Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Sad to say that this bored me and the blues should not be doing that.Don’t think the collaborative thing does him any favours here
For a blues album I really didn’t mind it. Didn’t sound like the same song all the time and the additional artists added a lot to it
Some really cool features but a bit underwhelming
I’m less familiar with John Lee Hooker than I would like, so I was happy to discover this much-vaunted album. The first track left me sightly disappointed, since it had a « happy feeling » that just didn’t do it for me. But the rest of the album was mostly great – especially « In the Mood » and « Sally Mae », which are exactly what I’m expecting from Blues music : deep, slow, harsh and sexy at the same time. All in all a great Blues album, all the more impressing since it was composed when John Lee Hooker was already 72. The numerous featurings are a welcome addition, although not essential to the album. A good 3,5* for me.
Nice jazzy album but it does not give me a "boom boom" mood
Thanks to this list, I discovered Bonnie Raitt’s glorious perm, and thanks to her and to Santana, the king of features, Hooker had a bit of a comeback and landed a spot here. It’s clearly listenable, even nice, but there’s way better blues out there, even in Hooker’s own catalog. Kinda disappointing that this is the first blues album the list throws at us.
Robert "Jazz Hands" Dylan
Kind of a mixed bag of collaborations and stylistic variations. Some didn't quite float my boat. Some are the self assured works of a true maestro. Towards the end, we get the pared-back, almost Saharan blues of My Dream, which I found very affecting. This, and its two neighbouring tracks, are the only songs without big-name collaborators; probably not just coincidence that I enjoyed these the most. I will return to this record
It was ok. I’m not much for these “comeback” style albums that have a bunch of guest appearances, but I do like the old school blues guys. It was fine, I just honestly didn’t see what the fuss was about or why it made this list.
Here's something neat about this album project. The fact that each genre is represented a number of times has allowed me to form opinions about genres at large. Of course, these are still generalizations to an extent, but I've started to learn more and more about what genres I do and don't care for. Blues is a genre that I'm not super big on myself, but it's certainly one that I respect. John Lee Hooker's 1989 album The Healer is no different. This isn't like my favorite thing in the world, but it's got some good things to it that I enjoy. John Lee Hooker is one of the more influential artists in the blues genre. As far as influence, he's up there with someone like Muddy Waters for sure. However, while he got his start all the way back in the 1930s, this album is a release from 1989. Interesting. It's also a collaborative album with a number of artists, including some that also appear on this list like Carlos Santana and Bonnie Raitt. Interesting collaborator list if I do say so myself. The style here definitely has its roots in blues, but takes some semi-modern influences as well. This is most obvious on the title track, which sounds pretty smooth to me (I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that it literally has guitar from the guy who played on "Smooth"). John Lee Hooker's got some nice bluesy vocals. Definitely getting those Muddy Waters vibes. Maybe I don't understand blues. I don't know. What I do understand is that this album's good. The instrumentation is pretty nice as well. Overall, this is a neat listen that I wouldn't call a favorite of mine, but is one that I'm not upset to have listened to. 3/5.
Well, That's Alright. My only real complaint is that the cover is giving MS Paint. Also, the Spotify description of this guy is ruthless! "One-chord" and "primitive"‽
John Lee is a legend, plain and simple. While I like this album, it feels overproduced. John Lee is about the grittiness of the blues and this seems too polished. I would recommend people check out his earlier recordings. A highlight is a duet with Bonnie Raitt on I'm in the Mood. The track is fun, but again, a little too slick. There is a live recording of the duet on a compilation album that is much better, in my opinion.
Not bad. Not really blown away by it either.
enjoyed this. especially the slower parts
JLH was probably the first blues artist I discovered (playing Boom boom boom in the Blues Brothers). Nothing wrong with this record and it's nice to see JLH get some widespread recognition late in his career. That being said this isn't even in the top 5 best JLH records. If you want the real deal check out John Lee Hooker Plays and Sings the Blues
I wouldn’t know the difference between good and bad blues??….
First track reminds me of Matchbox 20, thanks to Carlos Santana. Collab albums like this are just jumping the shark.Anyway, it gets better eventually. Pairings with Canned Heat and George Thorogood are standouts, but I think I prefer my John Lee undiluted. (Where's the more you dilute Morrissey, for example, the better). Three stars. Three stars.
Als je blues googlet krijg je dit album denk ik, wauw. Doorrookte stem, gitaar riffjes, en eigenlijk continue denk ik alleen maar dat dit de blauwdruk(haha) is van Blues. En dat is ook meteen het album. Houd je van blues? Dan vind je dit geweldig. Hou je niet van Blues? Dan vind je het matig. Ik vind Blues een genre dat ik nooit helemaal heb begrepen, en eerlijk? Dit album heeft wel echt geholpen! De eerste 2 nummers vond ik echt heel sterk, en ik ging er meteen goed voor zitten. Want zou dit dan de plaat zijn waar ik eindelijk blues fan ga worden? Nee dat niet helemaal, het is een lekker album, met John Lee Hooker zijn doorrookte stem over het hele album met vrijwel minimale instrumentale hulp. Er zijn best wel wat features op het album en die werken ook zeker, maar de focus en de ster is ongetwijfeld John Lee en zijn gitaar. En ik noem ze beiden, want ze zijn echt onlosmakelijk met elkaar verbonden. Nou het album dan; er zitten heerlijke riffjes in, de zang van John Lee was ook echt goed. Maar toch, uiteindelijk kan ik me er toch niet helemaal aan onttrekken dat dit album zó veel beter had kunnen zijn. Dit album begint echt geweldig, en het einde heeft ook echt hele sterke nummers, maar het midden is zo matig en gezapig dat ik uiteindelijk toch uit kom op een matige 3 sterren. Prima album, niet iets wat ik nog een keer zal gaan luisteren. FAVO: The Healer, Im in the mood, My Dream
I expected a smooth blues album from John Lee Hooker, and I was not disappointed. There is no mistaking how Hooker pioneered blues music, because his blues doesn't sound like anybody else's. Santana's blues makes for a great combination with Hooker's, too. I quite like the fact there are so many collaborations on this album. The Healer was toward the end of Hooker's career, and there's a definite passing of the torch vibe. Those collaborations were easily part of the reason for the Grammy win. At the same time, I wish I heard more that was Hooker only, especially when I suspect this is his only album on the list. Alas.
This album is not bad, but it is definitely dominated by the features; I don't get a strong sense for John Lee Hooker, because I'm mostly getting the other people. Granted, this album came out towards the end of Hooker's career, and likely reflects exactly what he wants it to, but as far as an inclusion on this project from Hooker, I can't help but feel like there was a better choice. Still, it's a decent and enjoyable blues album.
Swam song for a legend. Lot of neat collabs. Nothing earth shattering as a listen, but some neat collabs. I also like that this albums sales set him financially for the rest of his life.
Quality compilation of guest artists joining a legendary bluesman. It's good but feels a bit contrived.
Quite cool… very minimal.
I gotta listen to more from this guy. This feels more like a late career resurgence which is cool
pretty cool and good guests ... i guess him and canned heat made an album together in 71, sounds cool idk
Es ist nichts besonderes. Chillig
Delta blues is always a tough genre for me to rate. It takes a lot of talent to really make something with the Delta blues because you can't hide poor musicianship behind a wall of sound. But, it's also limited because of genre constrains, making a full album of delta blues a bit... too much of the same old, same old. I struggled to stay engaged for the whole album. It's fine, but not one I'll return to.
I liked hearing the individual collaborators contributions and styles, but I didn't really get a taste for hooker himself. Was a good classic blues listen, but want to hear more him
The Healer is certainly one interesting album but i guess that is to be expected from a man who doesn't seem to have a definitive birth year. What mainly surprised me was the sheer number of featuring musicians here. There is everyone from Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, George Thorogood and many others and each of these musicians brought something different to each of the songs they appeared in. Each song they appeared in was no doubt a good song but the last 3 songs there that were just done by Hooker fell a bit flat. This is no doubt an enjoyable album, i just don't think i would enjoy it as much without the extra musicians. Best Song: I'm In The Mood Worst Song: No Substitute
3 estrelas
3.3 Pretty decent blues album. Last 3 tracks dipped but I'm guessing they were bonus ones. Not my fave genre but can appreciate the quality
cool. Its Blues, I want something to blow me away. I just feel like I am getting lbums lately that are nice to listen to, but nothing that makes me go wow, How did i never listen to this. I am sure blues lovers will tell me whats special about this, but to the non blues fan, it sounds like pretty much any other blues album, and there are lots on this list. Think Twice before you go and My Dream was cool
Solid album by the blues master.
Solid blues album
I've heard of this musician. True blues. This is good stuff. I know I have not listened to any of this stuff and it's good.
It's a pleasant listen, but I don't think it compares to his 60s-70s work.
01) The Healer - 10,0 02) I'm in the Mood - 8,0 03) Baby Lee - 7,5 04) Cuttin' Out - 7,0 05) Think Twice Before You Go - 7,0 06) Sally Mae - 7,0 07) That's Alright - 6,5 08) Rockin' Chair - 6,0 09) My Dream - 7,0 10) No Substitute - 6,5 TOTAL: 7,25 (73/100) Current ranking: 316/586
Track one isn’t very representative of this I would say. Not sure how I feel about the blues being given an 80s sheen. At its core these were still pretty good though.
nice blues
Sounds like JLH! I like it. He's a legend and doesn't get enough credit for the big role he played in early Dylan's development.
I keep saying to myself ‘I should listen to more of the Blues’ and then I don’t. So this was helpful (caveats about authenticity (not from me) aside). Quite liked this.
I went deep into Blues music five or six years ago, so I'm surprised this didn't cross my radar sooner. I'm naturally a little sceptical of albums with a lot of features and while I remain sceptical the Bonnie Raitt and Charlie Musselwhite features were solid. The last three (solo) tracks on the album were, for me, standouts. Overall, an enjoyable but not life changing listen.
Decent album, starts off pretty strong, but the end its a little repetitious
They should have picked an earlier album by JLH and put Strong Persuader by Robert Cray and something by Stevie Ray Vaughn instead. Like this is fine good stuff but there's more essential stuff left off
I guess it doesn’t realy get more blues than with Hooker.. the collabs are nice, I vibed to this today. Album art is quite ominous. I like it but it does not necessarily match the music tone of voice.
Every time I hear the name John Lee Hooker I think about Juliet Lewis in Natural Born Killers being mad she can’t go to his concert. Then I think how fucking weird it was for a teenager in 1994 to want to go to a John Lee Hooker concert. Then I think about how weird Natural Born Killers is. So what I’m really saying is I have no idea what he sounds like. Bluesy I guess? Last song is the standout. The rest feels very sanitized and lacks grit.
This would be so much better without all the guests. I love JLH, but no one needs to hear Santana on this shit.
J’aime pas le blues mais la première est vraiment bonne. 3☆ à cause de la première
The collaborations distract from JLH’s strengths, to my ear. Not bad, just not great either.
A stacked collaboration album with polished production value. That said, it loses something along the way and doesn't have the soul that most Hooker albums do.
Feels like a Johnny Cash late in life album... collabing with a bunch of contemporary artists... kind of a circle is unbroken vibe... Good. but may not come back to it.
Overall: 6/10 I have mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, Hooker has a great voice and is an OG who understands the blues and how to implement it best. On the other hand, the album is overproduced and features too many collaborators that take away from Hooker's performance. In the end, it's worth checking out, especially if you're a newcomer to the blues like I am. Fav Song: I'm In the Mood Least Fav Song: The Healer
Nice
It's Blues. It was fine. It gets a little old after a beat.
Good vibes for a blues album, the opener threw me off with Santana but the rest of the album fell into familiar blues territory. Not so amazing that I’d come back to it often, but good enough for a listen again
The song with Carlos Santana was interesting, but overall this is was a bit underwhelming (but it is still John Lee Hooker so it can’t be all bad).
67/100. A good blues record, anchored by the standout title track, which is easily the highlight and sets a high bar early on. While the rest of the album doesn’t quite reach the same level, it’s still a solid and enjoyable listen.
It's as good as any other legendary musician steeped thier own genre
Pretty awesome record by a legend
If I wanted to listen to John Lee Hooker, this is not the album I would choose. It's fine, but i find some of the collaborations to be distracting. The last 3 tracks are my favorites.
Solid 3 stars in my book
No soy mucho de esto. Es agradable pero no me mueve mucho.
Some of these interactions are great, some obscure Hooker's and/or the collaborators' mastery. I tend toward preferring blues in small doses, so these various changes often, but not always, help engagement.
Not pure blues or the best of JLH but if the collaborations made him a few cents and made him more accessible then kudos to the guy.
I'll just echo what so many of the other reviewers have said: This is a fine collection, though often marred by '80s production. It's best when it's just him (last 3 tracks). The collaborations mostly don't excite (though I liked the Canned Heat and Los Lobos tunes). Dude is still bringing it at age 73, so hats off to him! But let's give the legend his due and scrap this album in favor of one of his '60s recordings that inspired pretty much every British Invasion band.
Really dig his guitar action.
- 3.5 cause it's J.Lee Hooker - some good stuff but I NEED to hear one of his early releases .... -
Blues with friends. A little Chicago electric, and a little Memphis jangle. There’s certainly some essence of the primal music here, and that’s good. The collection feels a little stretched across the features.
Not bad, but nothing all that moving either.
Kolme viimeistä biisiä iskivät (ei vierailevia artisteja). Viimeinen liikutti (kuuntele sanat). Sai minut arvioimaan uudelleen koko levyä. Kunnioitettava temppu.
Well made Blues sharpened to a razor point, but definitely infused with enough 80s maximalism to make it sell. Strong stuff, and I'm glad it got John Lee Hooker the respect he deserved, but it feels closer to the blues rock he inspired then the talking and hill country blues he made when he was younger.
First song is great! Reminds me of Smooth Operator. Rest of the album reminded me of Tom Waits’ Way Down in the Hole.
the title track is one of the best songs I've heard in a long long time, but the rest of the album doesn't really stack up
Good listen. Shined on the tracks without features
Vinyl: No Fav Song: The Healer Notes: Good but a bit disjointed.
I was over Santana about 20 years ago after his collab with the dummies from Matchbox Twenty. This one finishes strong with Hooker on his own.
A nice little blues album that really shouldn’t sound so samey given the amount of guest musicians here.
бодро за счет приглашенных артистов и тухло за счет собственного обаяния
I'm not a big blues fan but it was cool to hear a legend and some authentic blues. I liked the guitar playing but I think I'd prefer to hear one of his earlier albums because this felt a little uninspired and rehashed.
The Blues are like certain ethnic foods. You love it and you look forward to it, but there is absolutely no reason to eat it every day when there are so many other great cuisines out there to love. The Blues are too niche to want to eat on a regular basis. I would be ok with these songs in a live setting because they have a vibrant, kinetic energy, but I have no desire to sit down and listen to the Blues all of the time because everything else (sans modern country…BARF!) interests me more.
This was cool and had some interesting funk to it. A lot of the songs were a little slow and hookless for my taste, but in general, the vibes are up with it, and it was pleasant to ye olde ears. The song with Bonnie was my fave!
Blues album of high quality, a lot of collaborations. Santana, Los lobos, Bonnie Rait.. etc.. The album has the the type of production where everything sounds apparently perfect. Compared to early blues, it is such a contrast. Huge respect for JLH on his 70 having the stamina and will to go for this album.
Perfectly good, though something that never went beyond background music for me.
This is one of the ones I have a little trouble with being on this list. Without a doubt it's a very good record, great to hear a blues legend doing his thing late in his life and the collabs are fun. But at the end of the day, it's a retro throwback sort of album, not something that was current, genre pushing, innovative, inspirational, etc. So its place in music history and influence get low marks from me. But I like the sound and the way it feels a lot so it gets a good score. If I had more room to work with, probably a 7.5.
First song came with a side of cheese. The song with Canned Heat was great. Last track on the album was a stunner, loved it. Was going to give it 2-stars, but something about the last track hooked me.
I liked a few for sure, but it was very inconsistent. Hard to give a rating to the album as a whole because it was so disjointed.
6.5/10
Blues legend. Great blues guitarist, and singer.
2.5
снова причитаю что не понимаю блюз, снова одни и те же ноты. в целом вроде приятно слушать, но где выводы?
Nisam sto posto siguran ali ako pola ovih pisama nije bilo u nekom b trileru s kraja osamdesetih di sredovječni detektiv alkoholičar susreće upola mlađu famme fatale negdi na jugu nisu ništa napravili 😃btw prilično sam siguran da su naslovnu stvar st German semplirali na so flute
Bueno
Yk for my first primarily blues album it did sorta disappoint me. The music wasn’t bad it was just such a SLEEPER of an album bored me out my mind. I’m literally so thankful this isn’t over an hour cuz I would be FIGHTING for my life. But it’s not all bad John’s vocals could put me to sleep that’s how calming his voice and it all here for it. Now I can’t say I’m the biggest fan but he’s pretty talented with fast pace high energy songs transitioning too slow lullaby type songs rly well. Overall nothing special just a solid project that I won’t return too😂 6.5/10 3.2/5
Decent blues album. I didn't mind listening to it, but not something I'd likely return to. 3/5
Good sound. Solid despite being a bit uneven.
3/5
I was getting ready to not like this because of all the collabs and didn’t seem genuine to me for some reason. Up on my high horse saying true jazz needs suffering and the commercialization isn’t the real deal. I listened to it… it’s friggin John Lee Hooker!!! Of course it’s good
got a good vibe
I mean, as names go, that's certainly one of them... Good guitar work. Pleasant blues music. 3,5/5
Wouldn't listen again but very good. The Santana song is a clasic tho
artwork is just ash baby grown up 1st track is great, rest is whatever
This guy kinda sounds like Jimi Hendrix Cool blues album. Nothing I’d revisit in full probably, but it’s well made
I was disappointed at how slow and drugs out this was. Bummer. 2.5
The first track was not a good opener but settled into what I had hoped for with In the Mood.
Kind of boring, frankly. Trying to reach a mass audience in the 80s was a losing game.
Great vibes later in the album but awful 80s production dude...
It’s just blues but pretty pleasant blues
Pretty cool
Kiedy słucham bluesa to mam wrażenie że nie mam z tymi ludźmi nic wspólnego. O czym mielibyśmy rozmawiać, gdybyśmy się spotkali? Ta płyta ma sporo występów gościnnych i jest nieco rozmyta, ale nadal jest bluesem, czyli czymś co ani mnie ziębi ani grzeje. 5/10
I think there's a certain class of straight person and/or guitar fan that likes his work. For everyone else, this album is a slog.
Going into this album I was not familiar with John Lee Hooker at all. I had never heard his music before so I had no idea what I was in for. And I really enjoyed the music. The instruments are all so sharp and clean. You can hear everything it’s so clean. And the production and number of musical celebrity guests is crazy! Bonnie Raitt, Santana, George Thorogood, just to name a small few. My only problem with this album (and it’s a big one) I don’t really like John’s voice. He doesn’t have a voice with a great presence and there’s not a lot of diversity to his vocals. Honestly this album is worth your time and if you are a blues fan, this is an essential album. But honestly the guests and instrumentation wasn’t enough to make up for the lack of vocal charisma.
A bit bland and generic 80s sounding for me. Not really proper JKH to be fair. OK so his retirement was sorted with this one and it was probably a big lovefest collaborating with all the other musos but it’s still BORING!!
I like the blues. I really like the blues. This is not really the blues, and it’s clearly demonstrated on the opener, a collaboration with Carlos Santana, which basically becomes a Santana song. Also, the 80s production really does everything dirty. When this finished Spotify served me some Muddy Waters, and that really showed up how un-blues like this album actually is. It’s not bad, but I’m sure it has to be towards the bottom of John Lee Hooker’s quality.
Not my style, but not a bad little blues album. There's some clear signs of this being produced in the late 80's that are a little distracting, but overall it's not something I'd be against listening to again.
Pretty good
pretty good but not rlly big on this genre
I kinda liked it. I think learning about blues and how important it was in class has helped me appreciate the genre more
Nice and relaxing, time just flew by
non è malvagio, molto caldo e graffiante, ma nemmeno memorabile
Smooth
Helt solid elektroniskt blues album, underhållande men inget speciellt
I’m sure he has much better stuff, and his once in a lifetime talent shines through. liked this a lot more than I thought I would bc of my history with listening to a LOT of mediocre blues
Oof
Good sound. Like the blues
That first song with Santana...whew, that was nice. Also liked the George Thorogood feature. I'm not really the biggest blues guy, so I found the rest of the album just ok. Solidly a 3 in my book though.
A solid wistful blues album with exceptional guest artists. I'm In The Mood and Substitute are 2 really good songs.
Couple good jams and hooks. Nothing mind-blowing.
This album feels very safe and calculated for most of the time. It's very well produced and polished, which kinda ruins blues for me. Ideally it should be driven by emotions and lacking in polish, coming together naturally. And reading about the album, it was very much the plan to drag in as many guests as possible to help him reach a wider audience. I'm not mad that it apparently worked in his favor, but no matter how well arranged the songs are or how much talent there is making the music, there's nothing here that pulls me in and makes me want to listen to it over and over. I'll have to dig into his earlier stuff at some point, I suspect it'll be more rewarding to listen to.
I guess the purists will hate it for the collaborations and for the lack of authentic Hooker. The casual listener in me enjoyed it. I guess I know enough of early Hooker to see where it is coming from and probably I'd prefer the authentic to this.
3.5
Rating: 6/10 The first two songs are amazing, the rest of this was just decent blues.
Yes!!!
Not my favorite from the blues genre. It had that 80s production on some of the early songs I noticed. Did enjoy a lot of the collabs and there were a bunch. High 3 as nothing really stood out too much but was still enjoyable.
Solid blues 3.5
INTERESTING
John Lee Hooker was one of the all time great blues musicians, without a doubt. However, this album featuring contributions from Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt and Los Lobos didn’t really grab me. It felt a little bit too polished and well produced, and left me yearning for the rough and ready sound of Hooker’s early recordings. However, he was in his 70s when this was released, so you can’t really begrudge the old fella his pension plan.
First track sort of comically misleading. Overall the collaborators do a pretty good job of not ruining John Lee Hooker's blues, but it does pick up a lot when the guests go away. Worth a listen just for these last three tracks. 2 stars for the first track, 3 stars for the middle, 4 stars for the last three.
I’m sure there’s a lot of John Lee Hooker that I’d like more. Does he have a whole album with Santana, for example? (Just kidding, I would like that less)
Like a lot of blues, sometimes less is more. I like the genre but due to its nature it can get repetitive quick. Love some good blues riffs and this album has it in spades, and Santana, so points for that. It just gets to be too much by the end of it, great guest spots though.
Look… I’m just not going to become a fan of the Blues. It’s just boring and uninteresting to me. But this album had Santana and Los Lobos so that bumps it up a star from my usual 2 for Blues
John Lee Hooker and a bunch of all-star bands. Right artist ... wrong album.
Not much memorable here. Lots of good features but nothing that particularly stands out. Just bang average blues. 5.25/10 (2.625/5)
Album has more collaborations than the average Gorillaz album. And with tracks like the title track it works really well as it encompasses what you want in a Santana song, you seriously cannot deny this one is good. You also get ones like baby lee which just sound really cool with it’s drumming. I’m in the mood is also a very interesting collaboration. But the problem with blues is that there is honestly only so much you can do. The genre started in the 1800’s and this is 1989, that combined with the fact that blues by nature is generally a restrictive genre, it makes it very difficult to remain interesting. Also this is a super late career album for John lee hooker. It’s an album I believe in theory should have the odds against it so having something kinda good here warrants it’s inclusion. Thing is though I just prefer my blues rockier and not a full album. I respect the fuck out of this one 3/5
I wonder if the guest musicians were as bored as me. Basic blues, too basic. 2.75
Noice...
I like this very much, but the thing about the blues to me is that it really sounds like the same track, over and over.
I've never been a fan of collaboration albums. The Healer features several well known musicians who side themselves and pay tribute to a true Blues legend. I don't have a problem with this concept, it does give extra exposure for the fans of the musicians to Hooker and it adds to the cred and acknowledgement of his influence in their music. With the collaborations, the music of John Lee Hooker gets watered down and it's more a Bonnie Raitt or Carlo Santana performance, with Hooker putting in an appearance than a true duet. The songs are okay, but an old 73 year old Hooker is not "prime Hooker" and fans should seek out his influential and essential works from decades past.
Did not grab me
Good album. Felt there was probably better from JLH tho.
I didn’t even know they made blues albums in the 1980’s, let alone near the 90’s. I am not familiar with John Lee Hooker or his music. From what I could gather this is pretty late into his career, and was successful enough to provide him with money for his late years. To be real, I agree that the most common problem is that there are too many songs that contains a special guest that doesn’t really amount to anything. I don’t really hear Los Lobos on Think Twice Before You Go and there is no sign of George Thorogood on Sally Mae. (Though for me personally, that’s a good thing) The only guests that work are The Healer with Carlos Santana and I’m in the Mood with Bonnie Raitt. These actually feel like they add to their respective songs. As for the rest of the album… I don’t know, dude. It’s a typical blues album where most of the songs have a similar vibe for its duration. The 80’s production is hit-or-miss and I found myself drifting into boredom too often. This was honestly only ok. Two stars feels harsh, so I give it three. Favorite track: The Healer Other hits: I’m in the Mood, Think Twice Before You Go, Cuttin’ Out, The last 3 songs where John plays alone (Rockin’ Chair, My Dream, No Substitute)
Limited variety across the tracks, though still a good listen
I feel like this is not the most representative work from Hooker to have on the list. That does not mean I'm surprised it's on here.
Good stuff. Solid blues from an expert.
Top tier string pluckin’. Sick voice.
Realizing the more I get blues albums back to back that they’re just not for me. Another solid blues album. Standouts: The Healer, Think Twice Before You Go, and My Dream.
Solid blues but nothing spectacular
If you've ever wondered what a blues album would sound like with the reverb-drenched '80s production style, this album is your chance to experience that. In a word, the glossy production feels antithetical to the blues. The "perfect" production makes the music lose grit, and feel pre-packaged. However, the production does lend the album a unique sound. As for the music, the performances, both from JLH and his guests, are excellent, and only a few of the songs overstay their welcome. That said, it's diffcult to give this album more than three stars given the plethora of much better blues albums out there.
🎧Solid, somewhat boring at times blues record
5/10
The best song was The Healer. I really liked Cuttin' Out as well.
I didn't know original Bluesman John Lee Hooker produced this late in his career, but the stories surrounding it are heartwarming. A man that changed music finally getting the recognition he deserves with a stellar lineup of guests and styles.
I like John Lee Hooker, but I didn't really like this album. I prefer him without other artists that dilute his power.
Some of it worked, some of it didn't. An interesting experiment that was novel at the time but kind of out of style by today's standards. Still decent enough to earn a passing grade.
Elevator blues and jazz for the first song, but everything else on the 1st side was pretty good. 2nd side falls off, but the last two songs are a nice subtle goodbye. Overall solid.
It's basically the template of Santana's Supernatural from a decade later (Hooker + another artist/band). Well-produced but it's not really my type of music. Highlights: "The Healer" (interesting juxtaposition between the Latin grooves of Santana and Hooker's deep bluesy voice), "Cuttin' Out" (Canned Heat plays a cool chugging boogie)
Tof blues album op zich. Zijn oudere albums zijn beter, maar deze is ook wel oké. Toffe collaborations en heerlijk vettige solo's. 3.1
enjoyable
Wel chille blues
I don’t know JLH at all but I imagine this album isnt representative of the man. Most of the album is collaborations and I can’t really hear any bluesy musings which defeats the point a bit. That said it was an enjoyable album, just seems a strange choice for this list 3/5
Laid back, easy going listen however doubt I’d rush back to it
This made me really sleepy, not necessarily in a bad way, it's all very soothing. I think Hooker's voice was created at the beginning of time with the universe, it's one of those things that has always been among the fabric of the world. So soothing, I need naps.
There is only so much Blues music I can handle on one album, and this is too much. The Healer is probably the best track, but the remaining began to wash into one another. 2.5/5
Pretty standard blues for the era. Only song that really stands out from the rest of the album is the title track and that's entirely because of the Santana feature, he just comes out and punches you in the face as if to say "Hey! Santana is here!". The rest of the features do bring that artists' signature touch, but none of them as prominent as Santana's signature guitar tone and band. All in all, this album is just okay, nothing spectacular, just middle of the road blues.
Not a huge fan of blues but good tunes
Nice and bluesy, I enjoyed this
Some nice tracks like Sally Mae and I’m In The Mood. Rest is ok 3/5
Ok
I'm not a big fan of blues so maybe I couldn't appreciate this album. To me it was just background music, nothing special. Nothing wrong with it but I wouldn't listen again
I like the blues, this didn’t especially grab me.
Fine, not great. I think when he’s able to do his own thing it’s better than when other artists collaborate.
Boy, did I not like the opening track. The rest of the album was run of the mill electric blues. Nothing remarkable. I know Hooker can get up to 4 and 5 stars, but he didn’t in this album. The rest of it was at a 3, though.
Love John Lee, but this felt overproduced and by virtue lost it's edge. Weird with music but smoothing out all the bumps and cleaning doesnt make it better. Not up to the raw screaming and screetching we normally get.
This was satisfying to listen to, but a lot of it sounded the same. It was really well put together though.
This is about as blues as blues gets. I don’t know if it’s a controversial take or not, but I often like blues when it’s combined with something else. To listen to a full album of it in its most pure form isn’t really my cup of tea. Everything is pretty solid here, regardless. And I can at least respect it on an artistic level. The collaborations are strong, particularly ‘I’m In The Mood’ with Bonnie Raitt, ‘Cuttin’ Out’ and Canned Heat. The three solo tracks that end the LP are also worth checking out. The problem for me is that things just sort of blend together as the album goes on. I seem to have had very little reaction to ‘The Healer’. It just kind of zipped by and I was left underwhelmed. Totally get why people would like it, but it’s not really my vibe at all. As I said above, I like blues when it’s fused to something else. But I find it hard to get through when it’s the only flavour on offer. An appreciative 3/5.
Irrespective of collaboration life’s still too short for blues.
Can’t go wrong with a bit of classic blues
It’s reminding me of Glen Iris, Camberwell and the club 571 days
Maybe worth a second chance
This sounded like Bonnie Raitt, Santana, and friends were in the middle of doing a JLH tribute album when the man wandered in on the sessions. Most of the side 1 tracks feature the guests way more prominently than Hooker (hell, on the title track we have Santana off on his second guitar solo before Hooker even starts singing). Odd choice. Gets way better on the non-"featuring" tracks on side 2.
The Healer (of my insomnia lol) Wow this one was a letdown for me, I was excited to finally see some blues on this list but good lord nothing here stood out... ...With the exception of that first song with Carlos Santana holy shit the title song is a legitimate 5/5 track, it's pretty cheesy but I love the atmosphere it sets, the way it just introduces different elements of sound throughout its opening really set this apart and left me hoping this album would have more tracks like this that really sought to stretch what they could do with the genre. Though you could even argue this was a Santana song that Hooker was featured on, given this is the guest track that felt the most heavily influenced from its guest attraction. As it turns out, everything else in this album is just adequate, perfectly listenable but nothing standout and nothing I really think I would go out of my way to listen to again. The last 2 tracks are probably the only other ones I would say I really enjoyed. I was surprised with myself for having such a harsh reaction to this album, and wanted to give myself a bit more of a perspective on it. So I took a bit of a look at the history of this album and listened to some of Hookers other songs. While I couldn't name him off the top of my head I had heard plenty of his songs and he is certaintly a terrific musician. From what I read the accolades this album receives feel more like legacy praise than an apprection of this album in particular. A way to acknowledge someone who was overlooked in the past and compensate for their lack of recognition. A recent example of this would be Jamie Lee Curtis' win as a supporting actress in the 2023 Oscar season. Regrettably it seems that Hookers other albums (like so many others) were cut from this list because the editors were on an Elvis Costello/David Bowie/Morrissey binge, so I will not be able to give praise to the work that I actually enjoyed (I hope I'm mistaken). Standouts The Healer: ***** My Dream: **** No Substitute: **** 1/2
i don't have much to say on this album, i feel like it's just here because the carlos santos feature is in and that was a big single. otherwise, there's a lot better blues albums out there and this isn't even one of hooker's top three. idk. it's alright blues, just nothing mind-blowing with how amazing some of the releases out there are.
I wonder why this was chosen from all of John Lee Hookers fairly prolific discography. I can’t really identify any of the tracks on this one as being big hits. Some really big names featuring here. Very surprised to see Carlos Santana on the opening track. This album doesn’t have any bad songs per say, just none that really stand out for me. I would have enjoyed this album more if I was drunk as fuck in a dark, dirty dive bar where you can smoke inside.
First off, not a massive blues listener, but this immediately to me sounded like fuck jams. While I probably won't listen to this album again by myself, Mr Hooker obviously is very talented and I certainly was able to appreciate it was quite good. I will definitely put this album on next time I take a strange woman home from Honky Tonks.
A serviceable, and good Blues album that tends to ebb towards generic. On my first listen I thought it was super middle heavy, on a second listen I realised it's a lot more spread out and there's some songs especially towards the start that I didn't give enough credit. A good album that could use a touch more eccentricity 7/10 Fav tracks - All -2 Least Fav - My Dream
A really solid blues album. All of the collaborations here have enough of John Lee Hooker to make them distinct solo songs and enough from the guest artists to make them unique. Enjoyed the whole album apart from Rocking Chair, which I felt dragged on a little. The standouts here are definitely the title track, Cuttin' Out, My Dream and No Substitute. Listened to this three times in a row when I put it on after work and this will definitely be getting more spins. Before this I had never heard of John Lee Hooker but noticing the featuring artists I knew this would be something good. Listening to his other works after a few listens of this made me realise that his earlier work certainly has more energy and sounds less like it was made to be the ambient music in a piece of southern gothic media. I very reluctantly give this a 3, it would be a 4 if it had a bit more energy and didn't drag heavily on certain songs. I really enjoyed this album but I can't give it a higher rating out of good faith. Having said that, this album is making me realise that I need to broaden my horizon with blues music beyond artists with the last name King.
Harmittaa antaa John Lee Hookerille "vain" kolmonen, mutta repertuaarista löytyisi paljon parempaakin. Tämä on liian sliipattu kokonaisuus ja tungettu ihan liian täyteen collab-vetoja.
I definitely like good Blues music - just no too much and not too slow. This is good.
So decent blues is better than no blues but The Healer is only average really, it's a perfectly ordinary listen that struggles to come together well because it's so collaborative. Every guest on a track gets the style slanted towards them and it doesn't work as an album, especially when JLH's own work isn't special by any means. The track with George Thorogood was my favourite as I've long been a fan of his, but there's better blues out there and it's still annoying there's no Gary Moore on this list. A low 3.
Chilled Blues
One cool dude
pleasant
Allt í lagi lullarablús.
Started quite well, but the middle and end were pretty similar. Not bad, just not amazing. Standout songs: The Healer Im in the Mood
I really enjoy blues records and this one is pretty decent but I feel like blues really benefits from a more raw, and energetic production. It almost feels too clean. I think it would be better if it sounded a little more like a live album.
I like his voice, and thought some of the guests he brought on were cool. I'm not mad on blues generally, but this was reasonably enjoyable
It just seems like this should be heard live in some honky tonk smoky bar.
Good album that starts off just right, “The Healer” just draws you in first with John’s voice followed by Santana’s unmistakable guitar. JLH has always struck me as the refined elder statesman of the Blues. If Muddy was all gritty swagger and Howlin’ Wolf was “scare the shit out of you” high energy, Hooker kinda sneaks up on you. He’s in between; the almost gentlemanly Blues Icon. And that works, especially when he’s paired with other all-star talent that he engages with and makes space for their contributions. It’s good, sometimes great music…but it ain’t at the extremes like you get with the other two. Turns out I like visiting the cozy suburbs, but it’s in the hood, in the ghetto with the outliers like Muddy and Wolf, that’s where I want to live.
Collaborations with many contemporaneous musicians. Some work, some don’t. The cheesy 80’s sound of the first track is difficult to listen to.
Good album, but I can't help but feel like it would have been better with fewer features.
Not really my thing
Pretty solid.
lots of fine colla"blue"rations! Get them blues in ya.
Blues with lots of features
The first half of this album is a major, sanitized bummer. It’s so disappointing to hear a legend like Hooker enveloped by shitty 80’s production and forced guest stars. The second half, when the arrangements are dialed back a bit, is much better. Personally? I see no need to reach for this when his classic material is available. 3/5
And another sacrifing their soul to commercial success. Luckily a one timer more or less in his catalogue.
It's Blues that doesn't particularly stand out
Mumble and chill.
Correcto
I am not sure if this was the best album to pick to represent John Lee Hooker (based on my research and also my listen), but I understand why it's on the list. Blues is...an iffy genre for me. I respect and appreciate the music, but my enjoyment level can vary.
Great blues
This album gets it completely backwards. Take the first track, The Healer. That's not Hooker featuring Santana. That's Carlos Santana and the Santana Band featuring John Lee Hooker. Same with all of these "featuring so-and-so" tracks. There are better John Lee Hooker albums to listen to if you dig the blues. This is... something. Like, if the Muzak™ executives were brainstorming how to get more of the blues genre into their offerings. The featured artists all do a great job making space for their guest performer, John Lee Hooker. What a weird choice. And not weird in a "pushing the boundaries" way. Just weird.
Good music, not my style
The title track did the heavy lifting on this, but a solid blues record is a solid blues record. Nothing I'd come back to again, but never a bad time.
Blues sure happened here.
Holy moly, that’s a lot of collabs. Wasn’t too familiar with Mr. Hooker prior to today, seems he had quite the career longevity. Perhaps this isn’t the greatest album to get a sense of what he brought to the blues table, given that the first seven tracks feature a collaborator. Although we do hear some solo mellow blues near the end of the album, in what I would assume is more akin to the sound of Hooker’s earlier work. Album as a whole didn’t really grab my interest, but I am more interested in the artist himself now. Closer to 3.
It's fine
Apart from the opening track, this just sounds like the same stuff he was doing in the 40s, just with better gear.
What to rate an album that is carried by the guest musicians? The songs where John Lee Hooker plays alone are much weaker. Overall not bad. 3/5
Of all the John Lee Hooker albums, why this one? Many of his best material was in the '50s which can be found on his singles compilation album I'm John Lee Hooker, or any of his albums in the '60s. These are especially important decades because that's when electric blues came to prominence, which is Hooker's forte. Instead, we get a bunch of crossover attempts with acts such as Santana, Bonnie Raitt, and Canned Heat. Now Canned Heat makes sense since they worked together before (and successfully!) on Hooker n' Heat, but what of the other collaborations? Doesn't land. I think a lot of the album trying too hard to do anything but the blues, which makes me wish it was more bluesy. It's not until the last three tracks that Hooker drops the accompaniments and just does regular old-fashioned blues. And guess what? It's great! Fantastic, even! Real, honest-to-god blue at the end of a blues album, who would've thought?
Intime et senti
Definitely a cash grab from the mid 1980's blues rock and blues revival. This album is a pale comparison of what John Lee Hooker is capable of when it comes to blues music. That being said its got an all star list of features and the voices of expression on the tracks are definitely there. John Lee's sound acts as a vessel for other influence. And i love that about this album.
Had a great time with this one. I quite enjoyed the collaborations, even if it felt a bit all over the place sometimes. I wonder if poor John is victim to the papers automatically changing his name to things like John Lee Sex Worker like they do in articles about rugby. Definitely going to do some more listening to our John Lee Sex Worker.
It is a good album, but the guests add nothing to John Lee Hooker's blues.
I found this album a little disappointing: pleasant enough, but unremarkable, blues. Nothing about it really stood out or fully caught my attention. The most interesting track was probably “Rockin’ Chair.”
Blues.
3.6– really liked!
I thought the first track with Santana was great. Bonnie Raitt was interesting. From there on I thought it was all really one note and boring. I just can't get into Blues music apparently. Fave Track: The Healer 2.5/5
- I am definitely not a connesuir of blues, so I am honestly not sure how novel this album might be. It felt like standard fare. Good, standard fare, but standard nonetheless. - "My Dream" stood out -- negated some of the more cliche blues rhythms and chord changes. More of this and it might have made it to 4 stars for me.
Good blues tunes, but nothing earth shattering
I'm a big fan of the blues so might be being overly critical of this album, but it's not anywhere close to John Lee Hooker's best - though it was his most commercially successful. The collaborations had a lot to do with both of the above points I think. I can't fault him for wanting to record some songs with some friends and for likely selling a few more albums by having their names on it, but there's just nothing exceptional here like there is on some of his "solo" albums.
This is way too overproduced to be anything more than a 3. All the collaborations and the production give a very sterile listening experience.
I really have to be in the mood for blues for it to really nail me to the floor. This is objectively good blues music though.
Solid blues! Godt produceret og nogle cool gæster.
Hooker's blend of blues always is enjoyable.
I like his more seminal blues work but this didn't do much for me. I'm not generally a fan of these mixed collaboration albums, they were all the rage for a while, and although I can imagine that certain people who are big fans of everyone on the collaboration might be super excited, the results usually aren't all that great.
I quite enjoyed today’s album. Not enough to blow my mind, but certainly enough to make a drive into the town centre a bit more interesting. I thought I’d heard John Lee Hooker before, but when looking through my reviews I don’t see his name there. Perhaps I made it up. Anyway, this is a decent blues album with plenty of interesting guest performers, but I’m not sure I’ll be rushing back for more.
Not something I would normally listen to, and probably won't again, but it's okay. 3/5
Decent album. Like lots of albums on this list that are soaked in genre (in this case blues) it becomes kind-of a challenge to get through near a full hour. Enjoyed the first few tracks then started getting terribly boring.
3.5
This set a nice ambiance for me to get ruthlessly ledge-camped by a marth named “TheNik” on slipping during my paid day off. TheNik, no amount of bluesy lamenting on this album can replicate the misery of your play style.
Some good stereo mixing. It's the Blues. Some of this comes off empty, but it has it's moments. I had fun making and drinking coffee while listening. I liked the subdued nature of My Dream This is like a 2.5 for me. I'll round up.
I respect Blues as a genre more than I ever have, but it’s so often not something I even consider listening to. If anyone was going to change my mind, Hooker did a good job. All the songs with featured artists are solid, extending beyond Blues’s general sound as to feel more than the sum of its parts. Still, I don’t know if I’d ever revisit.
Strange to go with a 1989 Hooker album when his best stuff is in the 60s and 70s. However, that being said, this is a pretty good album. Lots of guest stars like Santana, Bonnie Raitt, George Thorogood, and Canned Heat. Still really enjoyed it. Really more of a 3.5 album.
Made me want to hop in the car and drive to NOLA
3 it was an okay album but too many collaborations detracted from the true feel of the blues. However rockin chair and no substitute brought the classic feel and were great
3+
- Das war doch ein bisschen anders als ich erwartet hatte - Ich war schon verwirrt, als ich gelesen habe, dass es sich um ein John Lee Hooker Album Ende der 80er handelt, wo ich ihn immer deeuutlich früher eingeordnet hatte - Die Verwunderung hat sich dann im Sound bestätigt: Wenn ich an JLH denke, dann an extrem Rootsorientierten, auf das Wesentliche (seine Stimme und seine halbakustische Gitarre) runtergebrochenen Blues. Kein Schnick Schnack. Blues in seiner verschwitzten Reinform. Und dann steigt dieses Album mit einer super polierten verhältnismäßig aufwendigen Produktion wie „The Healer“ ein. - Danach eine neue Version eines meiner Lieblingsstücke von ihm „I‘m in the Mood“. Dass es in dieser Version ein Duett ist, ist cool und passt auch zum Song, aber das verruchte Gefühl, das ich mit dem Song verbinde, geht gänzlich verloren. - Das ist ein Problem, was ich häufig mit „neueren“ Bluesproduktionen habe. Eine Musikrichtung, die so sehr vom Gefühl und ihrer „rawness“ lebt, verliert viel von ihrer Seele, wenn die Produktionen glattgebügelt werden und den Wenigsten gelingt, dass es trotzdem Soul hat (z.B. Joe Bonamassa) - Sally Mae klingt genau wie „Crawlin‘ King Snake“ (die geile Version von '64) nur dass CKS deutlich geiler ist, auch hier wieder Stichwort: Gefühl - Bei JLH handelt es sich schon immer um einen meiner lieblings Bluesmusiker, seitdem Vatti im England Urlaub mal sein Best-Of Album erworben hat. Da die Aufnahmen auf dem Album alle aus den 60ern stammen und so unheimlich viel Charakter mitgebracht haben, fällt das Album im Vergleich für mich einfach ab. - Hintenraus gefällt mir das Album besser als am Anfang - Immernoch solides Blues Album - vllt kommt ja nochmal ein altes Album :) Rating: 2,75-3/5
You gotta respect this guy for still rocking out and having a voice this good in his late 70s when he made this, but it's not that exciting of an album. It's a solid listen though.
Solid blues album from such an old man
Bluesy, smoky, smooth. In The Mood with Bonnie Raitt is quite nice. The rest of the album is mostly just chill, old blues man grooves. Overall nice, but not really a style I'm super into without something special. Three stars.
Blues is blues
Good old Blues.
,John Lee Hooker is an American blues legend no doubt about it. But I think the tons of collaborations made the album weaker than his old pure blues albums. I have no doubt it helped making a good amount of money with this one but I think it maybe didn't help the music on this record. Hooker's overall performance is great don't get me wrong.
Blues
I had one idea of what this would sound like, and then the very sexy, smooth jazz of The Healer's first (title) track kicked in and my opinion changed. At least for a few minutes before the more expected jazz came back in. Santana definitely saw just how well a semi-forgotten musician (no offense to John Lee Hooker) can make a comeback with album sales when they have a bunch of star power featured throughout a record...as this is the strategy he took to heart with great success on his own star-packed "Supernatural" album in the 90s. The Healer is a completely inoffensive blues/light jazz album that I enjoyed and appreciate the JLH blues riffs on, but wouldn't go out of my way to re-listen to. A good album to have on while I got some work done, though. Interesting factoids from Wikipedia: *John Lee Hooker was 73 years old when the album was released. It was his first Grammy win and was the album that had placed highest on the Billboard charts in his forty-year career. The album had such success that it "permitted John Lee Hooker to live out the end of his life in comfort". (Writer's note from John Lee Hooker's Wiki page - his death age is "either 83 or 88." That's quite the range...which led to this unknown-to-me-fact:) *Hooker's date of birth is a subject of debate; the years 1912, 1915, 1917, 1920, and 1923 have all been suggested. Most official sources list 1917, though at times Hooker stated he was born in 1920. Information found in the 1920 and 1930 censuses indicates that he was actually born in 1912. Standouts: The Healer (feat. Carlos Santana and the Santana Band), In the Mood (feat. Bonnie Raitt), Think Twice Before You Go (feat. Los Lobos)
"In the Mood" is a scorcher, and the title track is a real solid groove, but I'm not entirely sure why this album is on this list, beyond being a notable late-in-life success for a legendary artist.
Pretty good blues album with some slick guitar riffs. The second half was a bit more sleepy but its tough to compete when you have Santana on the opening track. I generally enjoyed this album and it help me discover a few extra blues songs when it wrapped up.
I did not listen to all, but i like the album song, The Healer quite a lot. However, some of the other songs in the album did not win my heart.
Nice, reminded me of Howlin’ Wolf
I hear elements of sledgehammer and Layla along with Santana.
Well its good fun. The opening is very Santana. JLH sure has a voice. They popularised the delta blues a bit here and its slick and smooth and easy to listen to, and yeah its a bit commercial, a bit slick, a bit soundtracky mainstreamed, thats clear. Oh welll, we all need a Special. And it gives people a taster.
Sometime in the late 60’s, on one of my weekly visits to Ashwoods Records in Pitt St, Sydney, for $1.00, I picked up a blues compilation on the cheapo L.A. label, Custom Records. When I got home & threw it on, this was the first time I ever heard John Lee Hooker. His 2 tracks were gripping - acoustic, rather than electric - Boogie Chillen & I’m In The Mood, which appears on The Healer in a very different form. Lots of foot-stompin, as was regularly his want. I’d known the name, courtesy of the British bands that covered his classics - both The Yardbirds & The Animals covered Boom Boom in the early 60’s - but I’d never heard his voice before. I made up for that in the next 20 years & I was glad to see him finally get some big success with The Healer. However it’s not one of my favourite Hooker releases. I liked the title track, but it feels more like a Santana tune than a Hooker. Although, make no mistake, Santana’s guitar work on this is wonderful (& he also co-produced the track). The duet with Bonnie Raitt on the aforementioned I’m In The Mood won a grammy. Her slide playing was so good. They are the outstanding trax on this album. The rest are a good listen. It was just good to see John finally pull a good pay-cheque.
ooh.. starting out with some really 80s, synthy bongos. Then some synthy flutes. IDK about this one... Yeah, it wasn't the best. I'd rather listen to an album that made him a legend, not a late career record that feels a bit dated. But it was decent. Not total 80s synth blues
Blues.
Decent.
Really good blues album. Enjoyed the guests. 3.5/5 Might listen again
Визжащие гитары в начале звучали круто. А потом стало жутко скучно.
A collection of songs rather than an album with a backbone keeping things together as a whole. Somes songs a good though
I thought this was decent. I liked the message behind it and some of the songs. But there seemed a lot of repetition and some songs seemed not fully formed.
Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Same commentary as Talking Timbuktu...pleasant enough. Like it, don't love it after a few listens.
Yeah, this was much more enjoyable than I'd feared. It suffers in a way from having a very diverse set of collaborators, because the sound changes quite rapidly from song to song, but on the other hand, you get some Santana, which is always a treat. When it works, it absolutely slaps - I'm in the Mood is joyous - but when it doesn't, it feels a bit derivative of a very overdone genre.
Best Song: Cuttin' Out. Nice cacophony of talented musicians. Worst Song: Rockin' Chair. This song feels far too sparse to have been recorded and listened to on a pair of headphones as you go about your day. This song feels like it is meant to be heard live in an intimate setting. Overall: Blues feels like deeply personal music to me, that often does translate as well to recording as do other genres. Also, as such an intrinsically moody and emotional genre, how good it sounds really depends on if you're feeling the blues at that time. I'm sure in times in which I am, this'll be great, but it's kind of relegated to a very particular vibe.
Super fun album.
Hooker's "comeback" album; though the two beginning tracks that helped make it a grammy winning album are actually the weaker ones on here. When guesting with others, the production becomes almost a parody of 80's production with Santana and Bonnie Raitt. Give me the rest of tunes with the straight blues everytime. Best Tracks: Cuttin Out; Think Twice Before You Go; Sally Mae
Hooker gets a second life here using as many collaborators as humanly possible, semi-ironically one of them was Carlos Santana who would run this play back 10 years later... Still, it's the blues by the preeminent bluesman, and the song with Bonnie Raitt "I'm In The Mood" is just pure filth, and I mean that in the best way possible.
a wide variety of blues
At first I thought they had ruined the blues. But as it went on I thought maybe not quite. Not the best of the genre by far, but still a decent listen.
I know the name of John Lee Hooker and his status as a classic blues man. I don't know any of these songs - but I know the famous collaborators like Carlos Santana and Bonnie Raitt. The first half is slicker and pop-collab focused, the second half is pared back blues grooves.
There was one or two good songs but mostly it was just the blues. 6/10
Some niceee blues
daytime music
I enjoyed the album and would listen again. Nothing stood out for me though.
This was the prototype for T-Bone Burnett's entire career as a producer. Take an aged music icon and have them record with popular musicians of the time. Then just wait for the critical praise and Emmys to fall from the sky. John Lee Hooker was much more than this, but it wan an effective way to introduce him to a younger generation.
Not my favorite of his but I do love that this album brought him back into popular culture
I generally like the blues but this was way too commercial
I thought ‘The Healer’ was a solid blues album. The collabs and all-star guest cast didn’t detract or overpower Hooker too much, and the music still largely sounded authentic to me. I thought this was better than a lot of the blues/blues rock I’ve come across whilst doing this 1001 albums challenge which has tended to be mostly white-washed, repetitive, guitar solo wank sessions from the 60s.
I think I'm more compelled by the blues when hearing them live. Highlights: I'm In The Mood, Sally Mae, No Substitute
John can play and some of the songs with carlos’ band are good. Nice easy album to listen to but nothing overly exciting.
Hou wel van een beetje rock and roll, maar kon er niet mega lekker inkomen, een beetje onsamenhangend ofzo
The first half of this album is over produced, but once it reaches the second half and it’s just John Lee Hooker crooning away against sparse instrumentation, I was sold.