Reviews (page 7 of 8)
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.
He's good but a lot of this is boring. Santana feature is cool.
The Babadook-esque cover caught my attention, but the music let it go again. JLH may well have been a pioneering bluesman but this 1989 collection sounds a bit stale, despite all the guest appearances (or maybe because of them? I liked the last 3 tracks where it was just him, stripped-back, the most). There are some agreeable grooves, but they're all stretched too thin to serve as more than background music. 2.5
Blues. Några starka spår, men lite spretig, mycket pga upplägget med gäster. Starkast när han är ensam och är avskalat. Skulle skippat gästerna.
Ok 2
This is tough to rate. I love John Lee Hooker, he’s an absolute legend. That said, most of this album suffers from the same thing a lot of ‘80s blues albums suffer from: it’s massively overproduced and has too much going on. All the extra guitars and horns etc just don’t need to be there. The last couple of tracks, though, are much more stripped down and sound far better for it.
Quite liked it, but for background realistically. Can't see myself reaching for it very often.
Decent album. Will never listen again
It was meh, opener had cool guitar riffs but thats about it, couldnt keep my interest.
Get's really samey really quickly
Apologies to John Lee but this was boring for me
Starting out, this is smooth af. Oh, the vocals started. They kinda ruin it. Let's see how this goes. Would be a better album without the vocalist.
New Orleans vibes, was ok
At times wonderfully musical, at others incredibly dull. I don’t know the right space and time for this to make sense.
Yeah, it’s missing some snarl, isn’t it? I actually quite liked the final track (“No Substitute”), which is quiet and unlike anything else I’ve ever heard from JLH. An entire album that’s that stripped down and hushed like that would maybe have been interesting, but that’s not what we got. I’d rather hear a live version and I don't think that’s the reaction you want coming out of the studio.
Spicy in concept, kinda bland in execution. Like the hot sauce recipe I tried to make the other day.
Ok but fairly uninspiring blues
нууу
John Lee Hooker is of course a legendary figure in music history. Most notable for his contribution to blues music. I'm not sure this would be the album I'd pick by him to include on this list, though. I would probably go for one of his earlier works. I feel as though the slick 80s production doesn't compliment Hooker as much. I also feel like the long list of collaborators takes away from Hooker's work on here. The track "Rocking Chair" is a good example of what I wish the full album sounded like.
Not my thing found it kinda boring sadly. I usually think of older albums like this pretty boring and this album is a perfect example of this, maybe it'll grow on me though. Favorite Track: The Healer
I like the blues but this album feels a bit lazy. Bring popular people of the time onto an album to make the bluesy man relevant again in pop culture. I'm sure his other stuff is way better, since this is kinda his swan song. Some groovy, but a lot of meh.
C- The Healer - 3 I’m In The Mood - 2 Baby Lee - 3 Cuttin’ Out - 2 Think Twice Before You Go - 2 Sally Mae - 2 That’s Alright - 2 Rockin’ Chair - 2 My Dream - 3 No Substitute - 2 Not a Blues guy.
Just didn't really do anything for me. It wasn't bad, just not my favorite.
Not as good as others.
Such a disappointing album; too many guests, too much white blues rock, not enough raw Hooker.
He ain't the healer!! Man casted a slow yet deadly Poison spell on me that costs 30 mana points, be wary!!
Decent bluesy stuff
A bit boring and love focused. I bet he would be cool live.
These collabathons can be pretty dull affairs, and so it proves here. Santana IMHO the kiss of dullness to anyone he works with. Concert at Newport the place to start with JLH not here.
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.
Very bluesy, obviously, but I was just... bored with it? Maybe I don't get it. Fortunately it was a quicker one. 5/10.
Bruh 😭
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
eka biisi kuullosti santanalta.. heh katsomaan menin...santana siellä listattuna biisin tekijöissä..
Leiðinlegt að segja það en þetta var leiðinlegt.
First track was great (feat Santana, go figure), the rest I didn’t really enjoy.
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.
Not for me
jazzy
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
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
Rarely like collaborations
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.
Meh....
Klubilla soivaa, sen suurempaa numeroa itsestään tekemättä. Toimii siihen juttuun 5/5, mut näiden arviointiperusteiden mukaan kahta enempää voi antaa
legend returns with...pan pipes...oh dear The rest of the album - nothing got me as excited as his proper blues
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.
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.
Fell asleep listening to this but Santana was good
2.5.
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.
boooo
Like someone else reviewed - not really a hooker album with all the collaborations.
Not memorable nor very enjoyable
Not for me but I can appreciate his appeal to men of a certain age
Smooth
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.
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.
Meh
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.
(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 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 guests 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 sure they even have Hooker 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, but he really is just window dressing. 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 who have a Harley Davidson in their garage to occasionally pretend they are a bad-ass. It's blues for soccer moms to dance to. This a blues for white people. 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 giant of the blues?
Slow blues, slightly faster blues, blues with extra singers and musicians, all 12-bar, just an awful lot of very samey stuff.
Tremendously boring.
This did not start well. I have a real aversion to that soft blues style. And have never heard a Santana song that I like. But this got better, at least in places. In The Mood is such a classic that it is hard to ruin it. Although give me the original version any day. The songs near the end, where it is just the man himself and his guitar still sound good, but as a whole this album seems a miscalculated attempt to reach a ‘modern’ audience and takes out much of the energy and directness that makes John Lee Hooker one of the original greats.
An album mostly of collaborations, with most of them sounding how you think they would given who he’s collaborating with on that track. Not his best.
I dig his voice and guitar work but the 80s production really detracts from hit in my opinion. It does make me want to check out some of his earlier work though.
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: The Healer Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: I understand that this man is a legend, and he's clearly very confident in his craft on this album. I just don't like blues. Only song I liked was kinda carried by the guests, Santana and the Santana Band.
2/5 nope
I enjoyed parts of it but have always had a hard time getting into straight blues (but love blues rock, blues influenced jazz, etc)
Better slower, better acoustic. *Rockin’ Chair *My Dream
Baš slušljiv i baš meh.
Pretty uneven album. About half the cuts are lame and both the production and John Lee Hooker himself sound aged (not in the way that’s good for a blues musician), particularly the first song, and the other half are solid blues numbers with the last song standing out as being truly poignant. It’s not that bad overall but it gets a 2 because 😈
A classic blues musician held back by 80s production that I dislike so much. The guest list also feels like a slight vanity project, or similar to how Santana was in the mid 00s (convenient he's on here too). Favorite track: "Rockin' Chair"
I found it really boring to be honest
Det var nu ikke hans bedste album. "My Dream" er lidt bedre end de andre. 2,5
Horny jazz
Good sound for blues….
Blues with no passion is terrible.
A bit boring. Some songs sounds improvised, and not very well.
The same okay song, the entire album. Listen to the entire thing and didn't hear anything.
A very distinctive sound equating to a thin pingy guitar tone, a stomping foot, and changing to either a I, IV or V chord whenever the mood strikes him. Some call it primitive and rootsy. I'd call it something else entirely.
Not as much feeling as a expected, seemed to be a bit lackluster in places.
I love blues, but this album is just flat. I wonder why an album like this made this list and none of the albums of Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Not my kind of music, pretty meh
Not really much of a blues guy. But on occasion I can enjoy and appreciate the genre. But not this time. Nothing bad here just nothing that gets me excited. 2.5 🌟
Just not my thing
Not my genre of music but some of it was quite listenable
Must of these collaborations are good and more of a showcase for the relatively younger guitarists. Sacred cow or not, I don't enjoy most of John Lee Hooker's mumbling and guitar picking. 2.5/5
Blues by numbers.
The first song was AWFUL—something you’d hear in a Fair Trade store, everything I hate about world music produced to pander to the 90s white coffeehouse set. It’s for the 90s Starbucks crowd, lame 90s elements fucking up boring blues. I hate most of this album. At one point it “Rocking Chair” sounded like the comedian playing fake jazz piano. I will admit I did some toe tapping on track 3 and 4 and felt the heart of the last track. D. Still better than Anthrax.
Modern communications technology has jaded me. Every track elicited a thought of "I have heard derivations of this on Spotify/Pandora/Sirius/Radio/YouTube/etc". Would have been such an exciting thing to discover this album back when you had to work to listen to and discover music. It's all fine music, that's about all I can say. Maybe it was over produced with all the collaborations happening. Didn't have a unified POV.
Baby Lee is Robert Plant's favourite. Fancies babies. Nonce.
Eerste liedje klinkt bekend en klinkt aangenaam. Daarna verzandt het toch teveel in pure blues. Niet aan mij besteed.
Tja....
Blues.
It had some moments, but dragged on for way too long
Fine. 5/10
strong start but then kinda flopped
A blues legend they say. My dad used to love blues and played a lot in his later life, mum used to hate it. She said it was maudlin. I'm with my mum on this. I hope I never have to listen to this old bastard again. It was a painful experience listening to old Hooker repeating the same line, playing the same chords while stamping his foot with ever more intensity as each song progressed. I was hoping for something better, but not even Santana could drag this out of the mire. Not for me, ever.
For the scale of John Lee Hookers prolific career I was expecting to have my mind blown by this album. Two songs in I was desperately ready for it to be over. This is just the most boring same old blues you've heard a billion times before. I generally can see why albums have made the list but this one escapes me. Obviously no disrespect to Mr Hooker but if this is the best of his output I will have to start actively avoiding other recordings from him. 1 star not because it's bad but because it's just the most frightfully boring thing I've ever listened to.
5/19/26. Good opening track, but then deep into blues without experimenting with anything new, especially at its time of release. I have my own bias with blues since I find it predictable.
The only thing worse than waking up to a jazz album is waking up to a blues album.
Belle and Sebastian were right. The blues are still blue.
I could smell this smelly pile of poo from miles away. No thanks.
hard to listen to fr
A poor album made all the poorer by guest artists.
A nauseating, torturous listen for me, the best bits being the brief pauses between songs, or at least the moments before John Lee’s warbling voice meets the never ending, looping chord progressions. It perfectly encapsulates all my least favourite things about blues music. They sound like the unpaid band at the school fete.
First listen
Mr. Hooker might be talented but this music sounds stale, regardless of how much 1989-era studio secret sauce they tried to put on it.
Blues is boring. All sounds the same
Slow-burning electric blues built on repetitive grooves, minimal guitar figures, steady rhythms, and deep, conversational vocals settles into a hypnotic but static flow. Listening feels like sitting in a dim room where the same phrase echoes again and again without ever quite evolving. The atmosphere is authentic and grounded, but the repetition makes the experience feel dull and ultimately boring.
A guy practices the blues with a microphone present
This one was difficult to get through if you’re not into blues. That’s all I have to say on the matter. Every track, quite literally, sounded the same.
Never heard of this album before this and now I know why.
Not for me.
The first half I was feeling good about this album, but then I had to tune out because it was so boring.
Didn't enjoy this at all. Pointless noodling and mumbling. Some nice harmonica. But no thanks
Quite boring and generic. Did nothing for me
sex music for 50 year old white men with 23 year old filipina wives
What's the point? An artist past his prime in a genre past its prime, which wasn't that interesting to begin with. The cast of collaborators is alright, but is not enough to keep from being bland and utterly forgetful.
Couldn't get through one song.
Tubeless and dreary.
This album is a bit of a travesty due to the collaborators and dodgy production. Clearly a cash grab, although Hooker probably deserved it. Not sure why it’s on this list rather than a proper Hooker album.
This album has great, innovative, fresh, exciting lyrics like when he says he ain't gonna be your fool no more and he's rocking these blues away, or when he says his baby's done him wrong, but that's alright The only thing that could possibly make this album more captivating is if he takes these creatively-inspired lines and repeats them a few more times (so that the listener can soak all that depth in) to the same predictable melodies unchanged from decades ago I don't know the value of a blues album like this from the year 1989, or why it would be in the 1001 list, and even moreso I don't understand why this album is rated so high, there's a couple cool tracks, Cuttin' Out was entertaining, but the track stretch of Sally Mae > That's Alright > Rockin' Chair was about as dull as near-brain death (with some emotion in the singing on the latter track being the only remaining sign of life) am I so out of touch? no, it's the Gen X'ers who are wrong! cover's kind of cool though. only at the time of writing this did I realize dude wasn't a frog
i hate that late 80s/90s keyboard sound so i didnt make it past track 2
Nope
eh this guy is a legend but this album is not