Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Out of all the JLH albums this is the one you choose? You guys are helpless.
Boring unimaginative blues rock
Boring Blues Rock.
This man had recorded some of the best blues albums between 1959 and 1971, so let's listen to one of his worst from 1989. Is it only because of the featuring from Thorogood, Los Lobos or Santana? What the hell is that choice.
Overall, this was a pretty typical blues album for me, but the augmented surprise that set it apart were some of the collaborators, especially Bonnie Raitt who is a total blues assassin.
There's a lot here to admire, but found it difficult to connect with.
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.
This was a big career revival album for John Lee Hooker, but I don’t understand the hype. I like the blues a lot, but this is mediocre, which means it’s still listenable. The keyboard in the opening song was a big turnoff…80s yuck, but the rest was OK.
Solid, well-crafted Blues album with some more energetic takes on the genre. Not wholly my thing but I can respect the craft here.
The first several tracks feature some incredible guests that meld perfectly with Hooker's style. It's a testament to his legend that when he goes it alone for the trio of songs at the end, it isn't a let-off. Best track: The Healer
Not for me
It was an ok listen, lost my attention at a couple of points for sure but I have no objection to hearing more
Nice.
I’ve not really listened to any blues music before but this was pretty good. Some of the songs felt pretty similar but the 3 solo songs at the end were my favourites especially the closing track, no substitute.
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!
Wonderful
A bunch of great musicians, great album
Starts off very well then gets a bit samey.
Very bluesy, obviously, but I was just... bored with it? Maybe I don't get it. Fortunately it was a quicker one. 5/10.
First track was a lowkey bop but the rest of the album was just boring. Some of the tracks sounded like someone randomly strumming a guitar in their room. An inoffensive but dull album really.
Its was a chill album
My favorite JLH album of all time.
I guess I'm not a huge fan of blues. The first song was fine, but every other song started to piss me off. Those last three songs were especially bad. He's just loosely playing the guitar while he stutters the same thing over and over. It was really frustrating to listen to. Just say what you're trying to say, please. The songs don't really do anything over their duration either. I would say the guest musicians helped, and I guess they did a little bit, but it was still bad. My favourite song was The Healer.
Didn’t really grab me.
Nice blues
Solid blues 3/5
Nice to get a new genre in the mix. Especially something I don't listen to normally. Title track was good. I enjoyed the album but nothing spectacular. 3.5/5
first listen probably not his strongest record
Just a matter of taste - this kind of blues just isn't gonna make it on my rotation, but it's definitely got some weight behind it. Was worried after the Santana track but it picked up. Fave track: My Dream
The gentler couplet of songs that finish the album won me back a bit, and some brilliant guitar picking, but the aggressive noodling sound isn’t something that ever had a stronghold on me. The flat late-80s production on a couple of the tracks won’t leave me rushing to return to this album. Two and a half. Fave track - My Dream.
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
Electric blues, 80'er produktion, masser af collabs, lidt psykedelisk vokal,
Bluesy but this is boring background music to me
cool 7.5/10
Decent blues.
The track with Santana was a bit meh. The rest of the album was pretty cool.
Good old roots blues, great guests.
It would be really fun to listen to this stuff live. Unfortunately that wasn’t an option for me today
Pretty good Blues
It was alright but nothing I’d listen to too much, maybe more so as background music or something
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
The title track might be my least favorite, but enjoyed most the others.
Guys probably a legend, but this album felt kinda sub par to me. Felt like every track was a demo recording. Would've liked to hear a cleaner studio sound. Dudes got soul, but this album doesn't show it off
Kinda boring
The title track is a collaboration with Santana... and a bunch of the other songs feature other prominent artists - though it's a very blues/bluegrass/rock combo sound. Pretty easy listening, but not for me.
Classic blues, its great but not my thing.
Wasn’t sure when the first song came on. It gave me 1980s masculine island vacation vibes. Luckily, the rest was timeless and awesome.
Love me some John Lee Hooker.
Good straightforward blues. The deep timbre of his voice is impressive, though his singing is mostly pretty understated. Starting with the Santana collaboration makes sense but also makes me want to hear more Santana guitar. I liked the guitar plucking on “Rockin’ Chair.” Not sure I’ve heard something quite like that before. It gets a little chaotic each time but then he snaps it back into place.
There's something really intriguing about this period of time between roughly 1988 and like 1992; the end of 80's glam and before the grunge explosion of the 90s. I definitely need to find more top albums from these years and also other years that fall in between the big genre-defining albums. Interesting how the first track is smooth-jazz and is kind of an outlier from the rest of the very blues-centric record. I love the Bonnie Raitt appearance on "I'm in the mood". I actually haven't listened to her much but she sounds really great here. At the same time I find myself getting bored with these sort of songs and the dated lyrics. Saying you are in the mood for love repeatedly doesn't really do much for me. It's already a bit straightforward and predictable because it's a blues chord progression, so the second half of the track wasn't my favorite. I didn't really love this album. I felt underwhelmed by the overall blues sound and it just didn't do too much for me. I liked the first track the most and wish that more of the album sounded like that.
Toe tappin' blues
I absolutely adore JLH. been the bedrock of my musical taste for as long as i remember. JLH through an 80's lens with guest musicians lending a hand is not what i want to hear though. Gimme the man by himself with a guitar and i'll be as happy as a pig in shite x
Might not have been as high if I hadn't been playing Red Dead Redemption recently. Album art intrigued my brain.
Decent, but I’ll likely never return to it
Collaborative albums fall funny on me as they don’t have continuity or concepts as top rated albums. John Lee shocker is a great blues man. Style is confused by the amount of guests, though they’re doing some great stuff. Sot The Healer 2/5
Really great blues tunes
Some of the songs were really catchy. There were a couple tracks that had collaborating artists, like Carlos Santana or Bonnie Raitt. I thought it was a pretty decent album.
The Healer is a blues album by American blues singer-songwriter John Lee Hooker. It was a critical & commercial success, and was an important album for Hooker's later career as it allowed him to retire in comfort at age 73. The track "I'm in the Mood" won a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Performance. I enjoyed this album as background music while I worked. John Lee Hooker was an amazing blues guitarist and I'm shocked I'm only learning about him now.
First thing I noticed was the number of different artist that performed with Hooker. Pretty cool all the different types of artist too. 2nd thing I noticed was this guy has a great voice. Starting to realize my "southern fried rock" and THIS blues album not much different outside of a heavier side to the rock. But I guess that's why they call the Blues.... Healer good tune with a definitive Santana sound. Really enjoyed Bonnie Raitt in I'm in the mood. There were some really slow parts but enjoyed the sounds of most of this album. Very good background music at work. Also enjoyed Think twice before you go, My dream and Substitute. Especially enjoyed the lyrics to Substitute. Overall solid album and probably my favorite Blued album off the list. Solid 3 3
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
3 Wild that homeboy was 73 when this came out, especially considering it was the most successful release of his career. In some ways, it feels like a celebration of Hooker’s music and legacy with all the guest appearances on the album. I wasn’t too impressed with it at first when things kicked off with the title track, as it felt like an 80s “modernization” of his sound, but as things shifted to a more old school blues style I began to enjoy it a lot more. Hooker sounds great by his own merit (I particularly like his style of singing), but the guest musicians really help make this album stand out. Though I didn’t care for the backing music on The Healer, Santana’s guitar work is a highlight, and while I’ve never been the biggest George Thorogood fan, his slide guitar on Sally Mae is absolutely excellent. That all being said, the best moment here has to be Bonnie Raitt on I’m in the Mood - not only does she sound great, but her musical chemistry with Hooker is nothing short of blues at its best. Not everything is amazing or noteworthy, but aside from the title track (which is ironically the biggest hit), don’t think you can go wrong listening to anything here. I’m curious now to hear some of his older stuff.
A solid enjoyable blues album, not much else to say.
I absolutely hated this until the last couple tracks stripped away the slick production and revealed some pure folksy blues made by Mr Hooker's hands and heart alone. All the special guests and features bring the record down! Thus, I must award this album a low rating despite its deep-cut value.
so fucking boring
I'm not a huge blues fan, especially not in a live setting. But, this is a pretty eclectic blues album with all the guests on it. I do think the songs with guest are stronger (probably because they bring a little bit of flair and blend genres a bit. Not to mention, Hooker can play a mean guitar. The album as a whole is probably a "one and done" for me, but I could see myself returning to a few of the tunes.
3.6 - I'm taken back to my days living in New Orleans where blues music like this seems to pervade the city like sweet cigar smoke. I like the collaborations, especially Bonnie Raitt on "I'm In The Mood."
Enjoyed the feel but found myself irritated by the looseness, like I was straining for the great moments to break through
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
I enjoy Blues, but I’m not sure what I’m supposed to get from this album that’s substantially different.
Очень незапоминающийся альбом ввиду своей музыкальной и текстовой однообразности. По сути музыка хорошая, но она совершенно не оставила никакого следа у меня в памяти. (5)
More about the collaborators than John Lee Hooker. The first track sounds like a Santana track featuring Hooker instead of the other way around. Stop Santana-ing up everything you guest on, Carlos! The Musselwhite collab is a better example of what this album is trying to do, but it's just really uneven. I'm not sure why this was the Hooker album picked compared to an earlier release from the 60s, but I'm glad Hooker got paid regardless.
At its best it fades into the background, at its worst it's annoying. Might have had some potential, but that was ruined by the harmonica and guest musicians.
Some great blues tracks, but it never really goes beyond cliches. The guests are great, but again this doesn't really push the genre anywhere. Nothing I've never heard before. 3.5/5
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
I wasn't a fan of blues music, but I need to say that this record is really good. Song,,My Dream” is my favorite.
Bit of a blues collaboration album that put some money in JLHs pocket. A tad overproduced but solid enough. A blues guitar album that doesn't break any ground.3
eka biisi kuullosti santanalta.. heh katsomaan menin...santana siellä listattuna biisin tekijöissä..
Blues of this variety isn't really my thing. Happy to have listened to this one though. Super glad that it picked up a bit after the first song, which was quite mumbled.
Solid 80s blues rock by a veteran master of the genre
Pretty good
Leiðinlegt að segja það en þetta var leiðinlegt.
Cool vibe but didn't stand out sorry!!!
Jag gillar inte blues.
First track was great (feat Santana, go figure), the rest I didn’t really enjoy.
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.
dues-paying blues tends to the snooze
Eh. Not really into it. Felt kinda boring but I also wasn’t in the mood so idk. Will have to give it a re listen.
One of my favourite albums of the late 80s
Traditional blues w Carlos Santana, Los Lobos and Bonnie Raitt.
Loved it
Good blues album deserves its place on the list, and one I might come back to.
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
Well made music in a genre I will admit I don't fully appreciate.
I grew up on John Lee hooker.
A nicely modern old blues album.
Not for me
Pretty good guitar driven blues-y stuff. Not much stuck out to me but I will definitely revisit when I'm in need of less in your face music. Standouts: The Healer
This album is considered a classic in the genre and has received positive reviews from critics and fans alike. One of the strengths of this album is John Lee Hooker's powerful and emotive singing. His voice is raw and soulful, conveying the emotion of the lyrics perfectly. The album features a mix of slow, soulful ballads and upbeat, foot-stomping tracks that showcase Hooker's versatility as a musician. It is a more accessible blues album than many because of the high profile duets as well. The guitar work on the album is also noteworthy, with Hooker's fingerpicking style being a highlight. The guitar riffs are simple but effective and perfectly complement the vocals. The production on the album is also noteworthy, with a raw and unpolished sound that adds to the overall authenticity of the album. One of the standout tracks on the album is "I'm in the Mood", which features Hooker's signature guitar riff and his smooth and seductive vocals. The song is a great example of Hooker's unique style and has become one of his most well-known tracks. Overall, The Healer is a great album that showcases John Lee Hooker's talents as a singer, songwriter and musician. It is a must-listen for fans of the blues genre, and it's a great introduction to Hooker's music for those who are unfamiliar with his work. It may not be perfect but it's a solid piece of music that showcases Hooker's signature style and raw talent.
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.
Smoooooooth. John Lee Hooker is obviously fantastic, but don't really like the modern leanings or the collaborations. That opener killed the album for me. Five stars for JHL, minus 2 for Santana.
I'm just not the biggest fan of easy-listening blues. Nice for background music though.
I’ll put it this way — I would never be mad that this album was on. It’s very listenable and pleasant blues. Didn’t have any specific favorites so I’m going to give it a 3 but I’d easily listen again.
3/5. A good blues album but feels a little long. All the guest appearances were great but it maybe should have ended there.
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.
Yllättävän mellow. Tykkäsin ihan, sopii perjantaiaurinkoon ja hieman väsyneen tunnelmaan.
The 80s production was not great, but John Lee Hooker’s blues phrasing comes through nonetheless. Overall, this was not a terribly strong album, and seems to be buoyed by its collaborative nature, but it’s a very interesting artifact of its time, when blues was in the midst of a revival.
jazzy
I've never really went in on blues music specifically, but I absolutely loved this album, almost every song from it in fact. The collaborations are quite nice as well. I think I'll do a bit of a deep dive into other albums by John Lee Hooker now Saved tracks: The Healer, I'm In The Mood, Baby Lee
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.
In an attempt for blues to stay relevant, Hooker employs a range of widely known guest artists. The first song has the classic cyber tropical guitar Santana song, but it's hardly bluesy at all. The next brings in the 70s folk artist Bonnie Raitt who would soon be known for her hit "I Can't Make You Love Me", but this song is pretty standard. The melodies are mostly mellow and generic, not too memorable. Hooker's vocals are haunting and subtle, the exact opposite of what you'd expect from his "Boom Boom" song. The Canned Heat collab was the best. It was punchy with a nice rusty bluegrass guitar sound. "Think Twice" also has a memorable country rock sound. The last 3 songs are simple without collabs, but I only found "Rockin Chair" impressive. None of them were really bad, but I can't say they were essential or representative of what the blues has to offer. Favorites: The Healer, Cuttin Out, Think Twice Before You Go, Rockin Chair
Tracks: The Healer I'm in the mood Sally Mae
Some very good songs. Had never gotten into him. Great voice.
Nice blusey number
Blues is not really for me
I enjoyed it. 3.5
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.
As a teen (indeed into my early 20s) my entire music collection was cassettes. Quite a few of these came off the bargain rack at a (now defunct) retail chain department store in my small hometown. Among these were a bunch of cheap, indifferently mastered compilation albums of Blues Legends - Muddy Waters, Bo Diddly, B.B. King - and John Lee Hooker. A friend turned me on to this - the closer to the source origins of the versions we'd been introduced to in Clapton and Led Zeppelin records. So I was (through little merit of my own) a little ahead of the curve when Hooker had his return to prominence with this album. I think it's a very good though not great album, and value it mainly for it affording him both a little of the recognition he deserved and a comfortable living in his later years.
Bit of a meh album, not sure how it even reached number 17 on the ARIA Charts. The album cover is quite eerie, and could be the cover of a horror movie to be honest. Best: I'm in the Mood Worst: No Substitute
Du gros blues, pas mauvais mais devient fade plus l'album avance
Tak wlasnie wyglada personifikacja bluesa pomyslalem patrzac na postac pana Hookera, krazek z 89 nagrywany gdy mial juz 73 lata, a patrzac na historie jego dyskografii jeszcze bardziej poteguje to odczucia sluchania prawdziwego czlowieka bluesa, sam 41 minutowy krazek mozna podzielic na a side ktory byl nagrywany wraz z dosc bogatym gronem gosci, w tym nawet banda santanty na openingowym healerze, ktory zdecydowanie jest tym trakiem ktory robi najwieksze wrazenie na sluchaczu, oraz strona b ktora z niewielkimi wyjatkami jest praktycznie solowym dzielem pana hookera, wiec slychac jedynie jego gitarke oraz wymeczony juz zyciem glos, ktory pomimo lat potrafi brzmiec, potegowane jest to przez echowe efekty, ktore slychac najbardziej wlasnie gdy nie ma zbyt duzego instrumentalu wokol, jak przystalo na bluesowanie jest niebiesko, zdecydowanie nietrafilem z nastrojem na taki odsluch, obok nieszczesliwych milosnych songow znalazly sie takze traki dotyczace najgorszej kochanki pana johna, wiec bluesa, slychac sporo reflekcji na zycie spedzone na graniu, pewnie jest tutaj troche trakow recyklingowanych, ale to chyba nie dziwne jesli pan gral prawie przez pol wieku, na plejke z pierwszej strony dodam openingowego healera a z drugiej thats alright
One of the great classics
Second half is infinitely better than the watered down blue in the first half he was 73 when this was recorded!
HL: “I’m in the Mood”, “That’s Alright”, “No Substitute” I like how Hooker gets the last couple songs to himself. The roster of all-stars is mostly enjoyable, I think some of them could have contributed more- except in cases like the title track where the scales tip in the opposite record & it feels like a Santana album. Charlie Musselwhite is a welcome guest (I saw him live a while back with Ben Harper) November 25, 2022
I have never particularly enjoyed the blues. This isn't changing my mind. So very dull. I hate it.
Some of the production here doesn't fit well with the traditionally blues vibe
Rarely like collaborations
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!
Wel relaxed bluesje
Solid blues and the collaborations were cool but didn't quite pull me in enough to round up to 4 stars
This had a fun bluesy feel to it but ultimately it wasn't overly exciting. Relaxing listen but nothing groundbreaking.
For coming out in 1989 this certainly had an old jazz feel which was cool! I enjoyed this!
I enjoyed the bluesy laid back atmosphere of the album. Nothing terribly grabbed me, but was nice enough to listen to.
Why would they pick a shitty duets album to represent one of the best bluesmen of all time?
Not my jam...nothing really compelling about it. 1.5/5
not really my thing
I did a research project on John Lee Hooker in high school, so I have a soft spot for him. He is an amazing guitarist and his collabs on this album are with some amazing blues musicians. His few solo tracks on here are less exciting.
First John Lee Hooker was an amazing artist, I like a lot of his work. However blues albums in the 80's suffer from highly polished production and this album is great example. Perhaps when it was released it sounded fresh but now it sounds quite dated. It's a shame there's some good playing but I just can't listen to it. It pains to me give John Lee such a low rating.
It’s a 3 only as a contrast to greater JLH blues tracks. I don’t really like these “paired up” records. They feel too deliberate and artificial.
I lost whatever interest I had in this album very quickly.
There's something about blues that just makes me thing of sitting outside, swatting the mosquitos away, and drinking a beer while the smoker is rolling and a big old pork butt is becoming pull apart tender. I don't know why blues music makes me feel this way, but it does, every time. This album is just fine, though. Started off fairly strong, but there was a bit towards the end where I got a little bit more bored than I thought I should have.
With arms outstretched like a ghost from blues' past, John Lee Hooker gets into the collaborative spirit with The Healer. While some collabs work more than others, this album ultimately gets the job done in letting Hooker do what he does best, which is demonstrating the blues and allowing his legendary talent to shine through. Favorites: I'm in the Mood, Baby Lee, Think Twice Before You Go, Sally Mae, Rockin' Chair, My Dream.
john lee hooker is great; why is a "___ and friends" cash-in record on this list?
Decent listen. The first couple songs with Carlos Santana and Bonnie Raitt sound a bit phoned in, but I'm glad this album made John Lee Hooker enough money to be comfortable. The rest of the album picks up a bit, but Concert at Newport is the more essential album.
cute
I honestly can't tell if there are more than one song here. It all sounds exactly the same. Right down to the reverb that is so heavy handed, I can barely hear the vocals...
Meh....
Klubilla soivaa, sen suurempaa numeroa itsestään tekemättä. Toimii siihen juttuun 5/5, mut näiden arviointiperusteiden mukaan kahta enempää voi antaa
T3B 1. The Healer 2. Sally Mae 3. Cuttin’ Out What a really good jivin’ album to listen to at work. Hard 3!
It's ok but I prefer some older JLH music.
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.
Decent blues album
5/10 solid
same as previous album,.not my thing
legend returns with...pan pipes...oh dear The rest of the album - nothing got me as excited as his proper blues
AMAZING! 10/10
Blues
Solid good fun album There is lots of things i dont like about this album and I think there are to many collaborations on it... But nothing stops the blues baby
Very good. Never thought that blues could be this good.
I appreciate blues artists but not my style. Within genres I understand there is going to be some similarities but I can't for the life of me distinguish between blues songs and for that reason I can't get into it.
Oh shit someone let the 80s get a hold of the blues, someone get that out of its mouth before someone gets hurt.
Some outstanding guitar work. on this album....especially the Santana collaboration....but the worst thing about this is Hooker's singing.....not his best stuff, IMHO
Average
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.
3.5
It's OK. His voice is lovely.
Fine, just not my kind of blues
10/03/22 Fairly good at the start. Middle songs kinda mashed together. My dream and no substitute were amazing to me.
Ikkje så ille som eg frykta
Von allen John Lee Hooker-Platten ausgerechnet The Healer…Aber egal. John Lee Hooker geht immer. War immer gut, wird immer gut sein. Spielt immer das gleiche, das aber spielt keiner wie er.
Alright, not really my thing
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
3.5/5 Loved it ! First album of John Lee Hooker I listened to ever. The variety in the songs is not very big, but for some reason it doesn’t matter. Every song has its own thing and I just kept listening. I have to listen to it again to find my favourites on this album.
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.
First blues I quite like it
sounds like a bbq w/ a special guests roster to match
Not my cup of tea, found it rather boring. 1/5
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
Some good sound. Started to drag near the end.
More like 3.5, fun to listen to. Felt like I could have been in Mississippi on a hot, summer evening.
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.
Some good riffs, but overall most of the songs blended together.
Not the best John Lee Hooker that I have heard, but you can see glimpses of the man shining through.
Favourite song: Sally Mae One for the car: I’m in the mood One for Karaoke: My Dream Could see myself drinking a whisky in the French Quarter of New Orleans to this
Flicked through a couple of tracks but quickly realised this album needed more spirit, more spirit of the blues in fact... So get your coat on and get moving cos we don’t know the meaning of losing so come on, come on, get down to goodison park. wooooo
Favourite Song - I’m in the Mood One for karaoke - I’m in the Mood One for a run - The Healer Started off okay this one and then gradually got tiresome. I was in the mood after the first few songs to pull down my undies and shake my nob around as if I was in a sexy underground dark bar kind of place that had a blues band in the corner playing. This on the surface may well seem like a nice thought but the second half correlated more with the reality that if you did whip out your nob in any bar for that matter, you’ll be promptly asked to leave and have to roam around town looking for somewhere else still open to go. So this album for me started like a willy shaking blues album but ended up feeling like I was alone in the rain trying to get into a bar in Matthew St only to realise it was 6am and doors were closed.
simple old time folk-blues but it is pretty nice
Dull. An album made for marketing reasons.
Absolutely fantastic, I have listened to John Lee Hooker many times but not this album, loved it.
Beautiful blues by the master himself. A must hear album
valid blues
I admittedly don't think I get blues at all. All of these songs would start interesting and then drone on and on, not really doing anything more with the songs. It was just really boring. I liked Hooker's voice but his choice of perhaps five words to each song is underwhelming. Oh well.
Really enjoyed the blues style and pacing
Fell asleep listening to this but Santana was good
3/5 Cool blues album, but kinda dragged and was a little empty feeling in parts. Not bad by any means, just not that good.
Good bluest album
Good blues album
Skip the first song, rest is golden.
Well it's Johnny Lee Hooker, so some quality here, but also nothing much grabbed me. It's alright.
Blues lentillo. Ni fu ni fa.
Blues.
2.5.
Kinda nameless blues - not bad, not good, just existed. There are a kazillion guests on it but tbh I didn't notice. Couldn't say I hated it, but I'll never listen to this again. 3/5.
Not Hooker’s best by a long shot.
I don't know, the backing music has some good moments but overall wasn't into his voice on a lot of tracks - too much moaning/slurring through songs. It was almost bearable until "Rockin' Chair", which I found really tested my patience.
Great Blues with lots of great collaborators
I really enjoyed it, an older, slightly mellower John Lee Hooker.
This was a good but ultimately unsurprising blues album.
Loved the start of the album. Second blues album I've got from this and did really enjoy it
2/10, 20%
Not my preferred genre but nonetheless an enjoyable album!
I was never into blues, but hard to argue with The Godfather of blues!
Muy tranquilo de escuchar con una guitarra monocorde y voz grave. Sin duda, para entusiastas del género
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.
Wasn't this the big thing around that time, to take a well-known but maybe not as popular as they used to be artist and pair them with current artists? But for all the bells and whistles, my favorite tracks were the last three that were mostly just John Lee Hooker alone. My Dream was the one that most hooked me when I first listened. Of the tracks with guests, I'm in the Mood with Bonnie Raitt was probably my favorite. Cuttin' Out (w/ Canned Heat) was also pretty good. I thought The Healer (with Santana) sounded like they pulled from every 80s soft rock cliche. Enjoyable enough listen, but I don't see myself returning to it.
Its fine
It’s not horrible because it’s Tony Lee Hooker an amazing guests. But seems like a very past his prime album to put on here
Just okay. Would be interested in his earlier work.
very decent blue(rock) album
Didn't mind this - though agree with other reviewers wondering whether this could be seen to be a 'watered down' record, with perhaps other earlier tracks having a stronger claim to inclusion
loved it, thanks!
He’s got the Blues
Col.laboracions de primer nivell en una mena d'auto-homenatge a un dels grans del blues. El disc, però no destaca especialment. Blues rock de qualitat amb la guitarra i veu tan característiques del protagonista. Res per perdre la són
boooo
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.
Pretty good
Like someone else reviewed - not really a hooker album with all the collaborations.
Not memorable nor very enjoyable
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.
Blues
I preferred the last few tracks of the “true” Blues. Once again I wish I could give this album a rating of 3.5.
Not for me but I can appreciate his appeal to men of a certain age
Smooth
I gave this three play throughs and it never really landed for me, but that might just be a question of mood... Fave track - "Cullin Out", maybe? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Amazing!
Decent jam album
un blues sabroso, suave, se disfruta de la guitarrita. las rolas más movidillas no llegan a ser demasiado, se mantiene como un buen rock and roll de los viejitos no me encanta, no es algo que escucharía casualmente, pero no es nada malo
Fun album will have to give it another listen.
Nothing really hooked me. Solid guitar work but won't revisit
Pretty dirty blues. I have limited patience for this kinda music. Prefer something with a little more pep. Hard to knock the guitar work though, esp. in the early tracks.
Good blues album
Blues honestly is not my favorite genre and I know I completely miss the point of it. I can tell these folks were vibing and the quality was good, but I was left feeling bored.
Wow, pretty late album from JLH. Very solid, very bluesy. (7/10) FT: The Healer, Think Twice Before You Go
yes
Excellent newer blues.
Sounds good! Nice for a background
The chill atmosphere is really nice
Bored me 2 Got pretty chill around halfway though Not bad 3
pretty good blues album. there are a few songs where the 80s production shows but other than that it's a solid album
pleasant and well-produced but not very exciting
Decent blues not something I can really get behind though
Meh
Flatur blús
It’s the blues, by a legendary artist, a cornerstone pioneering founding father of the genre. I know I should be impressed, but this is just the typical late stage career low hanging fruit kind of album. It feels so manufactured, the complete antithesis of everything the blues are about. The stuff Spotify automatically played when this album finished was better.
Not fond of the title track, the late 80s production really leaves me cold, and Santana's guitar coupled with this just feels easy listening. In the Mood is more the blues sound I was expecting and much better. Not a big Bonnie Raitt fan though, have a feeling this isn't going to be for me. The Canned Heat one is pretty good, decent groove. The George Thorogood one is excellent. Rockin Chair just John Lee on his own is great. Some really good tracks here then. As a whole album though I'm underwhelmed.
Highlights: Healer, In the Mood.
Might listen to it again. There's a time and space for it. Smokey. Drink. Cramped quarters... sounds like it qualifies for my next flight.
Enjoyable music... emotion laden blues with strong guitar and harmonica. The lyrics and voice don't do a lot for me... it seems a very small vocabulary with lots of saying the same thing over and over again (more than with most songs). Nice variety.
The blues, but make it 80's! Good thing I love both. Unexpected Bonnie Raitt is never, ever, a bad thing.
Some great collaborations with Uncle John. What a man, singer and guitarist he was. Particularly love the Santana collab.
nice guitar player
Doesn’t get more real than this. Hooker is himself on each song. Collaborations add colour, but his soul is in each song. Heartfelt, personal, beautiful.
What a great album! The guitar play is textbook perfect, without being too much or overshadowing the vocals.
Good ol revival blues.
Este es un disco para escuchar en una tarde lluviosa. Me gusta el blues rabioso y urgente, pero también puedo disfrutar de uno más acompasado, paciente, meditativo, como el de este disco.
Meh
Solid Blues and Rock n' Roll
hell of a guitar player and I really enjoyed the first track with santana
3.2 - good blues, but didn’t really standout in the genre to me (although not my deepest/biggest affinity for this type of music)
3/5
Blues lentillo. Ni fu ni fa.
3, very nice
Bit backgroundy
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
Enjoyed this very much
jpense il a du pécho un max
The First song was just ok. I like the start to the 2nd one so far. Easy to listen too and enjoyable. Definitely a Blues Jam!
I thought I was going to like this album. Most songs feel like they go nowhere; however it's great to listen to the first minute, but then it just repeats and repeats and repeats. It gets on your nerves pretty darn quickly. The vocals are never good in any song. They're constantly repeating and are just awful all the way through. Throughout the album, the music has its moments, but most of the time it's just like the vocals in that it just repeats constantly. I really expected more out of this album, but nevertheless, it was a disappointing experience.
It's alright. The spoken word pairs well with the instrumentation, but I didn't enjoy it very much. The album kind of passed by without too many standout moments. Highlight: 1.
Interesting, not an unpleasant listening experience.
This is gold. Not a bad one in the bunch. I listened through twice.
How is this on the list????? JLH must have done a better album than this !?