I’m fine with it. Hooker is the classic blues man who never got the respect that he deserved at his peak and I’m happy he achieved that recognition with this album.

Wiki info was promising. I like classic blues, say Chicago Blues, add that everyone wanted to join in with this legend, Bonnie Raitt, George Thorogood Robert Cray and unfortunately Santana (1st song is really terrible, spoiling the album). Rest was beautiful, with as highlight Rockin' Chair .

Its chill, relaxing, peaceful.

I was skeptical going in, but this album is the real deal. Although I would have preferred some classic John Lee Hooker, this album is a great listen. Hooker's in excellent voice and the collaborations with other artists work really well. The guest performers could have been just icing on the cake, but every performance on here is top notch. I love how you can very specifically hear the idiosyncrasies of the individual artists, all of whom are masters in their own right. I mean, the Los Lobos song is totally a Los Lobos song and the Canned Heat song is unmistakably Canned Heat. George Thorogood, yep that's him for sure. But every song is also completely a John Lee Hooker song; he commands every inch of the album. This is collaboration done right. Finishing off the whole thing with the three Hooker solo tracks was absolutely a perfect touch. Fave Songs: I'm in the Mood, Cuttin' Out, Sally Mae, My Dream, No Substitute, Baby Lee

i Love!

I think the guitar work so far in this album is the definition of "blistering". Kinda SRV-esque, fun guitar driven blues

Good blues album.

first blues album in this challenge (and also in my life). it's very good, i enjoyed it. tracks added: 4 fav track: cuttin out 8/10

eka biisi kuullosti santanalta.. heh katsomaan menin...santana siellä listattuna biisin tekijöissä.. blues on objektiivinen vitonen joten ei voi mitään. valitse hyvä genre niin saat hyvän arvostelun heh ei kannata new wave post punk indie yrittää vähän vaikeempi silloinen heh... toivottavasti tältä ukolta tulee aikaisempaa työtä vastaan... liikaa huonoja lenkkejä.. atrian punainen lenkki...eikä HK BLUUESSI!!!!!!! the healer

Classic old school blues with some younger guests

Ah ça j’aime!

Enjoyed

Album dat John Lee Hooker vereeuwigde als blues legende. De tracklist bestaat voor het grootste deel uit collaboraties met andere artiesten zoals Santana, Robert Cray en Los Lobos. Lekkere nummer met goed gitaarspel Blues wordt niet beter dan dit. leukste nummer: Think Twice Before You Go Hooker ging richting 73 bij uitkomst van het album. Het succes van The Healer zorgde ervoor dat hij de rest van zijn leven comfortabel kon doorbrengen.

Great album with some really good collabs

"The Healer" is an album by American blues singer, songwriter and guitarist John Lee Hooker. Executive producer Mike Kappus conceived the idea of putting Hooker with guest musicians and on this album Hooker's collaborations are with Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray, Canned Heat, Los Lobos, George Thorogood and Charlie Musselwhite. This album received critical and commercial success allowing the 73-year old Hooker to live the rest of life in financial comfort. And, it also won the Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Performance. The album starts off with the Santana collaboration "The Healer." A carribbean beat. The classic Carlos Santana guitar sound. Muddled Hooker vocals. It's smooth and sounds like something off of Santana similar album "Supernatural" a decade later. Get it? Sorry. Bonnie Raitt and John Lee redo his 1951 "I'm in the Mood." This is more classic blues. Great blues guitar. My favorite collaboration might be with Canned Heat, believe it or not, on "Cuttin.'" I love the Canned Heat harmonica mixed with the Hooker guitar. And great guitar that is. Another big highlight is with Los Lobos in "Think Twice Before You Go." The Los Lobos beat. You got the David Hidalgo accordion. More great searing guitars. Charlie Musselwhite's harmonica has "That's Alright" sounding like a slower version of "When the Levee Breaks." Always a good thing. The last three songs on the album are solo Hooker and more straight-forward blues. My favorite of these is the last song "No Substitute." A stomping beat. Acoustic blues guitar. Hooker reaching back for some soulful vocals...maybe his best on the album. All of these collaborations work really well creating a fusion of both artists involved yet fully in the blues genre. The thunderous Hooker vocals. His guitar is perfectly placed always there never completely dominating. Great production by Roy Rogers and a recommended album for all music fans.

Great opening track. Overall nice easy to listen blues. 3,5/5

lo ame

John Lee Hooker is a blues legend whose career started before anyone else on the 1001, and it’s pretty cool that his late career work like “The Healer” gets representation here, won Grammys, and helped new generations find the blues.

Nice.

I felt pretty cool listening to this, feel its pretty telling that the best songs on it have other artists, starts to lose its way towards the end. Still good stuff

Riktigt bra!

Starts off very well then gets a bit samey.

Great blues album for a Friday afternoon

I like John Lee Hooker in general. He has a track or two that I will probably always come back to. The Healer was new music to me. I saved just over half of the tracks from the album for a re-listen later, including "Baby Lee", "Think Twice Before You Go" and "Rockin' Chair". Overall this album was fairly mellow, but with enough groove to keep toes tapping.

I’m not a blues guy, but if I want to listen to the blues, I’m coming back to this. 1 - bad 2 - average 3 - good 4 - great 5 - outstanding

cool 7.5/10

John was 73 years old when he recorded this album and he sounds as good as ever. Delta Blues has such a unique sound and feel, and John was a founding father. If you love the Black Keys, you'll recognize where their sound came from after hearing John (they even cover Crawlin King Snake). Fav song - In The Mood.

Man, I really like the blues. I am relatively unfamiliar with John Lee Hooker though. From what I read from other reviews, the collaborations tainted the album, but not knowing the difference I thought the album was really good. I'm going to listen to more John Lee Hooker for sure.

Just fantastic. Love John Lee Hooker. Love this genre. Favorite song was In the Mood with Bonnie Raitt

Classic blues, its great but not my thing.

Love me some John Lee Hooker.

Really great blues tunes

4 I’m glad to see more regular blues popping up on this list. I can start putting names to specific sounds and styles I like and feel particularly nostalgic for. John Lee Hooker in my family is up there with BB King, Muddy Waters, and Buddy Guy as one of the major blues greats. John Lee Hooker was also the subject of how I learned what a cameo is because of his very brief appearance in 1980’s cult classic film “The Blues Brothers”. On the subject of this album though, one thing I’m finding myself impressed with is the balance of sounds going on. Nothing sounds out of place or too loud without reason. I can’t deny though that it does get kind of samey near the middle but there’s something about the rhythms and instrumentals that keeps me invested. I guess blues is my folk music. The slower more straight up blues tracks are where I think this album shines brightest, especially near the end when the featured artists step off and John Lee Hooker is the one on display. The faster paced songs also brought about a nice change but I think it’s when the album makes attempts to modernize is where it has trouble. It’s probably just me but I always found keyboard has a tendency to clash with the intent and vibe of blues and it kinda just becomes rock music. I wish I was more familiar with the featured artists so I could understand better what each one brings to the table but by no means was anyone a detractor. All-in-all I thought this was a really nicely done blues album that makes me feel all warm and happy inside. Favorites: I’m in the Mood, Baby Lee, Cuttin’ Out, Think Twice Before You Go, Sally Mae, Rockin’ Chair

Bon album de blues, je m'y connais pas assez pour dire si chef d'oeuvre ou pas mais belle voix et bien accompagné

PREFS : Baby Lee, Cuttin' Out, Think Twice Before You Go, Rockin' Chair, My Dream, No Substitute MOINS PREF : I'm in the Mood

Rating: 7/10

Couple of standouts kick off this album, then it flows to solid, but less-inspired, blues numbers through the end. Duet albums always seem a bit disjointed in my opinion. The closing solo tracks are stronger than the middle bits. 3.5 and rounding up! Boom Boom

Cool blues

Very enjoyable blues album from a legend. Could've done without the Santana-smothered opener though.

Santana takes Hooker's raw blues and serves them overcooked. Other than that a decent album.

Unfortunately, the title track is what can only nominally be considered a blues track - it's really a Santana track, so I was a little suspicious at first, but thankfully things pick up quickly after that. Robert Cray's guitar on "Baby Lee" is fantastic, and "Think Twice Before You Go" actually made me want to get up and dance. Friends, NOTHING makes me want to get up and dance, so that's saying something. Charlie Musselwhite's harmonica on "That's Alright" is more than alright. And Hooker's deeply soulful vocals and lyrics on "My Dream" and "No Substitute" round out a really enjoyable album.

First track almost made me throw up but the rest of it is solid

Classic

I grew up on John Lee hooker.

Some of that good ass blues

The kinda blues where you’re so horny you gotta sit on a rocking chair and rock real fast and make up a blues song about how you’re doing the horny rocking chair dance

Solid blues with some great guest appearances.

Gentle, lots of guests, a legend. Nothing to hate, nothing that makes be see the world in a new way. Four stars for longevity.

I was going through a big blues phase in the late 80s, and John Lee Hooker was my favorite bluesman. I just loved the style of his guitar playing. So when this album came out I was really into it. John Lee Hooker is such a blues legend, it was great to see him finally get his due and that this album enabled him to live out his later years in comfort. I got to see him live right around this time, which was amazing. It's really nice to revisit this album after all these years. 4 stars.

Very bluesy. I imagine it’s Mary Alice’s cup of tea! Definitely something I’d listen to on vinyl while cooking or cleaning at home.

Some very good songs. Had never gotten into him. Great voice.

I didn't know what to expect with this album at all. The first song I thought, "this sounds a lot like Santana, was Santana considered blues?"...its because Santana collaborated on the song. Great album.

One of the great classics

This was a lovely experience! Roots blues music is perfect for Mondays! It's not one of the best albums of my life, but is absolutely good to listen to these clean guitars!

For coming out in 1989 this certainly had an old jazz feel which was cool! I enjoyed this!

This was a major comeback for the 72 year old blues legend, during a time I was very much into blues music myself. My obsession with the blues has faded a lot over the years, but after a few listens I can still appreciate the album today. Most of the songs have a very stripped down setting, which I have always preferred when it comes to this genre. The recording sounds very crisp as well, and there are several interesting guest appearances to check out.

Very good. Never thought that blues could be this good.

I could listen to this all day, and I almost did. A great and accessible blues record with some big name guest appearances. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: I'm In The Mood Date listened: 07/10/22

blues!!! loved.

It's OK. His voice is lovely.

I thought this was a pretty good album calling back to classic Blues music. I quite enjoyed this, though I admit some of the songs seemed a little repetitive. Favourite: Cuttin' Out

I enjoyed this, but then I knew I would. John Lee Hooker is The Tits when it comes to blues. This isn't quite what I expected, being a touch more 80s than anything I've heard by him before. Good though.

I'm not sure how to describe this album, it's not a perfect album but also it isn't bad, it's just blues that I could enjoy listening from time to time. Some songs are repetitive but even that doesn't make the album boring it's just a peculiar album

Even though in some ways this is the kind of blues that ends up all sounding the same to me, I think the different guests really made the songs they were on distinctive. And I liked his singing, and the guitar was really good.

valid blues

Really enjoyed the blues style and pacing

Good bluest album

Skip the first song, rest is golden.

Great Blues with lots of great collaborators

Not my preferred genre but nonetheless an enjoyable album!

Some fantastic rockin' blues from a true legend.

Ah, the old trope: "If the old guy can't sell the record on his own, let's get people who are influenced by him to guest on the album." (Although if we got everyone influenced by JLH there would be no room to hear anyone...) Still, for the most part, I liked the album. I didn't feel like they were trying to pigeonhole him into songs he wouldn't really do. I thought the last two songs dragged on a bit too much, but sometimes that happens in the blues. They overstay their welcome. Never been a big fanned of Canned Heat, but they weren't as overbearing as I thought they would be on Cuttin't Out. The album, as a whole, isn't as straight-up blues as I was expecting. But even so, I enjoyed it for what it was. Probably the stand out songs here were the first three tracks and the one with Los Lobos.

Feels like a tale of two albums here. I did not like the over-produced first half with all the guest appearances. Too much hokey extra "flare" added in, like on the title track (sounded like a Sade song) and the tracks with Canned Heat and Los Lobos. I didn't mind his duet with Bonnie Raitt since they were just playing and singing; ditto for Baby Lee, Sally Mae, and That's Alright where the guests were just playing guitar or harmonica. Still, I much preferred the stripped down last three tracks especially Rockin' Chair and No Substitute. Feels like a 3.5, but I'm rounding up because the legend was 73 and still holding it down when he put out this album.

He’s got the Blues

Typical 80's overproduction. The songs were good, but too polished for Hooker's style of blues. Thank heaven for the last 5 tracks, from "Sally Mae" to the end. THAT was John Lee blues.

I was torn between a 4-5 star. Lots of bops, cool guests, cool sounds

Well not normally my cup of tea but this is actually a nice restrained and classy blues album - surprising for me to find it enjoyable because normally I find the genre tiresome. Listen to this on a swelteringly hot humid day for maximum pleasure.

Amazing!

Wow, pretty late album from JLH. Very solid, very bluesy. (7/10) FT: The Healer, Think Twice Before You Go

Excellent newer blues.

Sounds good! Nice for a background

pretty good blues album. there are a few songs where the 80s production shows but other than that it's a solid album

Highlights: Healer, In the Mood.

Some great collaborations with Uncle John. What a man, singer and guitarist he was. Particularly love the Santana collab.

What a great album! The guitar play is textbook perfect, without being too much or overshadowing the vocals.

Solid Blues and Rock n' Roll

pretty good blues sounds. I liked to variety of artists paired with John Lee.

Great album, and I have another of his albums that includes a number of the songs on this one. Very much enjoyed some good old blues with modern(ish...) artists. 4

5th April 2022 Listened in the morning while working from home before going out to meet sav and watch the Liverpool match (benfica 1-3) and he asked me to be one of his best men! Wasn’t crazy about the Santana combo to open but you can’t not love a bit of JLH. Elder statesmen of the blues.

Loving Santana's collaboration on the title track, along with the percussion. Great combination. Awesome singing and guitar by Bonnie Rait on 'I'm in the mood'. Otherwise great guitar work and vocals throughout the album.

Leuk blues album

It was really good but probably my least favorite so far.

What a bop. Had no expectations and loved this start to finish. Lyrically it's not particularly inspired but musically fantastic with a high energy start that melds into a more mellow mood by the end. It's a 4.5, if the system would allow!

Okay, now this is my shit right here. What an absolute vibe. Pure blues, pure vibes, pure 4/5, close to a 5, just needed to be longer.

I went to the Church of Blues today, and it was healing.

Some great blues from JLH and some of 1989's more mainstream artists. Loved The Healer with Carlos Santana, I'm in the Mood with Bonnie Raitt, Baby Lee with Robert Cray, Cuttin' Out with Canned Heat, and Think Twice Before You Go with Los Lobos. I found the second half of the album much less fun. (I guess I like my blues to be fun.) I'd love to hear more from John Lee Hooker though.

It's an album with lots of collaborations with other artists. Some, like Los Lobos, work a lot better than others, like Santana. After the terrible first song of the album is slowly turns into a real bluesy John Lee Hooker album. 3,5 stars

Absolute class.

very epic!

Great blues album

I'm in the Mood is just amazing & love this album!

Meget lækkert, især at de havde Santana med!

Vibey

Old friend from the Oakland days

7/10

pretty good

Great blues and amazing collaborations.

this one kicked off a huge boost in interest in the venerable bluesman - but it did so by remaining true to what made him special, honouring his roots, his great voice, and his heart. Many guests, great vibe throughout.

Excellent collaborations.

I really enjoyed this album. I had not really been all that familiar with John Lee hooker in the past.

Sinfully soulful. Will be checking this guy out more. Effortlessly cool and groovy

Legendary

Great blues album!

Sweet! John Lee Hooker on his own is always a great listen; throw in guest stars like Bonnie Raitt, George Thorogood, Robert Cray, etc....soooo good. Really nice album.

Great performances all around.

Clima bom com o blues com as participações especiais

Great blues. Cool features. Like Santana and Bonnie raitt

I'm not generally much for blues albums, but this one was really interesting. It incorporated a lot of elements of other musical styles into it. It's also nice to hear a blues album with good production, since so many albums from earlier eras suffer from a lack of production value 4/5

I forgot how much I enjoyed listening to the blues.

Great blues album. Definitely deserves a relisten.

Who knew that the blues could uplift? Great album.

Good stuff. Made for a nice compliment to an early morning l hot tub

Authentic Blues that is somehow stripped away while still having larger supporting instrumentation. Hooker asserts himself as a mainstay within the genre, and delivers an album worthy of his legacy.

Nice and smooth

Good collaborations. Some good tracks on here, mostly toward the beginning of the album. It definitely drops off.

Pretty good, I enjoyed it. Both very good instrumentation (a shame it can't all be with Santana though!) and a very good voice with just a little bit of grit.

Hab ich komplett durchgehört. Blues vom feinsten.

Titelsong the healer ist gleich ein Kracher. Santana auch eh super. Toller sound, gefühlvoll und trotzdem mit positivem vibe. Coverbild und titel haben mich auch angesprochen. 4 Sterne deluxe

Richtig gut. I'am in the mood ist mein favourite oder Think twice before you go?! Ich höre es einfach nochmal...

Blues muy fino y temas con canned heat, santana etc

Superb blues, and great use of guest artists

This was a great listen. Didn't love the first track, but even that wasn't bad.

As of this day, Wednesday 30th June 2021, I Nigel Peter Dandelion Spackman, have only murdered 7 hookers. If you read anything different, it's libellous.

Very nice, I could listen to this is most settings, in fact I’m trying to think of a setting where this wouldn’t fit... and I can’t really think of one.

Relaxte muziek! Ik kan er ook goed bij werken. En weer eens wat anders dan de Britse overkill hier de laatste tijd.

very good album in my opinion with great funky styles. simple yet effective and i couldnt really get bored of it at all

good blues and soul

Strong blues, "long, hazy summer day" vibes.

I really got into this in the end. At first I wasn't sure but it took a second listen. Easy going and cool

I think I just like blues

Like the collaboration and classic blues.

I realy liked this album. Blues is one of my many favorites.

Great stuff!

Liked this one - always enjoy some blues

Aight

John Lee Hooker was an Blues Icon and this is a late career album. While there is some good John Lee Hooker here, much of the album features collaborators, who frequently turned it into there thing with John Lee Hooker providing background. I much preferred his solo stuff, the last three songs, to the collaborations.

Something felt off as soon as I started reading. It's a blues album, I know the name John Lee Hooker, but it's from the late '80s. The era doesn't feel right for a must-listen blues album, but then we've got the title track starting the album off with Santana and his band. Does it feel like blues? Barely. It has enough Santana flavor to make the track work, though, and frankly it only makes me want to listen to Smooth. In fact, some 10 years later Santana pulls of Supernatural with an idea real similar to this album, use other artists to freshen up your sound, and it'd make all the sense in the world to me that the inspiration came from this album. It ends with three solo pieces, but by then your ears have been primed for another type of production quality. It makes for a shaky ending. As expected, the blues element is faded and washed here, buried under decades of production techniques that strip the essence of the sound. I can understand it being mildly successful for a few years after its release because there's not many other blues artists competing for the top spot, but outside of "fresh new blues" this album doesn't hold itself up as well as other older classics. I'm sure John Lee himself has better technically fulfilling albums. It's not bad, I'm just never going to listen to this again. 2.75/5

Gorgeous Blues Soul of the second era

I like this kind of blues in moderation

Ok...a blues album from 1989 with a lot of guests? Interesting... Anyway, it's alright blues music. There's some cool guitar bits on some of the tracks, but much of it isn't that interesting. I don't feel like the guests on most of the songs add anything significant to any of them. Also, this probably isn't the greatest representation of John Lee Hooker or blues music in general. It's ok, but nothing special. This album is ranked #10 of 26 albums for 1989. Other 1989 albums rated by me: Disintegration(1/26)-5 Doolittle(2/26)-5 The Stone Roses(3/26)-3 Like a Prayer(6/26)-3 Done by the Forces of Nature(12/26)-4 Rhythm Nation 1814(13/26)-3 Let Love Rule(14/26)-2 Fromohio(15/26)-2 Nick of Time(17/26)-2 Djam Leelii(19/26)-4 Moss Side Story(24/26)-2

dark dark deep blues. usually not my cup of tea, but i like his voice as well as how the instruments sound. i wouldn't go through a whole album, but listening to a few songs from time to time? why not.

pretty good

The blues, man... sonically, amazing. Lyrically and spiritually, depressing af.

The best way to honor an elder statesman of amped blues would probably be to pick one of his golden-era albums instead of a late-era mishmash of collaborations, but the cover is pretty cool

Kinda cool to hear a multitude of bands record with Hooker. But it mostly sounds like these performers doing their thing with a JLH guest appearance. Fairly dull, really. And why does he sound like he recorded his vocals in a parking garage?

wiso würmer es john lee hooker album vode 80er do druf tue hahaha. santana??? hahahaha ich finds huuuuere asss. santana nonie ganz checkt und de sappy 80er sound mit ihm zeme und de hooker wo chli blues umejommeret isch jo würkli nöd mol so guet. sally mae tönt endlich so wie er tönt. nöd grossi band mit keys bullshit. er, giratte, en fuess macht d drums. fuesball

eventuell muss ich jz zerst es album vo primal fear lose, will det druff s lied the healer isch, wo als chind e ziit lang mis lieblingslied gsi isch MMMHHHH DE GUITAR-TONE ISCH HOTTTT hmm sehr es neus album für sini verhältnis sini stimm isch krass hahahah I'm in the mood isch no cool mitem hii und her vode bonnie raitt undem hooker aber joaa omg canned heat!!! scho lang nümme ah sie denkt hmm jaa schlecht isches nöd (glaub für mich muss seehr vill falsch laufe, dass ich blues je schlecht find) aber meh als es 3 gits glaub nöd

Not terrible but not the best. Low 3.

3.5 C'est sympa mais pas memorable

One day I will become the man I am meant to be, and fall in love with a blues album. Today is not that day.

Good

Decent listen.

I’m not a huge blues fan, but this was pretty dern good. I’m healed!

Blues. That’s all there’s to it, nothing really stood out for me but it’s damn fine blues album. The vibes are immaculate. Gets a little bit boring though after a while, a little monotonous, so there’s that.

Day 38 As Peter Griffin once said, "I do not care for blues" Fav track: The Healer

A nice vibe

Pretty standard blue jam

That duet with Bonnie raitt was a 5 star track

John Lee Hooker is a legend, but this is not his best work.

What a bizarre album to choose from an artist whose contribution is so large and whose catalogue is so deep. Hooker had been releasing albums for 30 years before this series of collaborations came out. I’ve got no problems with any of these songs or the contributions from other important artists. But this still feels like a strange choice to include here.

A couple of the songs were good but the album was too slow for my taste. 3 stars or C-.

2.75 rounded to 3 Real meat-and-potatoes “older statesman of blues” album, with some very 80s guests. No track really stands out in particular, but none of em are bad or anything. The Santana feature is fun.

A great Bluesman, not sure about the collab with everyone else here.

Think of this as a gateway drug to the earlier John Lee Hooker recordings - that's where the good stuff is.

Very good album. I enjoyed the artist he paired with for each song.

Blues had a sort of revival in the 1980's and this was made at the tail end of said revival. It's a fine album, but I feel John Lee Hooker's style clashes with the shiny modern production. The Healer is a good song, but the rest of the album is kind of forgettable. Still a decent album, bit of a weird inclusion.

This is a nice enough blues album - but I am in no way a blues expert. My standouts: The Healer, I'm In the Mood (god I love Bonnie Raitt)

Aika perus bluesia. Kyllähän tän nyt ainaki kerran kuunteli läpi

Ihan raikas.

Ihan kovaa bluussin räimettä. Kyllähän tämmöistä aina välillä mielellään kuuntelee.

Inoffensive Blues Backing Track #X? It's fine in a way that you forget it's there while doing other things.

It’s good, but also sort of meh.

Look, there's no denying that JLH was a talented, legendary and iconic artist. I just find a whole album of 12-bar blues a tad dull. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★★☆☆(5/10) Total reviewed : 412 Already owned : 93 Purchased : 21 To buy : 5 Nope : 293