The Healer

Fine

Glitzy 80s production effectively neuters a blues icon and creates a dry snoozefest that the guests do little to assist on (Besides maybe Los Lobos- but that just makes me want to listen to them). Disappointing

Listening session: september 18th, while getting ready in the morning Listened to before: no Thoughts: I’m not a blues lover so this was really boring to me Favourite track: The Healer

Favorite track(s): The Healer, Rockin' Chair In the author's not-so-secret war against Black artists, he chooses to feature a decrepit, feature-ridden album from a blues legend rather than his finer works.

some perfectly fine music, but the only thing i can describe this as is a completely unedited "blues template". there are a couple of great songs (most notably, the title track), but i see no reason why i would ever want to return to this album, due to how bare-bones and basic it is.

It's a perfectly fine Blues album - not much else I can think of to say than that. 5/10

Not bad. Interesting, but not for me. 2.5 rounded down to 2.

hooting and hollering

Not for me.

I really like John Lee Hooker, but this is mostly watered down blues. Liked Songs Added: Think Twice Before You Go

Sorry but this one was not good. Legendary blues man collaborating with other legends but just ends up sucking the life out of the tunes. Sad really.

A lot of pan flute for a blues record. Considering I like Santana and the Blues generally, the title track is awful. It's like Yanni and Muddy Waters had a Latino baby. The songs with Bonnie Raitt and George Thorogood are probably my favorite songs. This is the album that gave Santana the idea for Supernatural...aging musician in a well-developed genre collaborates with younger musicians on most of the album. I also really like My Dream. The Muddy Waters album I had already was much better.

Entretenido

The least interesting part of this was John himself. All guest vocalists completely outshined him, same with the non-vocal guests. The few solo songs on this did nothing for me. Also his voice got pretty annoying at some points too, especially with his insistance on repeating words constantly like he was trying to make his own echo. I still at least got a couple saves from this as I still enjoy blues overall. 2/5.

Ei se bluussi vaan iske. Nimikkobiisin lisäksi tässä ei ollut oikein mitään.

This is not a bad album but it confirmed my suspicion that blues is not my thing.

I like the blues but I don’t like this. JLH never really clicked for me, and this album of collabs is no different. Santana does add a little spark but it’s not enough.

I was expecting to like this more than I actually did. I think it's sound is too polished for a blues album and that makes it sound unauthentic, it's lacking soul.

Meh

blueees

not horrible but not for me

Was excited for an actual blues album but disappointed with the selection. All star roster, but would’ve very much preferred early career JLH.

C'est pas ça John Lee Hooker.

Cool blues

Meh. Not the worst tho

2.5

Es un buen álbum de blues de casi los 90s y nada más. No entendí por qué está en esta lista realmente. 4/10

Not for me

Inte min grej.

Not a huge fan of the blues

I’m just not a hardcore blues kinda guy

Legend and all, but I’m glad that phase of elder legend plays duets posed quickly

Boring

contrary to other reviewers, I find the songs with features are better than the ones without. I know John Lee Hooker is like one of THE blues guys but I hear his voice and think drunk guy in a bar and I don't want to listen to drunk guys in bars.

This album didn't do very much for me. I wouldn't go as far as to say it was bad, I did enjoy a couple of tracks but a lot of it felt kinda same-ish and it dragged a little at times

I suppose he called it The Healer because white people like him? All I know is that JLH had a lot of work to do to dig himself out the deep hole created by: A) Naming the album The Healer. B) Calling the atrocious first track The Healer. C) Littering that atrocious first track with what I can only describe as "Peter Gabriel toots". Thankfully it got better, but it was nowhere near enough to counteract the conclusion that I will never spin this album again.

My father is a big fan of John Lee Hooker, and we listened to a lot of his records growing up. This preface is more to say that this two-star review has no reflection on Mr Hooker himself. If anyone deserves a “get paid” album, it’s him (or Bo Diddley). I direct the two stars more towards Santana. I feel he is to blame. The album improved with distance from his input.

This album is very boring. It was a chore and three quarters.

Dont like it

This unfortunately comes out as boring to me. Not a single track stood out to me and wouldn’t really listen to this again. 5/10

2/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/john-lee-hooker/the-healer/ Just so dull. Even with all the guest artists, every song sounds similar. I guess that might be a blues thing, but I really can't care for it.

It's okay I suppose

Review - a blues legends album from the early '90s? Not so good. Score - 4/10 Need to listen? NO

I found this to be rather boring. Repetitive. Sleepy. There has to be a better representation of the blues.

This is a bit too House of Blues for me

2,5 Highlights: The Healer, I'm In The Mood

Sometimes I think some of the albums on this list are just "most commercially successful albums from very important artists". This isn't JLH's best but it is the most accessible

Found the electric blues stuff not as intriguing as the quieter moments. 2.5 but I was more bored than intrigued so 2 it is.

Ooh this one looks interesting! Cameos by Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, and Los Lobos, among others? Hell yeah! The execution was..... not as nice. The Healer would be a 5 for Sanatana, but Hooker's singing is repetitive and just meh. I'm In The Mood has a nice blues sound, and Bonnie's a gem, but again Hooker drops it. Pretty much the rest of the album follows the same pattern. Best song: The Healer

Certainly not the best by John Lee Hooker but the song with Bonnie Raitt was pretty cool and the story behind the album was heartwarming.

The healer was Len Houmous’ nickname for his 23rd wife 2.2 3/10 Baby Lee

🌕🌗🌑🌑🌑 (rounded up because it isn't, like, evil) I'm not gonna remember it exactly, but there's a Brian Eno quote I often think about that says, essentially, that the qualities of songs we're nostalgic for, or that we feel the strongest connection to, are when the music is straining against the technology of the time. Grainy record static, compressed MP3s, etc—these things come to define a sound because (and this is my extrapolation) the feeling is struggling to reach through the imperfect materiality of the medium. After seeing some mediocre reviews, I was ready to go to bat for this album—one which I normally might've skipped. What a surprise that I come to find my opinion is actually significantly lower than global consensus, which sucks because John Lee Hooker is legendary and because this is such a kickass album cover. That said, this music isn't really John Lee Hooker, is it? This is a collaboration album, and by my estimation, there are way too many cooks in the kitchen, and also, most of them aren't even cooks and they're just cracking eggs because they've seen cooks do that before. The majority of this album is certified middle-aged barfly band material, and I'm fairly certain it's because this blues ain't straining. Much as it must have been futuristic for Hooker, the production is painfully eighties, and clean electric guitar and tepid percussion belong nowhere near the blues—one might even argue electricity belongs nowhere near the blues, but I'd say it just doesn't work without distortion. It isn't my interpretation of Eno's quote that music isn't worthwhile if it's not innovating, nor do I even feel Hooker isn't innovating on The Healer—for him, I bet that's exactly what these collaborations were for. However, here's where something went wrong: either this chance to collaborate with a blues legend meant collaborators toned *down* their younger innovative urges, or, on the other end of the spectrum, they perceived the cleanliness of their era's production as an improvement on the dirtiness of blues. I'm not sure which went wrong, exactly, but this feels like a fundamental misunderstanding of the genre they're working with. Even his three solo tracks that close this album seem to misunderstand this, if I can go so far as to say John Lee Hooker momentarily misunderstood the blues (and secure my cell in Hell)—though they're much closer to the feeling than any of that Santana crap, they lose some of their power in such a relaxed, soft, sonic setting. The blues is rugged, mournful, feral—it can't be caged, but apparently, it can be domesticated. 1: Bad | 2: Okay, No Desire to Revisit | 3: Good, Conditionally (OR Inconsistent Mix of Qualities) | 4: Great (OR Technically amazing but missing the sauce emotionally) | 5: Amazing

ok. john lee hooker from the 80s. the production is not my taste. very clean, very 80s. not very apt for the blues in my opinion. but surely this isn't the only album from the blues legend we have on this list, right? right?? there's at least another album from his prime, right??? oh no

Pretty nice background music and sounds much older than it is but the more it went on the more boring it got.

Couple of good tunes, interesting collaborators. Kinda boring.

++: The Healer, No Substitute +: I'm in the Mood, Baby Lee, Cuttin' Out, Think Twice Before You Go, My Dream +-: Sally Mae, That's Alright, Rockin' Chair 5,1/10

Not a particularly captivating listen; I think I don't care for modern blues rock that much. From the reviews, it sounds like this isn’t the best John Lee Hooker album out there. But the closer "No Substitute" was a raw, beautiful, stripped-down gem.

Peasant enough at parts, but none of it really stuck with me.

1. healer - 1 2. mood - 2 3. baby - 2 4. cutting - 1 5. think - 1 6. zally - 2 7. alright - 1 8. chair - 2 9. dream - 1 10. zubztitute - 1

The Healer - 4/5 I'm in the Mood - 4/5 Baby Lee - 3/5 Cuttin' Out - 3/5 Think Twice Before You Go - 2/5 Sally Mae - 3/5 That's Alright - 3/5 Rockin' Chair - 1/5 My Dream - 2/5 No Substitute - 1/5 Average score: 2.6/5 ⭐️⭐️ i wanted to like this more than i did. i'm no blues enthusiast by any means, but i'm almost certain if it weren't for the muddy-sounding production, this would have been much more enjoyable. the featured artists like Bonnie Raitt helped some, but that only did so much maybe i ought to listen to JLH's earlier work sometime. i can tell he's a great artist but the production quality didn't do him any favors here

Not a huge blues guy at the best of times and this album did nothing to change that. Pretty boring for the most part, and I can't help but feel like they should have picked an album from his glory days rather than one from 1989.

Didn’t do it for me

I was in a bad mood today and it didn't bring me out of it lol

First song didn't fit the rest, but the rest was just a bit too casual for me.

Quite like the very paired back blues, that first track's keyboard and toms were borderline criminal I think without that it would have been a 3 but with it 2.

I know the title track of this album well after my dad introduced me to the album, and I absolutely love it - but bugger me, the rest of this album was dull as hell.

There’s like a subgenre of Blues that just isn’t for me. This is that subgenre.

Siinä oli bluesia ja siinä oli paikoin Santanaa

I dislike collaborations like this

2.5

The first song is really nice. The atmosphere and the vocals created quite a nice vibe. The rest of the songs are underwhelming, though. They’re just way too quiet and repetitive. Not terrible but passable at best. 5/10

Sorry John, I wanted to like this, but it's a bit too basic blues for my tastes. It's not bad, by any means, but I wouldn't choose to slap this on of an evening.

Een legendarische 'bluesman' die een album uit brengt eind jaren 80, recipe for disaster. Tenminste, het haalt vaak dat ene element weg waar het genre zo op teert: authenticiteit. De organische sound, van de man, zijn problemen en zijn gitaar in een setting ver van de moderne studio, is toch wel de charme van de blues. Dit album begint precies zoals je verwacht: John Lee Hooker haalt een aantal contemporary artiesten van stal om zijn catalogus te polijsten voor het 'grote' publiek. Het resultaat is vaak een zielloos omhulsel van wat ooit een blues song was. Maar ik moet toch zeggen dat hij dat stigma gaandeweg het album van zich afschudt, en dat de blues die door zijn aderen stroomt toch boven komt drijven. Het was niet tegen te houden, hoe erg het productieteam het ook probeerde. Misschien is dat pure overblijfsel ook wel de reden waarom dit album uiteindelijk aansloeg zoals hij deed, bij het volk. Die mix van moderniteit en fundamentalisme. Niet helemaal wat ik zoek in de blues, maar beter dan verwacht, helemaal na een begin waar je toch wel argwanend naar luistert. En mooi dat hij z'n pensioen op deze manier verzekerde zonder z'n ziel hélemaal te verkopen. 6/10 Highlights: Cuttin' Out My Dream

Wat mij betreft niet echt geslaagd. De blues klinkt beroofd van de echte ziel en passie die er wel bij hoort Het is traag en wat gelikt geproduceerd (80's...) Ja, de man heeft blues maar klinkt ook wat uitgeblu(e)st. 6/10 Highlights Sally Mae

Didn’t really like it. Feels a bit sanitized and artificial.

Blues is a zombie genre that's been living a ghoulish perpetual afterlife since the dawn of rock - it informs most guitar based music and gives the harmonic basis and structural template for everything from classic rock and psych, jazz and jam bands, garage and funk to punk and metal, it's revived every so often when a new guitar guy comes along paying tribute to the old masters, it lives on in the expensive les.pauls of dentists and in museumified concert settings, and every once in a while one of the old guys is wheeled into the spotlight for a tribute (see Buddy Guy, one of the last OGs, with Sinners) - this is one of those times. It's fine, but everything about it is so predictable and boring - the only interesting thing is the kind of jarring combination of earthy blues performances and super clean polished 80s production. Why this over one of his 60s albums?

It did not stand out but was an ok album

It's good, for what it is, but I don't find it super interesting. A high two but not because i dislike it

Not my kind of blues. Don't like the unsteady rhythm. if, than slow.

Exceptionally boring, no tracks on this one stood out from one another for me.

This is supposed to be blues? Sounds like tacky, pseudo-tribal 80s production. It was fine, nothing I needed to listen to. 2*

Un pedazo de embole

extremely overproduced

Kind of wild that this is the blues representation on this list. No Buddy Guy, SRV, Albert King. Hooker is no doubt a legend, but this record feels pretty watered down and commercialized. Honestly verging on boring. As a blues lover, this one was a tough listen honestly. So many better records to put on here, and this one just feels so phoned in and inauthentic.

Ok

Liked the bluesy vibe, just sort of whatever

Starts off strong but quickly becomes the same song on repeat. Not bad, just not much I’d consider listening to again

Blues for middle class white people. But shout out to Hooker for getting that bag. Definitely deserved.

This sounds like a more boring version of "Texas Flood" by Stevie Ray Vaughan. Maybe this is just what blues sounded like during this decade. Regardless, "Texas Flood" at least had some energy in its riffs and vocals, which is severely lacking in this album.

Some cool features but it felt like pretty standard blues for the most part. It got worse as it went on. Rating: 1.7

I wonder what prompted the creators of this list to include this record by a blues legend WAY out of his prime. If we're going to go with legends way out of their prime, we've got to go with Floating Points and Pharoah Sanders' Promises, right?

first time listening to this. I'm not huge into blues - much prefer to experience live than to listen to studio recordings. I'm not familiar with the studio recordings of John Lee Hooker, but I can't imagine that this LP is his definitive album or even in the top 5. you can tell this was recorded in the late '80s -- awful studio sheen and everything feels sterilized within an inch of its life. fun fact -- John Lee Hooker played his first live gigs at a now-closed bar a couple blocks from my house in Detroit (Apex Bar). apparently his song "Boom Boom" was written about the doorman at the bar.

It’s okay

Snoozefest. Of all the possible John Lee Hooker albums to put on the list, why this one? There's no vitality to any of the collaborations, despite the pedigree of the collaborators. It's not terrible enough for 1 star, but I can't go higher than 2 stars.

This was enjoyable but repetitive. This was enjoyable but repetitive. This was enjoyable but repetitive. This was enjoyable but repetitive. See how annoying repetition can be? On an initial listen, this definitely has a bit of a late 80s bent to it which I kind of dug. However, I found a good amount of these songs were pretty repetitive, going on a minute or two longer than they should. Truth be told, I would rather listen to Muddy Waters, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Mark Knopfler, and even John Hyatt and some others than this. It's ok. Not great.

A few days ago, I had Muddy Waters' Hard Again here on this list. As The Healer, Hard Again was a later album by that artist, and that was a real Blues album. This one is a much more modernized, but also soft-washed version of Blues, and not to its benefit.

This feels like a benefit album to help John make some cash later in life which I fully support. That being said, I didn't need to hear it.

Not a fan of blues in generally, but i can be swayed occasionally. Not this time though - this album, the production, the featured artists (Bonnie Raitt a notable exception) and the arrangements all leave me cold - it's a 5 star for a guitar shop employee I'm sure, but a 2 from me.

John Lee Hooker was a widely influential blues musician and he had plenty of great 60s and 70s albums. This late 80s album with other guest stars was commercially succesful but not as great and influential as many of his previous releases. The 2 star goes to the fact that the wrong album was chosen, not for the artist itself.

I really like Blues. I think I would like other albums by John Lee Hooker, but not this one.

Not even Santana could save the blues for me, Hooker's style is just too droning for my taste. He caught my attention on the few times he channeled Isaac Hayes and turned up the funk a bit, but outside of that the album is wholly unremarkable. Standouts: Cuttin' Out • That's Alright

The Healer by John Lee Hooker is a more modern take on Blues by a Blues legend. I didnt enjoy this album, After the first track I felt I was on track to give me third 1/5 in a week. The album however did pick up and had some nice moments like Rockin chair and My dream. The Healer is a good intro into the blues music genre before digging deep into the history of earlier artists and albums. As a blues Alum in its own right I feel the colaborations made this more mainstream than John Lee Hooker would have wanted it and made it a very soft album. They clearly wanted this record to do commercially well. Favourite track: Rockin Chair is a more traditional blues number. I really enjoyed it. Least favourite track:I found the Healer title track to be one of the most boring songs I have ever heard. Album artwork: Strong album cover

Ik hou wel van blues maar dit is het niet. Veel matige collabs en niets wat er echt uit springt.

De blues heeft mij helaas niet geheald, ik had al een slecht voorgevoel toen ik t eerste nummer hoorde met Carlos Santana. T album bevat boomer-muziek in de slechte zin van het woord. Erg voorspelbaar en oninteressant. Wel credits voor Bonnie Raitt, vind haar wel vet, John Lee hooker heeft ook wel een goede stem. Verder mag dit album van de lijst. Oja, lelijke albumhoes

meh, it’s cool but not my style

I don’t like the blues, but still I don’t get why JLH’s only album on the list is one full of collaborations, and not one of his original music. I wouldn’t like it anyway, just questioning the list. As I thought, I didn’t like this one bit, except for the track with Bonnie Raitt, which was decent. The worst tracks were, ironically, the last ones where he played alone.

I don’t actually think its that bad but it’s not for me

Blues can be incredibly moving, soulful, touching, inventive, and emotive. It can also be humdrum, run of the mill, basic and fun. This is the second. It's entertaining but it's not engaging in any other way besides text book blues.

I wanted to like it, but frankly, it was boring

I liked the 1st track the best (the title track The Healer). After that I wasn't really as in to it

Too spiritual for me

Just really boring. Blues gives big divorced dad vibes.

Enjoyable but unsure if I’ll visit again.

I didn’t enjoy this.

I wasn’t in the mood for this I guess. I usually like blues but I wasn’t feeling this

Not my style, was fine.

This album is incredibly soulful, and also quite boring. I feel guilty for saying that, but I didn't find it exciting at all. The song My Dream was wonderful. Outside of that, though, I didn't find a lot to like here. Too monotonous for me. I feel like a stupid asshole for this review, but I gotta speak my truth!

Starts badly with the very 80s The Healer with Santana. It's got some good bits, but John Lee Hooker must have better candidates for this list than this album!

OK. 2/5

Like a dialed down, slower Santana. Just fine. Will not revisit

What I have learned in my journey of listening to Blues music is, I really only like it in 2 ways. 1. Live albums 2. Blues fusion. This is neither, and because of that, its not really my thing.

It’s too commercial for me. Not a fan of blues rock. And there is better out there anyway.

This album has a great ensemble of guests, but I was bored by it. This style of music doesn't get me going. 2

I know John Lee Hooker is an iconic bluesman, but I struggled to stay interested in this one. Though I liked his descending vocal riffs on his songs,.(that seemed pretty effortless for him) they started to feel a bit repetitive and some of the songs were a little too talk/singy for me.

John Lee Hooker rules but this wasn't great.

Never trust an art major's math, but I hope John Lee Hooker got paid well at 77 years old for this album. He'd be gone from the earth 12 years later. JLH should be celebrated for his contributions to music well before this concept record (but I'm too lazy to look up if another record is in this list). I have to say, it's a little uneven in places but that's expected from the conceit of pairing Hooker with different artists/stars across the songs selected for the album. Overall, though, the listen ain't bad.

не зашло.

incredibly boring blues?

So John Lee Hooker is a fucking beast, but this album turns him into a candy ass. You know something is wrong when Thorogood is the best pairing, but the title track with Santana is an abomination.

It's okay. Maybe I don't actually like the Blues, but just like BB King?

j’avoue j’ai trouve ça fade

Some cheese and some meh on here (see the first two tracks). Suffers from National Treasure syndrome where everyone wanted to work with a legend who needed a top-selling record. Late-80s early 90s style production is a little gross too. Definitely doesn't feel like essential JLH. The Los Lobos and Canned Heat tracks are standouts, tho

It was fine but probably will not listen to again

Disappointing - there weren't many moments where I could appreciate the music. There's some down and dirty guitar in there in places which is pretty good. So much of it is just really repetitive and dull though. It's just that same blues template going through everything. It starts off simply ok, and gets more slow, stripped-back and boring as it goes on. 2.5 rounded down.

Apple Music has five John Lee Hooker albums highlighted as “Essential albums,” and this isn’t one of them. That always gives me pause when it happens. I’ve even seen yet others mentioned as classics. This album is a nice enough listen, but when he has so many essentials, why would this be the pick, especially when it doesn’t trade in classic blues sounds anyway? This is one of those collaborative albums that artists, especially in jazz or blues, make when they get old. I guess it’s a way of securing a legacy, keeping their name alive, etc, but it always scans to me as a commercial enterprise. Unfortunately there’s a certain class of critics that lap that shit up. That’s my explanation for this album being on here.

Didn't finish, not really for me

I didn't mind this but probably need more listens to appreciate. The blues don't hold a huge sway for me.

I can appreciate the legacy of John Lee Hooker and the blues, but this was pretty hard for me to listen to. I think it was the cringe of the pop-music era of the 80s when it was produced. And I generally find blues to be a derivative genre. I'm sure this album is great for blues lovers, but I just don't think it's for me.

John Lee Hooker is an awesome blues guitarist, but this record has a lot of hallmarks of late 80s/early 90s records. Unnecessary synths and processing take the fun out of the blues to me.

I guess it’s alright. Not my kind of music.

Suena bien pero es bien local para el que disfruta del blues. No me parece global.2

I totally understand the legendary status of those involved across this record, but I wasn't hooked.

Tyvärr mycket av det dåliga med 80-talet, trummorna, syntherna och konstiga collabs med artister jag inte tycker passar i blues. Inte för mig.. Tycker blues ska vara mycket mer rått

Incredibly dull. Not bad, so gets more than one star, but this sort of blues guitar just leaves me cold. Fine in the right setting but I’m never choosing to listen to this.

I hated when the soft synths kicked in in the first track, but the later tracks were much better, classic blues played in a contemporary style.

Not my thing, but I can respect a blues legend.

2 stars. Boring 12 bar blues, decent harmonica

such mid. it’s insane. would be a 1 if not for the incredible blues track that is the first track on the album

2.4 1x catch up 8/20

5/10 Its a bit pointless isnt it? Not going anywhere. None of the songs feel like they were planned in advance before recording. Im sure hes talented and it was a pleasant listening experience, but you could skip any track and you wouldnt miss anything important.

There’s some good blues in there, but it’s not the best J L Hooker blues. Ironically the songs i enjoyed the most had no collabs

7 tracks in and it's not terrible But not existing at all imo. I'll not be coming back to it But it's more a 2 than a

Just not a fan of blues... all songs feel so samey

It was kinda a vibe until it wasn’t. Dude there are more than 3 chords Jesus. Got very stale very quickly

“In the 1001 albums book, let’s include an album by one of the greatest blues performers of all time…” “Absolutely! Great idea.” “…that he recorded in the late 1980’s when he was 72 years old…” “Wait, what?” “…and making one of those sad late-career duets albums that once great artists make with younger more popular acts after they are way way past their primes, but the artists are so old that the “young popular” artists they do duets with are also old and past their primes because the person making the album is too old to know the difference!” “Dude, what the fuck?!”

Another 12-bar blues encrusted bore. Some of the songwriting and performances are enjoyable, but most of the album is instantly forgettable. Not sure how this genre could have maintained such popularity and reverence way into the late 80s but in fairness it’s not too bad as far as blues albums go. The Healer (6/10) I’m in the Mood (5/10) Baby Lee (5/10) Cuttin’ Out (6/10) Think Twice Before You Go (8/10) Sally Mae (6/10) That’s Alright (5/10) Rockin’ Chair (4/10) That’s My Dream (7/10) No Substitute (7/10) 5.9/10

Blues really isn’t my thing. The album was “fine”. It didn’t captivate me. Probably wouldn’t listen again if I was making my own choices.

Later in life, musicians tend to need a little support. Or, like Van Morrison is doing now, they collect up duets and collaborations with everyone they've ever admired - be it Taj Mahal or Curtis Stigers. I don't know if those Van collabs will come out now, just like Morrissey's recording with Miley Cyrus has been wisely smothered by handlers with a shred of shame. You learn a lot about a man by his friends. Or, at least, who will publicly admit to being his friend. John Lee Hooker's friends are a respectable lot, although not to my taste. However, it says more about them than him that their contributions to the album do him no favours - gross 80s production and restraint passing as reverence. The final three tracks, mercifully free from such suffocating piety, reveal a crackling ember of vitality, no less potent for its isolation. That's what I imagine old age is really like. Maybe he couldn’t manage a whole album solo anymore. Maybe he didn’t want to. Maybe he liked the company, even if I don’t. Perhaps he got his flowers with this record, but I hope he got a decent cheque and didn’t have to listen to too many playback sessions pretending to be pleased. 1.5 I wasn't healed but I was number with boredom which is nearly as good. 1.5/5

Boring. Sounds almost like one looong song. Nope from me.😊

It's fine I guess, but there's just not enough of a USP on offer here for it to come anywhere close to justifying its place in the list. This is a decent enough blues album which relies heavily on many of the tropes associated with the genre, but it did get my feet tapping on occasion. Equally, however, there is some absolute tripe on here too, primarily in the form of "Rocking Chair" and everything that follows. Apparently, one mumbling, weary acoustic-led dirge of a track wasn't enough of a downer to end proceedings on, so instead we ended up with three of them for our sins. This album supposedly culminated in John Lee Hooker's peak chart success following a fallow 17-year period throughout his mid-career, but all I can ask is "why?".

I don't really like blues, it's very funny they don't know his age though. How hard can it be to find that out. Will I listen to again: 1%

At best an ok blues album. Not my favorite. Best track was The Healer featuring Santana.

2*

This was certainly an interesting concept. Pair a Blues legend with another, somewhat more modern artist and hope magic happens. Sadly magic did not happen.

Some solid guitar solos, but I can't stand the vocals and it feels a little forced at times, maybe because of all of the collaborators.

It’s the Blues. Meh.

As to be expected, the guitar playing is phenomenal throughout the album. However I really disliked the production. It has those 1980s drums and chorusy guitar effects, so dated and not befitting John Lee Hooker's vibe which should be more organic or even spooky (thinking like Tom Waits' Mule Variations as a better example of a vibe that could fit). The best song is his duet with Bonnie Raitt, but even then it's a bit off-putting given their difference in age and I don't feel any tension between them, almost like movie actors doing a scene but they are actually not in the same room. Many of the later songs sound the same. I just didn't vibe with this at all, but respect JLH and his playing.

No clue what to expect here. The title track starts imediatelly as what I would expect a Carlos Santana track to sound like. Really liked this track! Ok so, blues is not really my genre... That being said, this second track is closer to the few blue songs I do like, with those deep notes and heavy percussion. So I do like this one, even if it goes on for a bit too long. I'm honestly considering just not ending this album, as this is just really not my style... This would be the first time I did it so far, not even because this is the worst thing on the list, but jsut because... I'm bored. Yeah, the album's just dragging on...... I'm sure that for people who like the genre this is great, but as someone who's not that big of a fan it just goes on and on and on without much change. Ãll that being said, My Dream is the best track after the first two. Love the mood it sets. The closer keeps this change in mood going, but I think My Dream was more successful in its execution. Yeah, I feel like I've said my peace. This is just not the genre for me. I did enjoy the first two and last two songs, but everything in between was tough to get through. Bye

Bluesy - not really my style

I like blues rock, not straight blues. Some of these songs are kinda good but are not songs I would come back to. There is some good blues guitar here though from the guests.

this record feels so commercial, not the gritty blues I love hearing from JLH but more like playing smooth poppy blues with a random selection of celebrities to sell records. Can't blame him for doing it in 1989 but just isn't a great record

A later album and the production is just that bit too polished compared to the early albums which have grit and bite. This is more Clapton than Chicago blues.

I’ve heard of John Lee Hooker before, but I’m completely unfamiliar with his music. Blues music tends to be a miss with me, especially if it’s something blues-derivative, but with John Lee Hooker, being a legend of blues music, I have higher expectations for this album. I see that Bonnie Raitt is on a song on this album as well, so that’s a major plus too. Let’s go visit The Healer! Unfortunately, The Healer wasn’t really my jam. There was a lot of sameness to the sound, and I found myself pretty bored listening to this. I don’t know if it was due to the guest musicians, or if there was something else about this album that just didn’t sound great to me. The first track with Santana was interesting, especially with the eighties keyboard playing. The lyrics were good too, and it gave me hope for the rest of the album. As I expected, I liked hearing Bonnie Raitt’s vocals on the second song, and her voice was a good contrast with Hooker’s. Other than that though, there wasn’t anything else I enjoyed on that song. The rest of the album just kept plodding along towards the end for me, but I did like the harmonica on “Cuttin’ Out” and the zydeco sound that was present on “Think Twice Before You Go” with Los Lobos. Even though I liked those little bits, I wouldn’t say that I was blown away by either of those songs. Unfortunately, I thought the best part of the album was the last two songs. “My Dream” was really great, and I loved the slower tempo and painfully wistful lyrics. Hooker’s vocals were really great on that song too. “No Substitute” was great too. I loved the guitar playing, and the slower tempo and stripped-down instrumentation had me hyper focused on the lyrics. Even though I liked those last two songs, this album as a whole wasn’t really to my liking. I’d be willing to give John Lee Hooker another shot, but just not this album.

I don't really know what to make of this album

The instrumentals were interesting, if a bit repetitive and the vocals didn't do anything for me.

I apologise to Mrs Lee Hooker and Santana, i put this on but my kids were being feral and i couldnt gibe this much attention. Im sure there is a good blues/latin guitar album here but it washed over me without leaving any impressions.

Artiste connu de nom uniquement comme une légende du blues. L'ambiance latin et les interventions de guitare sont intéressantes dans 'The Healer'. Mais dès le second morceau on retombe dans les travers du blues (morceaux répétitifs par conception, avec les mêmes progressions d'accords - sympa pour les jams mais c'est le seul intérêt que j'y vois). Je me suis donc rapidement ennuyé, malgré quelques impros guitare intéressantes (+1). =>2/5

It’s fine. Bonnie Raitt was the most enjoyable part for me. There are better John Lee Hooker albums out there. Shame we’re stuck with a late era celebrity musician team up album instead of a better album that better represents JLH.

Completely unmemorable, like the Men In Black guys wiped my memory right after I listened

Love John Lee Hooker, but not this album. Feels like a money grab.

Fuck me this sounds awful. You can pinpoint the exact year this was made just by the overbearing production. I have no idea what those vaguely Peruvian flute sounding instruments are but that’s how you know you’re in the late 80s early 90s adult contemporary production hell. And the blues needs that sound like how a grease fire needs a gallon of water. It just makes everything worse. Anyways, every song on here is a collab. It’s all bad. I hate this.

Fine.

I know that I should appreciate this more, but alas...here we are.

Too new

I bet every one of the artists on this were pleased and excited to collaborate with John Lee Hooker, but these sorts of affairs rarely result in sublime full-length records. Which is the case here. Strange choice for the single JLH inclusion. Dude's got a long list of releases, this ain't the best of them.

Pretty cool stuff

aight

Klassisehkoa bluesia on. Menee sunnuntaikuunteluna kerran, ei hierrä, ei tanssita, nyökytyttää kyllä.

I hope this was hype when it came out. It falls a little flat for me, I like it when Jack White does the same thing but maybe it’s because his is upbeat, distorted, and poppier. Good blues but just didn’t do anything for me except for no substitute.

John Lee Hooker’s got plenty of respect from me, but wow that was one of the most boring albums I’ve ever heard. Best song: No Substitute

I love John Lee Hooker. I love the Blues. But this was just not it. Make your bag, totally get it. But this shouldn't be on this list. Put on Real Folk Blues or Burnin'. But not this. This is not good

falling asleep

If anything at least now I’m interested in diving into his back catalogue, though this album wasn’t quite doing it for me.

This is #day243 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... I used to play blues records when I worked at a record store here in Lviv. There was something about putting on some blues, especially on a Sunday morning. It felt like there was nothing better than a moaning guy pouring his heart out in the quiet of the city. I think some early John Lee Hooker was one of those guys I'd spin. Listening to The Healer, though, I have to admit, I'm not that big of a fan of electric blues. I get to prefer the more acoustic, one-man-band kind of sound. It feels like the full-band or collaboration approach somehow takes away from the essence of blues—maybe it even turns sadness into something to celebrate. Just thinking out loud. For now, this is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day244.

The guitar is timeless and so is John lee’s style. What isn’t timeless is the “Sade-esque” 90s tones of some of these tracks. It’s great to see distinguished collaborators on this album, I always love some Bonnie Raitt, but there isn’t enough of that John Lee Hooker and his guitar for me.

blah 2.5

sounds like something my dad would've liked, but really not for me too 80s in all the wrong ways, though I always appreciate Carlos Santana killing in (either on guitar or at 1B)

I guess the telltale sign was I favored the songs that featured others (Santana, Bonny Raitt) that I like and could not get into the more bluesy JLH solo songs.

as I’ve gotten older, i've begun to understand the desire that aging artists have to round up all their famous friends and make these cameo orgies - unfortunately they're almost always lame ass snoozefests like this fuckin thing

perhaps the definition of out of date. I think if you asked someone who knows this guys work they would say ''that album, he's got way better'', which I have no doubt that his work in the late 50s and 60s was much better. I at first thought (from the first song) it would be the sort of adaptation like Miles Davis hardcore jazz to jazz fusion, but its not that at all, lots of these sound like they could be from the 50s. Half of these songs are just him repeating the same phrases over a generic rock'n'roll/ ballad type beat. Favourite songs: pretty much none, maybe the last one. overall around 3/10

A classic, if you like John Lee Hooker

This album gets better once you finish all of the collaborations. They are fine, but nothing I would choose to listen to again over other blues offerings. Favorites were My Dream and No Substitutes.

I was a little bit excited for this, but it turned out to be a clunker. Horrible production and too many guests.

I dont mind the odd Blues track Boom Boom Boom Boom but they all sound a bit samey and got tedious on this album.

It was fine

I do not begrudge John Lee Hooker for selling out like this, he is a blues legend and I'm fine with him securing his retirement funds. However, I do not see the point of adding this album to the list in favour of some of his classic stuff. 2⭐️

If you're really into blues, this is probably a classic. It gets a bit too repetitive for my tastes, though.

This was fine .I think I just don't care for the blues. It all sounds the same, which it a pretty dumb thing for me to say. I'm just not interested. 2.25/5

Like this is good blues but... eh I don't get blues, maybe aside from Robert Johnson...

4/10 - It was not very fun to listen to. I was kind of bored the whole time. His voice was so deep but not interesting.

I like the blues, but this album is a snoozefest. Not terrible but I’ll never listen again.

Fine, not much going on

Blues but didn't give it enough attention myself

Average at best, boring in general. I think I usually like blues albums, but something here just didn't click for me. Not even Santana can fix it.

I really don't understand why this album made the list. It's not horrible but it's certainly not a must-listen when there are thousands of other albums out there. The Healer sounds like "on hold" music. It's not something I'd rush to turn of, and it was pleasant enough, but I don't care if I hear it again

Here's my problem with this album: the songs are good, the mood is right, and the instrumental part serves the album's purpose (whatever that may be) well. Although everything works in favor of the album, in the end, it becomes forgettable. It's as if I forgot about the album even minutes after listening to it. Again, the songs aren't bad, but I think what's missing here is that something that keeps me hooked on the album.

John Lee Hooker with aseptic 80s production and collaborators, kicking off with Santana rhythms and smoothness. The album you didn't know you needed. Because you didn't need it. It's the blues album your parents may have, who have zero time for blues music otherwise.

A couple fine songs. Mostly boring.

Boring except for the first song

The namesake sounds very 80s with the keywork and the flute sound that was copped directly from Gabriel's Sledgehammer. Even so, its hard to argue with Santana's always satisfying guitar work -- really saves the show IMO. Baby Lee plays sort of like an interlude -- never really goes anywhere, but also is a nice space filler. My Dream is really nice on the back half of the album. Laid back and pretty with the guitar work. Fine, but ultimately forgettable for me. Blues *can* do it for me, but this was mostly on the sleepy end of the spectrum. Most likely won't be back for another listen. I'm somewhere between a high 2 and low 3. Erring low, because I really feel nothing after a single listen.

Surprisingly boring blues music with lots of decorative guest stars

Sorry, the blues just ain't my thing. The title track with Santana was pretty interesting and some of the grooves in other songs were good, but I am just not into the blues.

Blues

not really my style

Is Mr Hooker a preacher in his day job? Not offensive but not for me!

Sounds bland, I am sorry, felt bored half way in. I liked the first 2, 1.5 stars. I'll round up to 2 stars tho cause I don't think it deserves a 1 star.

I thought I just hated British white boys playing blues, but I guess I just don't fundamentally understand what I'm supposed to like? I understand there's an emotional aspect but man the music is just so basic. First few songs were ok. I guess. Clearly he has an influence on rock. Especially British rock of the 70s but man. Kinda don't understand.

Not my cup of tea really. Bit 70s folky stuff. 4/10

Not for me

Nichts sagendes Blues-Album, dass durch einige Gastauftritte (z.B. Santana) aufgewertet wurde. Insgesamt überzeugt keiner der Albumtitel. Schade um die Zeit.

not my vibe, opening track was good though

Decent blues sound, not the biggest fan of his voice.

I'd listened to a different album of his before and it was much more interesting than this one. This feels extremely washed out, boringly so. The opening track with Santana was the only interesting one. I'm not a big fan of blues, but I've heard better blues than this. 2.5 stars

not too much of a fan.

John Lee is a lot better solo than with the dorky collabs.

i dont believe that i am about it.

Yikes. I did not like this. What the fudge is this album doing on this list? John Lee Hooker is a legend, and there are many great artists on this album, but this album sounded so freakin’ ‘80s in the worst possible way.

You can call me a purist or a music snob or whatever, but I'm really not a fan of albums where practically every track is feat. another artist, especially when they "feature" 80s production values and especially (X2) when other original (brilliant) recordings by the artist are overlooked. To be fair, as a sort of tribute album, it's ok and John Lee Hooker sounds great, but there's a nagging feeling he's just going through the motions and taking the pay check (after filming the rather lame video "featuring" Bonnie Rait). Maybe it's just me, but I always thought the blues was supposed to be about authenticity and complaining about how shit everything is. Ps this won a Grammy, which perfectly summed up the future of the music industry, then and now.

On balance the collaborations seemed to detract from rather than enhance this album - the first track was terrible. Seemed to be milking the name a bit too much, there's better blues and better JLH albums to choose from

Grandiose, and boringly so! Why this is the only JLH album on the 1001 list? Something like Urban Blues is a much better showcase.

this was mostly pretty boring

this was: fine

Hmm honestly I think this album seemed like random to me again for some reason I couldn’t understand its significance and it more or less just passed by.

These collab albums always irk me, even (especially?) for a legend like Hooker. For a modern comparison we had that Beyonce album that had nearly 100 people who worked on / co-wrote the album. So...truly, whose album is it anyways? Obviously this one seems different but is it really? An attempt to modernize or 80s-gloss-up what was one of the ~3 most influential true blues artists of the 20th century... this should have been right in my righteous teenaged wheelhouse at the time but wasn't. Feels a bit wrong to slam this one but I mostly hate it, although full disclosure: it does get a ton better after the first half - I love his voice and while/as he's singing I enjoy it but the sterilized and impersonal juxtaposition of the rest of the recording/band/mix makes it a bit ridiculous. Also I don't want to hear fking Carlos Santana - dude you have your own band - the first track is clearly a Santana song with JLH vocals. Should that matter? Probably not. But I don't like it. On the real-life positive side, I know this finally made JLH financially comfortable after a long live in the business so I begrudge him nothing. Best songs: "Sally Mae" / "That's Alright" - feels like this is the way he should be presented (even though admittedly it could get boring with 40 minutes of this). Actually I should interrupt and check my rant - the entire 2nd half is legit. In general I don't really love much raw music but actual/pure blues kinda has to be that way. Despite the better 2nd half of the album, the first half turned me right off - give me his early recordings. 5/10 2 stars.

A collaboration on which a past his prime blues legend is supported by a cast of radio friendly, easily recognizable names whose purpose seems to be mostly restricted to helping move units. Of course Santana would go on to replicate the formula years later on Supernatural. Though the music ain't bad, this ain't the one.

Pre-listening thoughts: looking at this album on Spotify + browsing some reviews of it I can see there are a ton of collaborations. I worry that the collaborations will ruin any potential for cohesiveness throughout the album. Like they could be really great but it could sound very disjointed Post/during listening thoughts: help Santana is sooo clear on the first track. The melody on this first track is very freeform and the production is VERY 80s. Without a set structure, the first track sort of just meanders on for a long time it feels. Here is my issue with Blues music - as good as it can be, it can be SO repetitive because most songs follow a 12 bar blues form with little variation. I wish the melodies were a little more solid and I wish there was a little more variation in sound here 4/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: nope Fav tracks: I’m in the Mood Least fav tracks: none in particular but I wish most of these were more concise and shorter

This ain’t it. Gonna give it a 2 out of respect

I just don’t love blues. Nothing against John!

Liked the idea of this, was excited for the collaborators (Canned Heat!), but this was just so-so.

Albumi #25, 21.08.2024 Blues-artisti John Lee Hooker on myöskin tuttu vain nimestään joten ensikuuntelu herran tuotantoon on tämä. "The Healer" sisältää 7/10 yhteistyökappaletta muiden artistien kanssa ja vain 3 täysin omaa esitystä. Canned Heat fiittaus "Cuttin' Out" oli mielestäni albumin parhaimmistoa. Muutoin levy oli pääosin melko vetelää bluesfiilistelyä eikä siten ollut mun juttu.

not the first time i was left disappointed by a hooker

This was decent, relatively easy listening, but not a lot more than that. Doesn't feel like an album of disconnected collaborations by a blues legend well past his best should really make this list, to be honest, it's quite disjointed. Interesting in places, but really not out of the top drawer. 2/5, should do better. 

I was stoked when this came up. John Lee Hooker is a legend and a true OG of Delta Blues. I was super disappointed to find this album was from 1989 and not from the 60s, and even more disappointed to find that almost every other track featured a collaboration with a popular artist at the time. This is a poor representation of a great musician. This is overly produced and each song sounds way to heavily influenced by the sound of the featured artist. Just give me the straight stuff from the 60s.

sounds like something my grandma would listen to. really slow... not my thing 2/5 maybe if i was really in the mood for it, or older.

A weird album.

I just didn’t vibe with this. I can definitely hear the talent, and there’s a great roster of guests, but it bored me. This is one of the albums where I understand why it’s on the list; I just don’t care for it.

That was alright.

The song with Santana to start the album sounded like more Santana, featuring John Lee Hooker instead of the other way around, which made me question what this album was going to be like. Luckily, the rest of the album was more in the style of John Lee Hooker I had listened to before. Overall a decent album. Not sure how much I'd listen to it again though.

I'm not a fan of these post-career reaffirmation albums. You know, the ones that take a celebrated artist that was not afforded the acclaim they deserved at the height of their career, but was 'discovered' again and trotted out to collaborate with a bunch of acolytes that have been carrying his torch. This album does not belong on the list for John Lee Hooker's sake. There's plenty that he did that should be recognized. Heck, if it's a Blues album, they're better iterations that fit the category than this poor example of a once great bluesman playing ham-hocked chords and repeating the same line over and over. They would have been better off bringing the same great musicians and playing old John Lee Hooker songs. A begrudging 2.5 for the great John Lee Hooker.

Ok maybe I don’t get blues. I get sad enough but fuck this made me sadder. This album has some great musicians involved and it still managed to feel uninspired and flaccid. Yea, it was fine but it just felt lazy as fuck. Terrible effort 2 stars

This was a good first time listen. I'm a John Lee Hooker fan and appreciate some of the tracks in this album including The Healer, That's Alright, and the mellow heartfelt No Substitute.

I'd never heard of John Lee Hooker so nice to get something genuinely new. Not really my kind of music but the guitar playing is quite nice. My favourite tracks (The Healer, Think Twice Before You Go) are probably the ones which sound most out of place which is not a great review for an album, really

It’s fine. I actually like blues, but this gets repetitive at some point. The three last songs are the most interesting because he is on his own Props to Bonnie Raitt. Her voice is amazing

there are so many great hooker recordings out there why in the name of God would anyone choose this overproduced overwrought dreck?

Well.. he had soul. However everything around his voice felt soulless. Almost every track felt like it had been leading nowhere. Constant edging and patience for no pay off sadly. This LP felt very off putting due to having sleepy songs right after kicking off with high energy. I swear I left the album a couple times before finally sitting down to get through. Listening to a record should not feel like a chore but this one did, I can't give it defense. So far my worst experience but I'm sure he has better albums to sort through. The instrumentals felt very minimalistic, along with John's vocals at most points.

I love the blues, but because of the production choices of the 80’s, this sucks

With all due respect to Mr.Hooker and the cast of talented musicians on The Healer but it does absolutely nothing for me. 3.9/10

For every amazing album that makes my day better, there are 5 albums that just leave me with nothing. I’m not expecting every album to be perfect. I wouldn’t be doing this if I was. Part of the experience is learning what I do and don’t like. But it’s still a hard pill to swallow sometimes. I just don’t enjoy forcing myself to listen to music that leaves me feeling empty. And not empty in a good, emotional way. Empty in a lifeless way, where the only thing I can think of is what I would much rather be doing instead. Blues is not a genre I am opposed to at all. I’ve heard some pretty great blues albums in my life. But I think there is a certain point in history where it reached its conclusion and people were ready to move on. I’m not sure if the trends that existed in popular music in 1989 were really suited for blues music. All of the over the top production choices that I loathed for the longest time paired with the sounds of music based on traditional rock with harmonicas and slide guitars isn’t a match made in heaven. I’m not sure exactly who John Lee Hooker is. He might be a blues legend to many, but to me he is as famous as my neighbor. What stood out to me more was the number of other artists and bands featured on this album. I thought maybe the songs that had Carlos Santana or even Canned Heat would be worth something. The Santana one isn’t horrible, but everything else is pretty consistently boring. After hearing enough of this, it just eventually turns into wallpaper music for me. I’m just not engaged. There is someone out there in the world who absolutely loves this album. And that’s great for them. I am not one of those people. This doesn’t really resonate with me in any particular way. Rating: 4/10

Blues album that never really kicks out of second gear, some flashes of brilliance, before the… unpleasantness… Might be a bit unfair because he was 76 when it was recorded, but there we are.

I don't know if there's more John Lee Hooker on this list, but there better be. I find it it difficult to accept that a late 80's compilation of redone material featuring a bunch of white wannabe blues artists is considered an example of his greatest work. Sorry but this is not where you go to hear what the man contributed to the world.

This feels like it’s missing a lot of the passion that makes the blues what it is. I think this is a case of people praising something just because of the legacy of the artist, and not the quality of the work itself. It’s a legacy album.

sjovt at det er et features-album for det føles ikke rigtigt sådan... jeg synes alle numrene lød ret bluesy. Det kunne i hvert fald sagtens have været mere gimmicky end det var. Når det så er sagt har jeg allerede glem de fleste af numrene igen

My dad used to play this in the car when i was younger all the time I didnt remotely like it then, and i don't like it that much better than i did back the now. I always hear about people saying liking their dads music later in life, but usually its for bands like u2 or Yacht Rock, not this kind of thing I will never listen to this again, i can guarantee. low 2

I have to be honest, the first couple of tracks I would rather listen to the kids on their eukeleles ! It did get better after that but it wasn’t as good as I’d hoped for so a measly 2*

This whole album feels like someone stalling on stage waiting for a missing band member. It's repetitive to a fault and doesn't really go anywhere. Could be missing something but I didn't find this noteworthy. Great voice. I wonder if other albums by him I may prefer. This seems to be a later career one for him.

This might seem a bit harsh... but while this didn't necessarily sound _bad_, it felt pretty unremarkable. I almost forgot I was listening to music at one point.

- Blues und Boogie leider einfach nicht meins. - Sehr coole Feature-Gäste dabei. - Die minimalistischen Stücke wie Sally Mae waren für mich dann am stärksten. Der Rest ist untergegangen. 2,5/5

- wieder mal ganz coole Hintergrundmusik, mehr aber auch nicht für mich

This feels incredibly cynical. Let's wheel out some old and tired classic guitar player and team them up with other heavyweights and some "it" names right now. The result is paint-by-numbers blues/soul guitar songs from 70 years ago, produced in the style of a 35 years ago, being piped into my eardrums today. I kept turning the volume down so it didn't keep interrupting my thoughts. Really not the sign of a gripping listening experience.

Decent blues album with a great opener featuring Carlos Santana, but the rest of the album fails to meet the bar set by the opening track.

no shade to jlh, but this is just not gooood. muddy waters was making much more interesting classic blues at the same time this came out. this is just dull & boring

I mean, track 1 sounds like a Muzak santana song. A Bonnie Raitt/Hooker duet is a pairing of some of blues' most distinctive voices. Los Lobos add some texican flair to a typical Hooker boogie and was a standout for me. Curious why this Hooker album is on here; it seems geared toward a completist or an established fan and doesn't feel essential, but still has some gems for casuals.

This isn’t really my cup of tea I’m afraid

Not sure why I avoided this album like the plague, it’s not bad Best song: The one with Santana in it Worst song: N/A

I finally did it.

(sigh) This is a great example about what gives me the screaming shits about this 1001 albums project. This was John Lee Hooker's biggest selling album by far, won him a Grammy, and paid for him to live the rest of his life in comfort. It is really well recorded versions of some of classic material (even if a little heavy on the 80s digital synths, recorded to a click track, soooo much reverb, and somewhat over-polished by Roy Rogers) and with very impressive guest stars (Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Roy Rogers, Robert Cray, Canned Heat, George Thorogood, Charlie Musselwhite, Los Lobos). But is this REALLY a John Lee Hooker album? Have you really heard and understood John Lee Hooker if this is the only album of his you have heard? Most tracks sound more like the guest stars than John Lee Hooker. Most of the guests do a pretty good version of the blues, but it is a little strange to me that nearly all of the collaborators on this album are white. And I'm not convinced that Hooker is playing guitar on all tracks. It feels a little bit like wheeling Hooker out to provide a veneer of authenticity to a major label album of 'blues' for a mainstream (read as 'white') audience, and Hooker himself really is just window dressing --'Essence of Real Authentic Blues (trademark)'. I don't begrudge Hooker his belated recognition or long-delayed pay-day, but this is not the album you should hear from one of the titans of electric blues. This is blues for people who don't really know anything about blues. This is the blues for middle-aged financial advisers. This is blues for dentists with a barely-ridden Harley Davidson in their garage. It's blues for soccer moms to dance to. This what white people think the blues is. Listening to this again reminds me of why I sold my copy of this album. I know John Lee Hooker had a patchy history with record labels, but surely there is a better choice to represent this musical giant.

meh not for me but I reaaaaallly liked the instrumental to the first song

Alright blues album but kinda slow. Prefer the first half.

Blues with a sort of lounge/soft jazz element. Think Sade and Fats Domino. Title track features Carlos Santana.

I'm not much into blues, or this kind of music, but I did enjoy the first song a lot.

Having a hard time getting interested in this genre haha It’s just scarily close to elevator / queue music for me, which might be my least favorite genre. I’m unsure if it’s the elevator music that has ruined the genre for me, or whether I just dislike it to begin with. But wow, I just can’t get myself to like it. I need some spice.

A famous name in the blues scene. Unfortunately, his voice and style are a bit drowned out by the very dated sounding production and mediocre collaborations. I feel like there must be better examples of Hooker's music out there. Personal opinion, there are better blues albums in this challenge.

Seemed to be blues without the passion that I'd usually expect from blues. I understand that Hooker was a bit older when this released so perhaps did not have the same youthful energy of Otis in the 60's, but it does make the whole thing feel pretty mundane. 4/10

could i write poetry to this? n

Not my thing at all

Decent blues/rockabilly album that really isn't my thing. 2

Meh

No es mi estilo de música

Its ok.

Ehh, not my favorite.