Hard Again

Good album but prefer some of older less polished stuff.

Hard Again is a blues album by American blues singer Muddy Waters. Critically acclaimed at release, this is considered Muddy Waters' comeback album since he took some time off from recording while he was switching record labels. This album won the 1977 Grammy for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording. This is an epic blues album. It has great musicians and Muddy Waters' voice is loud and proud. The band had fun creating this blues masterpiece, and it shows.

Good

Good, but kinda have to be in the right mood for this album. I didn't dislike this album, but just found it a bit boring.

Groovy and soulful Good voice Black man coded

Yeah, nice. This was pretty cool. A bit samesy for me sometimes but it's growing on me.

i liked it, but it seemed a bit repetitive. the songs all sounded the same to me

Really enjoyed this one, have never listened to Muddy Waters, and it was such a good vibe while I drove around a forested area with pretty fall leaves!

Good ol' fashion blues from the 70's? Fave track: Mannish Boy

The OG 🙌

6/10 first 2 tracks banging but after that the tracks start to run together a bit

Good for like a Howling Wolf style bar but too samey to sit and listen to

Pretty good.

Good backyard chores album

Quite enjoyable

That first track is a classic ! I'm surprised it was from 1977... It seems like it would have been earlier. This wasn't great to listen to in the car with the windows down—the vocals seemed to be mixed a little low. I'll give it another listen—for sure—in better listening conditions, but I don't think the lyrics will really change my opinion that much. Oh! My opinion? I'm so glad you asked. This music is ar'ite. It's probably great when I'm in a bluesey mood, but I reserve that for special occasions.

Listen pal, I am the aggressively depressed person here, that's my schtick. Sure, he electrified blues, accidentally created rock and roll and can be pinpointed as a genesis shift that makes me who I am. But tone it down bud. I was washing some dishes during a play through and some of the weird dance movements I made gave me an understanding of why parents might have thought that the blues and rock and roll was a literal demonic possession. I was bopping like a zombie with a live powerline zipped into my pants. Oh, and ixnay on the ittlele irlgay, it is super creepy. 5 stars for the cultural importance, -1 star because of how fucking creepy it got. -1 star because it was so damn aggressive that I felt like I needed a time out after listening.

That standard blues riff in track 1 just reminds me of what feels like several movies where some idiot gets stuck on stage and makes up a blues song to impress the locals. The rest was pretty okay, I don't want to listen to it again but I didn't want to skip any.

Blues is not really my thing, but I can appreciate the album. Instrumentals are catchy even if the vocals aren’t really my cup of tea.

This one was actually pretty good, introduction to blues! Love it! The rhythm of (sax and keyboard?) was super alluring.

Was not in the right frame of mind for the blues so it’s on me that I give it this score. One day I’ll try it again.

Mannish boy: I think i have heard this one before, at least the riff in the background of the song

First song is an absolute beauty. When you hear that riff, isn't that what everyone hums out when trying to imitate a blues song? In my opinion, the best song off the album, not just for the riff but the lyrics too. Now, I've never considered myself a blues guy, but I generally walk away with a good feeling with what I just heard and this album no exception. Spent the rest of the day just listening to whatever Spotify threw out there and I have no complaints. Can't say I'll start my own Blues category on Spotify, but I'm rarely disappointed with what I hear. Sometimes a little repetitive, but again, not a big complaint from me. I really enjoyed. Probably closer to a 4 than a 3, but I'm going to score a 3.5. Scoreboard will show a 3.

3 Our second foray with Muddy, but our first with one of his studio albums - though that wasn’t immediately clear with the first track, Mannish Boy, which felt like it was purposefully trying to sound live with its production (which was awesome btw - I loved the addition of the crowd yelling in the background). Between that and its catchy, distinctive blues hook, Mannish Boy was far and away the best song on this album - I even liked the lyrical reference to one of his older songs, Hoochie Coochie Man. The rest of the album consists of far less remarkable blues numbers that mostly run together, but fortunately, they never cease to be enjoyable, and the album never outstays its welcome in its 45-minute runtime. Probably not an album I’ll be consistently revisiting, but I had fun in my time with it here. I was surprised to see the 1977 release date because this really feels like a man at his musical peak, but in actuality, it came out in the late stages of his career, 17 years after At Newport and just six before his death. Anecdotally, the track The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll reminded me of AC/DC’s Let There Be Rock, in that both chronicle the creation of rock music from blues from the perspective of each of their own respective genres (like a parallel in some ways), so it’s crazy to think that both of those songs came out in the same year - especially being that I would have considered blues to have fallen out of the mainstream years beforehand. Anyway, to wrap up, I didn’t love this, but I did enjoy it, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for both Muddy as an artist and for his influence on all kinds of music in the world today. Rock on, wherever you are now.

Quintessential blues, which means lots of feeling, but repetitive songs. Water’s voice is powerful. Mannish Boy is one of the few songs I don’t mind repeating one riff for 5 minutes.

Some solid, classic blues. Gets a little repetitive for my taste at times, but it’s clearly the work of a talented man.

Mannish boy is the best track. Deep Down in Florida and cross eyed cat are good too. Whole album feels a bit samey tho

Some solid blues numbers on here, but ultimately it ended up sounding a bit 'samey' by the end.

"Hard Again" by Muddy Waters is a gritty and spirited return to his blues roots. Released in 1977, it marked a revival in his career, driven by the collaborative effort of Waters and producer/guitarist Johnny Winter. The album features tracks like "Mannish Boy" and "I Can't Be Satisfied," where Waters' iconic vocals and slide guitar take center stage. The raw, unpolished production captures the essence of Chicago blues. While "Hard Again" is a commendable effort and a testament to Waters' enduring talent, it doesn't quite reach the heights of his earlier work. Some listeners might find it lacking the depth and complexity found in his earlier, more influential recordings. Nevertheless, it's a solid blues album that pays homage to the genre's roots and showcases Waters' enduring influence. A 3/5 rating reflects its significance in the context of his extensive discography.

Absolutely rock solid, if sleepy blues; nothing that I haven't ever really heard before. Is the album title a dick joke? Would go 3.5

Classic blues, very good

Fine!

I liked this more than the 1960 Muddy Waters we got earlier. Some nice guitar playing (especially in "I cant be satisfied", and Muddy Waters voice sounds better with age. But it still isn't very varied, and I get my fill after a few songs.

Jazzy, slow. Evening alone at the bar

Not really my thing

Pretty standard blues album. It's good, but doesn't really stand out. That is the biggest obstacle with the blue genre it that its been done so many times that it can sound pretty generic even for medduy waters in 1977. I guess it has its own distinct sound with element of hard blues, but that's really it. I would probably only listen to this once

I quite liked it

Very samey.. but I guess that’s the blues. A decent solid offering

*riff* best tracks: mannish boy, bus driver, the blues had a baby and they named it rock n roll

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah, it’s decent and very strong vocally Favourite song: Track 5 - I can’t be satisfied

Favourites: • Mannish Boy

3.5

Mannish Boys- A vibrant, resonating intro to a supposed blues album (8) Bus Driver- The start of the blues, Waters now focuses on a bus driver who stole his woman (6.5) I Wanna Be Loved #2- Real vibey song, classic song about courting a woman (8.5) Jealous Hearted Man- Hes back to thinking about his woman, who is gone from him, but this time in a more uppity environment (6) I Can’t Be Satisfied- From the sadness sprouts anger, as Waters debates leaving town because of a woman who just doesn’t satisfy him (7) The Blues Had A Baby And Named It Rock And Roll- A vibed out song about the conversion of the Blues to Rock n Roll (7.5) Deep Down In Florida- As the previous tracks topic, Waters switches to a more rocky type of drums, with a looping guitar riff as he talks about life in Florida (6.5) Crosseyed Cat- Waters tells a fictions story about how a woman he liked had to be left alone because of a strange cat she had (6) Little Girl- A questionable song where Waters sings about a girl not as mature as him, and how she is sweeter than sugar (5.5) Walkin’ Thru The Park- A jazzy uppity song about just being carefree and spending time in a park (7) Summary: Waters compiled a very interesting set of blues tracks, with some misses and some hits. All in all a decent album; OVERALL:6.9/10

It's fine. Pretty standard fare. Problem with the blues is it doesn't really have much place to go. So it becomes mood music to some extent. Also, it's a tad creepy to hear how horny Muddy Waters is even though he is a legend.

Correcto.

For some reason I thought Muddy Waters was from a much earlier era - not just the 60s and 70s but I thought he’d started off way before that and had no idea he was still issuing blues albums when the rest of the world had gone Punk and New Wave. These are great songs but it does tend to feel like an extended theme - not too much differentiation. Mannish Boy is a classic though. It should be a 3.5 really!

I don't relate to the blues as a musician or just a regular guy... guess I've lived a blessed life after all and need a little more variety in my music. So, loud bar, coupla beers, this would be awesome. Coming out of my Sonos in my kitchen... I tire of the I-IV-V repetition. So while Waters' guitar tone is killer, and the band is as blues as it gets, my emotional radar is stuck in the middle.

The Blues is another genre I liked a whole lot more when I was younger. Or did I? There are some songs that simply do not have a threshold on which I OD but Mannish Boy is not one of them. That riff on the song makes me a little crazy and set me off that I wouldn't like this album. And it's that riff that is basically the foundation of the Blues. But then I feel like an ass because you know, this is Muddy Waters. I guess I just have so much space for the Blues in my heart and it got filled up in my early 20s.

Mannish Boy is a classic, the rest is good ole blues.

Good blues album

Smooooooooothhh

The musicianship was great and Waters sounded fantastic for the whole thing, it just got a little bit samey for me to fully enjoy though

Very distinctive and consistent album. To be honest it gets a little repetitive (starting with Mannish Boy, which I wish was about half the length), but he has a great sound and his influence echoes through time.

Pleasant enough and I respect it, but got a bit old after a couple tracks. The dude yelling after “man” on the first track got old after the 50th time too.

Solid album, it really cooks in some spots, but the album is longer than it probably needed to be, the tracks kinda fade together. Still, liked it more than I thought I would, almost a 4. BT - Manish Boy - Bus Driver

It's not really my jam, but it's got a good energy to it in general. The guitar and keys are nice. Too many of the songs just sound the same to me though, it's so formulaic. Also, if there's one thing this 1001 process has taught me, I find the harmonica really, really irritating.

Between a 3 and a 4.

It's blues. The production is great, everyone sounds like they are having fun and jamming out. I think the nicest compliment I can give it is that it's extremely pleasant background music. But what exactly are you doing with that little girl at her daddy's farm hm? Name a more iconic duo than pedophiles and playing rock music. Why do you feel the need to make a song like that bro. I would love to hear actual interesting music on this website. Thanks. Score: 60 Art: 50

Super soulful - what a great recording!

Cat: first of all, best stage name ever! Iconic sound vocals and guitar. I like the more playful tracks, like I want to be Loved #2 and I Can’t be Satisfied. AJ: legend.

It was okay. It’s the blues, ya know?

This wasn´t bad album, it was actually pretty good musically, but definitely not for me. I´ve never been really into blues, and this doesn´t really helped me to get into it. I guess it just not my style.

Quintessential blues, great voice. Would be great live I think and I enjoy it as background music, listen too closely and it's very repetitive. Can't help but find the album title and cover hilarious, what is meant to be 'hard again' exactly?

"Hard Again" is right: at 64 years old, Muddy Waters strides back into the game with a set of mean and muscular blues. This is raw, rough and ready rock… there might not be too much depth to it, but it's a lively lesson from the master. 1977 was an interesting musical landscape for Muddy Waters to burst back into the major leagues. It seems the explosion of punk, with its return to raw, spontaneous, do-it-yourself music, must have proved a fertile environment for Waters' blues to return to the fold. And so we arrive at 10 tracks coming to 50 minutes, as the band cycle through age-old forms like well-fired pistols. "Mannish Boy", an old standard Waters had performed many times throughout his life, gets a searing full-bodied treatment, with joyful cries and shouts from the backing musicians to heighten the spontaneous feel. The shuffling strut of "Crosseyed Cat", with its wailing harmonica refrain, is a lot of fun, and I also really enjoyed the slide-driven, rootsy acoustic shuffle of "I Can't Be Satisfied"- a really nice diversion which I could have done with more of. The production is tight and choppy: the bass drum is given a huge amount of space, and the guitars sound titanic without being overpowering. It all sounds present, live, large. My main issue is that there's only so much twelve-bar-blues a guy like me can tolerate: it's fun, but it's not going to change my life like it's changed so many others. Ultimately, I find the likes of "Bus Driver", "Jealous Hearted Man", "Deep Down In Florida" and "Little Girl" are lolloping behemoths which end up collapsing under their own weight. As much as I would have killed to experience this live - and I tip my hat to Mr. Waters for getting hard again at 64 - as an album experience I'd argue this is one to file under "semi".

16 ára ég hefði gefið þessari plötu mun hærri einkunn, en 46 ára ég er bara ekki svo mikill blúskall. Muddy er fínn, og þetta er gott fyrir það sem það er, en ég er búinn með þetta.

kickass blues

Pretty good

I liked the first song, the rest were cool but a bit messy

A bit repetitive for my liking and this brand of blues feels tired because probably it has been overplayed and done to death - but I can’t fault it for it being a good genre album - and when the stars align - adds a nice good mood to whenever it’s played. But it’s pretty one dimensional from where I stand. Might say more about me than the record but it’s my review damn it! Also lol at title.

I have never really listened to much blues, and it isn't really my thing, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't jive to it. It may not be my choice of music, but I respect it.

Solid enough blues album but won’t be listening again

I like the blues but it’s all a bit repeat. Maybe it’s his earlier stuff that I should listen to.

not bad, can get into it, truck month ass album

i like the instruments but its really really repetitive

Zoned out but unique voice

Viele Blues-Licks, Mundharmonika, Klavier. Das reinste Blues-Destillat. Ich höre zwar lieber riff-lastige Musik, aber das hier ist auch nicht verkehrt: 3/5

Not exactly my go to music genre but was still enjoyable. Probably wouldn't actively listen to most of it but it was cool having it on in the background. Songs I Already Knew: None Songs I Really Liked: Mannish Boy, I Want To Be Loved, I Can't Be Satisfied, Crosseyed Cat

Nothing against this album. It's well made and if you said "this is my favorite album", I could certainly see it. It's just not something I'd get excited about reading about.

At 64 years young, Muddy Waters is clearly still loving life, chasing pussy, getting into trouble. Really paints a stark contrast to the other senior citizen offerings listed here from the likes of Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash and Bowie. All I know is, when my time comes, I'd rather go out like Mr. Waters, than all sad and depressed like the former 3. 3 fountains of youth out of 5 ⛲⛲⛲

Some classic Muddy on here, but nothing really stands out to me.

Still got it.

Een klassieker als eerste nummer, maar verder klinkt het iets te repetitief en amerikaans/country/blues/whatever om echt een topalbum te zijn. 3*

3.5/5

it was alright.

Pretty great standard blues album. I just find the blues repetitive (like that first song...wow great riff but it just repeats the entire song). Muddy Waters is a pretty great soloist and I enjoyed most tunes but I don't see myself returning to this one.

Solid 7. Enjoyable listen.

I’m sure for those who truly love Blue’s, they will love and rate this album 4 or 5 stars. Everyone else will rate it 3 or below. Since I am everyone else; 3 stars.

First song had the same beat as “Bad to the Bone” but also wasn’t the original, but it was still cool. Rest of the album had a similar vibe to it, kind of blues/kind of rock and roll. An album i would’ve never listened to without this for sure. “I Want To Be Loved #2” was my favorite song on here.

Bloooz bizniz

Not really into blues but it was a fun listening

Fuld blues, mundharmonika og sprød guitar, det kan et eller andet

This is good music. I found it enjoyable and easy to listen to. Would I rush back? Probably not, but I expect to hear Mannish Boy when I burst through the saloon doors in South Dakota’s hottest club, Shooting Star.

Hard again? I barely even got a half chub. In terms of level of arousal, I will quote the most common phrase said by women leaving my bedroom. “That was very disappointing”. In terms of musical stylings, it had some razzle dazzle, so I’ll be generous as I often am in bed. 3 stars.

I liked it a lot, honestly, a 3.5 is deserved i think, but I'll rest well having rated this a 3. I won't come back to the album, but a few songs have been added to the study and workout playlists.

Goes hard A little ambling - can appreciate the uniformity in sound

Blues, blues blues.

This is probably the first blues album I've ever listened to. Makes me think of hot, arid, desert-like climates... probably because I've heard blues songs often used in soundtracks for wild-west (or Western-inspired) TV and film. I know blues is one of the predecessors to rock (or as Muddy says, "The Blues Had a Baby and They Named it Rock and Roll"), so it was cool to see the beginning threads of rock in this genre.

Formulaic

I just kind of don't get the blues! Fair warning, Jacob's and my reviews might be similar here for a while because we're in the same place listening at the same time lol. But we both largely agreed: for us the blues are more fun to play than to listen to. Don't get me wrong, this album was really pleasant to have on in the background while prepping coffee and cooking and cleaning. But my enjoyment just kind of hovered on a superficial level for the whole duration. My eyes kind of glaze over and my head bobs gradually grow less emphatic the more I sit down and try to really listen to what's going on. "I Can't Be Satisfied" and "Crosseyed Cat" were exceptions, super weird funky shuffle-y grooves!! Everything else seemed to be straight blues, better consumed live at a block party, outdoor festival, or someone's backyard than on studio speakers. One really obviously great thing about this album is all of the players. It's so tight in a subtle way: when the pianist doubles the bass-line, the harmonica player plays a more comp-y pattern; when the harmonica player plays trills and more solo-y lines, the piano steps up to fill in the chords; the bass and drum battery are so tightly locked that you almost feel them more than hear them. And of course Muddy Waters' vocals are incredible, expressive, raw, emotive without ever sounding forced. My 3 star review here is more a reflection of my own inability to approach and enjoy the blues than a reflection of the album itself. I think part of it might be because I played the sh*t out of the blues every day when I was playing trombone in jazz bands growing up. But I definitely didn't mind the album! Just wish I could get in there and enjoy it more.

Ah! I was hoping this would be the one for me. I’ve been hoping that a blues record would come along someday and convert me. I love playing the blues, and I think I’d really dig seeing a blues band play. So maybe an hour record of Muddy Waters, laying it all on the line, could get me there. Sadly, not this record for me. I still had a good time, and the first track is iconic. Past the first two tracks, things got more monotonous. I always feel like I don’t know what I should be listening for! What am I missing? What’s the part of the blues that I need to “get” to unlock it? A fine listen! Just not a conversion experience, which upon reflection is a lot of pressure to put on any one record. 3/5.

Not my kind of music

I don't know. It all sounded like pretty straightforward blues music, like down to the chord progressions. Given how late this album came out and how late it was in Waters' career, I doubt this was novel at this point. It was a fine listen, but nothing really stuck out to me. Standouts: Mannish Boy, Bus Driver, I Can't Be Satisfied

Not bad. Very repetitive. Few really powerful songs and others all sound the same. 6.7/10

Correcto.

Really good, not quite my style tho.

por mais que eu ache o blues foda, ele puro fica enjoativo rapido pra mim. mesmo assim eu consigo apreciar a tecnica desse cara que moldou a musica e a tecnica de guitarra de varios guitarristas que vieram depois dele.

Buen blues, buena guitarra pero no me atrapó.

I’m sure if I saw this performed in an old timey club it would have more impact than listening at 5am in rural Britain.

Good

Il s'agit là de l'album de la délivrance pour Muddy Waters. Depuis le début de sa carrière, celui-ci articulait chacun de ses projets autour de ses envahissants problèmes d'érection : « ♫ Mon sexe est un camembert ♫ » chantait-il déjà dans son tout premier projet, nous donnant un premier indice sur ces tracas psychologiques. « ♫ Vous ne vous blesserez jamais en vous cognant contre ma verge… ♫ » confirmait-il dans une magnifique ballade extraite de son album suivant. « ♫ Elle était molle, elle l'est encore, et molle, elle restera, a priori ♫ » se désespérait-il dans son dernier projet. Seulement voilà, une matinée de printemps, Muddy se réveille et, en ouvrant les yeux, aperçoit ses draps de lit dressés en chapiteau. Il ne peut pas y croire, mais c'est pourtant la vérité : il est "hard again". Il explose alors de joie et se presse vers le studio. Cet événement inattendu lui confère un torrent d'inspiration et il bouclera l'album en une seule journée (les percussions seront enregistrées au moyen d'impacts entre son membre et différentes cymbales). N'ayant pas la moindre minute à perdre, il organisera un shooting photo pour la couverture de son projet. Son sexe, toujours aussi rigide et vigoureux, tentera de s'extirper de sa braguette à maintes reprises devant un photographe dépassé par la situation mais d'un professionnalisme exemplaire.

Cet album nous présente un Muddy Waters aux anges. En effet, après de nombreuses années très difficiles au sein de son couple la faute à des prestations dans le lit conjugal très insuffisantes, Muddy Waters est parvenu à redresser la barre dans tous les sens du terme. Muddy se présente ainsi sur la couverture de l'album "Hard Again" souriant, nous montrant avec fierté de ses mains que oui, il a de nouveau la gaule.

Got my Mojo Working, Hoochie Coochie Man - gim

Solid blues album

Bluesy, obviously, but it's a lot more chill and "cool" than I expected. Backround yelling, jokey lyrics, a "don't care just make music" attitude. Maybe it's punk instead..? Quality sounds older than '77, but it could've been produced less professionally than the stuff I'm familiar with from the era. Kept my interest longer than I expected, but not long enough for an entire listen. Maybe I'll have to put on the full album in the car. Overall, even though I don't particularly enjoy blues, it is a good album. It's something I could see myself listening to on vinyl with a fresh black coffee, lol.

I keep thinking this album is older than it is. So many staples and the recordings are interesting, but kind of boring in a way, and I guess I expected more. Cool guitar sound, though.

6/10. Eh

I don't listen to much blues music, so I was happy to take the time to listen to this album. The songs didn't resonate with me very strongly, but the music was good.

Incredible guitar work and very layered in the musical sense. The album starts off incredibly strong but I felt it got very repetitive towards the end of the record. The last couple of songs were very hard to get through as they all sounded very identical to each other. Favorite Track: Bus Driver Least Favorite Track: Little Girl

Not bad if you're in the mood for blues. Favorite song was I Can't be Satisfied.

very bluesy, glad I listened

Mannish boy. I want to be loved. If it’s blues, like rock n roll blues, it came from this sound.

Muddy Waters is one of those names you hear a ton when talking about blues but I can't immediately think of his songs specifically. Should be a good first listen! Definitely pure blues through and through. I like blues but I do feel that it can be a bit "samey" at times where all songs just don't have that thing that makes me distinguish one from another. Clearly talented but not something I would add to my personal collection.

Mjög klassískur blús, vel hægt að raula með þó man þekki ekki lögin. Það er eitthvað róandi við að hlusta á svona.

Hyvin lähtee perkele! Nää on näitä maakareita jotka soittaa maailman yksinkertaisimpii juttuja keihäällä, mut samalla jokainen kuuntelija tietää että siel on taitoa aivan helvetisti. Tosin eipä tää bluesin saralla mitään uutta oikeestaan tarjoa. Ehkei tarvi 3/5

Toimiihan tää. Oikein kiva.

Täältä ne klassiset blues-renkutukset. Varsin kiva kyl!

Kdkfkfk

Not my genre

Wasn’t the biggest fan of the screaming harmonica but enjoyed it none the less

didn't even finish it. blues is cool but not my vibe right meow!

goes hard

Не очень понравилось, но я понимаю, что он оказал огроменное влияние на всю последующую роковую и блюзовую музыку.

Not exactly in my wheelhouse but this was cool to listen to. Muddy waters voice is very good and is just meant for the blues. Instrumentation is pretty good and jam-y and has a real homespun and improvisational feel to it. I want to be loved and mannish boy slap.

Starts off on an insane high note and then cruises for the rest of the album. Solid stuff but didn't hit as hard as I'd expect.

Added to library.

no es mi rollo pero están bien las canciones

Heard of this guy before but never listened. Pretty good delta blues, and I got a chuckle out of some of the song names/lyrics. Seemed like a fun jam session for the members. It's hard (no pun lol!) to give it a higher score though, as it really is just 45min of "teach yourself the blues" templates. Doesn't stray from the script at all, which is good for a few songs... but 7min numbers? Come on man. 3/5.

Johnny Winther refining and updating the Muddy Waters back catalogue to some extent. And it works!

The first Muddy Waters album I bought, over 40 years ago now! It was great then, it's great now.

Sounded like a classic! Loved the first song

These were a nice listen, but it got to be a bit repetitive.

Sultry blues, a good listen

A classic blues album. It was good. I don't think I would listen to the whole album again but I would definitely revisit some of the songs again.

It is a decent album, but not his best work.

Best Song: I Can't Be Satisfied. I don't know, something about the humour/melancholy of the song tickled me right. Worst Song: The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll. I just find the meta-approach of music about music to be kind of annoying, even if the musicianship in this track is top notch. Overall: This is a difficult album for me to review. I do know that this style of music wasn't made for me. I don't know enough about the blues, I can just recognize it when I hear it. I don't know or appreciate why standards (ranging from the level of song down to individual riffs) are so prevalent in the genre, but I do know that as a result of these standards, the music starts to feel familiar or repetitive very quickly to me. The instrumentation and vocals are great, but I just can't get past the trappings of the genre.

Is okay, was not really paying attention.

The interesting thing is that had this been live in some roadside bar, with one too may Jack Daniels in me, it would have been a strong 5 for me, and a night to always remember. Unfortunately I'm on headphones and its just not the right enviroment.

bao mas mei datado

I'm not a huge blues fan, but this is probably the closest I can get to liking a whole blues album. Muddy has an amazing rawness to his sound (vocals, guitar) that add to the standard blues riffs and get a little beyond the repetitiveness that I naively associate with the genre.

Always had assumed MW was a 50s dude

Bom.

I am not a huge blues fan, but this is the kinda blues I can listen to 3/5

Really good, I didn't know he was still releasing music this late.

Manish Boy is one of the greatest songs ever! The rest of the album is enjoyable as well. 3/5

It's a beautiful sunny Friday here in Canada for the first time in months. Spring is trying it's damnedest to spring after a long harsh winter and my energy is high. I'm just not in a bluesy mood. Today would have been a great day for some 80’s Billy Joel instead. I gave Muddy a listen, but it just does not match with my mindset today. Actually, I don't think the blues ever really match my mindset. Respect to Muddy, he is an all-time great musician. Maybe some other day.

More blues, it's fine

i really liked the combination of sounds because it sounded jazzy and also like rockish but it wasn’t completely up my alley the rest of it but i thought it was cool for what it was

Have I heard this one before?

I'm not sure whether it's more of a reflection of the all-pervading influence of the blues on modern popular music, or a sign of how stylistically conservative this album is in particular, but I found most of the tracks felt very familiar. Waters is a charismatic and assured vocalist, and he and his collaborators all seem like they're having a blast while laying down the album, which gives the whole project a very enjoyable air. 'Mannish Boy' and 'Bus Driver' feel every bit like timeless blues standards, but as the album progresses, while it never grates, I am left wishing for a little more rhythmic, tonal and textural variation.

Blues d'arrels, pantanós i cru. En algun moment em sembla estar a la gravació, amb uns músics dsifrutant en l'execució dels temes. Són talls ja coneguts de la seva carrera, aquí revisitats amb una força i una veu que realment sorprenen. Un blues massa pur pel meu gust estilístic, però molt de respecte

It was a fine listen, but I don't think I'd put it on the regular.

Pure blues. I mean, you're not expecting electropop from Muddy are you? Best Tracks: Mannish Boy; I Can't Be Satisfied; The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll

Nice blues album

Own this on vinyl, from my muso blues fan teenage years. Classic blues - not a lot of variety, I think I only ever really played Mannish Boy

Muddy Waters already had a 40 year old career by the time he released Hard Again, but his voice still sounded amazing and gave a unique signature to his music. It's indeed a return to form for the legendary blues musician and the rerecording of "Mannish Boy" made it sound fresh more then 20 years after the original version.

Stories well told. The guitar becomes a duet.

An in-situ (and even meta) look at the transition between Delta blues and what would eventually become rock n' roll. Some tracks run a bit longer than they can sustain interest for, but the LP mostly delights with infectious energy, passion, and historical interest.

Love this kind of music even if no one song stood out and the guitars in the first song sounded like every single blues song ever.

The band coming in on Mannish Boy hit me like a fuckin’ truck. 3.75

Good blues, great voice full of mischief and fun! Quite busy production - prefer slightly fewer instruments or a cleaner mix between lead and rhythm, so I’m only giving 3* to the blues legend that is Muddy Waters.

This is how I like my blues: loud 'n' raucous (Mannish Boy is Exhibit A). Can't've been revolutionary in '77 but it sounds like a real fine example of the genre nonetheless. Held my attention pretty well throughout the duration. 3.5.

Solid blues. Can't fault, save it's not a go to genre for me

If you dont like jazz and blues then you most likely won’t like this album.

Smooth grooves. Added to rotation,.

Ok

Vond dit wel leuk voor een keertje.

Blues das antigas

Pretty good - though perhaps not his best?

Muddy Waters was a legend and I respect that but this kind of blues I find difficult to sit through for a whole album.

gostei, mas talvez não era o tipo de musica para o meu mood do dia de ontem, vou voltar a ouvir em algum outro momento pra re-avaliar.

Ok. Kind of repetitive.

Classic blues rock album. Can really hear the impact this had on a lot of subsequent bands. Enjoyable listen and has aged well

Nice blues/rock and roll. I noticed these are sampled by a few other people in newer songs so that was cool to hear

yea was too muddy for me

Enjoyed it as background music but didn't grab me like some albums do. Mannish boy best track on album

Great jazz! But not my style

The album daydreams thru a wading swamp of cool.

I liked it...Especially Manish Boy. In the end this style of blues just sounds to much the same from song to song to allow me to appreciate more than a few songs at a time. 3.5 stars

He ate my trousers

Hard Again marked something of a return to form for Muddy Waters. A new lease of life had been provided by Chess Records- for who Waters had been signed to for 27 years- being bought up and the label moving away from releasing original recording by artists which left the iconic bluesman looking for a new label and a renewed sense of direction. There is nothing particularly unconventional on Hard Again in terms of the genre of blues rock, but that doesn’t mean it lacks punch or purpose. Indeed, most of the songs are standard Muddy Waters fare and some are even reinterpretation of old favourites, among these Water’s blues standard ‘Mannish Boy’ (which he had introduced 22 years earlier) stand out. It’s the production of long-term Water’s fan Johnny Winters that makes the album stand out. The songs are allowed to breathe, and the performers are encouraged to express themselves fully, even Winters himself indulges in a number of encouraging howls and handclaps. The sound verges on the chaotic, but it is held together in a brash and dirty rhythm. This is the blues after all. 3/5

Liked what I listened to. It made good background music but I was unable to just sit and give my attention to the album.

I like blues, but a whole album is a lot

He’s a mAAannn! Feels like music that goes well with a dimly lit bar and a glass of whiskey.

Blowing the blues. Enjoyed listening. Probably won't listen again.

Muddy Waters is a familiar name to me, but I'm not sure how much of his music I've heard. I enjoyed this album. I like Muddy's voice. "Crosseyed Cat" was my favorite track, followed by "Deep Down in Florida". Perhaps if I knew more about the blues, I would appreciate more of the album. The album was good, but I don't know that I will remember this album well enough to come back for a second listen.

Leuk maar ik word er een beetje gek van

A guitar teacher's dream. I really liked the harmonica and that ONE tempo change towards the end. Blues had a baby and they called it rock and roll. Next stop, desert...

I'm a blues album I'm a full-grown blues album ALBUM! I'm a natural born blues album ALBUM! I inspired the Rolling Stones Man, I'm a natural born blues album I'm a blues album I'm a hoochie coochie blues album (repeat ad infinitum)

Really good, but I'm not sure I can do a whole album of blues in one go.

Ok

Have listened to before. Good b

Blues en estado puro. Todo un referente y todo un icono. Instrumentalización típica. Muy para fanáticos. Personalmente no me ha transmitido mucho.

I'm imagining this must have been released towards the end of his career given that it was in the late 70s but this doesn't play like someone trying to keep themselves relevant. It has a confidence and strut that sounds fresh today

A classic blues album from a pioneer of the sound, with a great blues voice. An excellent example of what it is, and an enjoyable listen. 3.5/5

He voice is soulful. It’s very nice. However this album doesn’t make me feel anything . Maybe I’m just not into blues

It’s a great example of the Blues genre and I’m sure if I saw them live in a bar/venue it would be just electric. But as a blues noob I feel like a lot of it was lost on me and all ended up sounding the same. A good album to have on when doing other things but not one to stop me in my tracks.

Never listened to Muddy Waters before. It's shameful, given how many guitarists (that I love) cite him as an influence. In the end, though, this is blues. And it gets old fast to me. Unless I'm at a dive bar 2-3 pitchers into the night...

I can see why this album is in the list, still a bit repetitive for my taste

some classic blues (great first song)

Very good music.

I really enjoyed this song.

I find must blues to be predictable and formulaic but I rarely dislike it. Couple of stand out songs for me are "I want to be loved" which I know from the stones' version and "crosseyed cat".

Much better sound quality than old blues, but awesome in its own right

It's good.

Very rock influenced blues. Quite enjoyable with the old rock influence and chord progressions. Vocals are reminiscent of old 60s blues.

Good to hear the origins of a classic lick. Not necessarily my fav, which is odd because I like blues. I would listen again.

Didn't quite finish.

Good album, I was excited to listen to it but I was busy with work so I didn’t get to pay a lot of attention. It seemed like all the songs sounded the same.

All sounded the same but that one song was alright

Great music but all the songs sound the same, too repetitive.

Nice jazz music but not really my style

great album but it’s not for me

Cliché? I dunno

jazzy, heard it somewhere before, probably very good for its time

Nope!

Blues icon at 66 with nothing left to prove makes an album full of shit-hot riffs and ebullient charisma.

It turns out I really don’t like Blues music

A me piace “Electric Mud”

Solid blues album. Just seems like they're all having fun and playing the blues.

Bllloooooos

Sounds a lot like how I've been made to think the blues should sound. And I think it's pretty good. Although, I've seen that quite a few people prefer Waters' earlier stuff so I will have to dig a little bit more into that, but meanwhile this was quite a good introduction for me.

Took me a few listens, but I liked this more than expected. Very bluesy and I like the rock elements Saved: I Want To Be Loved #2*

Classic hoochie coochie bluesy

Was alright. Unlikely to listen again.

5

Love a bit of blues guitar, and there’s not many better than Muddy Waters.

Nice!

Very enjoyable

While I prefer pre-sixties, less produced blues, this still rocks, esp. the version of Mannish Boy.

Mit 64 hard again, es muss sich richtig geil angefühlt haben für den alten Muddy. Und so schiebt und scheppert er wie in alten Zeiten und statt dem Busfahrer eine reinzuhauen zieht er ihm fast schon psychedelisch die Bluesharp über die Ohren dass ihm hören und sehen vergehe und er im Gegenzug für immer weich bleibe. Oder so; es ist Sonntagmorgen und ich hab den Kaffee noch nicht auf. Aber Lust, mich näher mit dem Original Stuff zu befassen.

Love those old blues. This was a perfect blues album, something I haven't listened to before. This is great "hanging out" music but I don't think I'd ever listen to it on a playlist. Great start with Mannish Boy and there were a few others on there too, the album breezed by. Pretty basic cover but it's about what's inside that counts.

Pleasantly loud stuff here from a founding father of blues. Blues aren’t my exact bag but I can easily see why people enjoy blasting Muddy Waters, and indeed I’ll be returning to this once I’ve got the full-hearted sound system (and possibly jovial party) a record like this obviously deserves. A respectable 6/10

J’aime bien le blues et muddy waters, mais je trouve l’album inegale. Quand meme du blues a l’etat pure. 3.5

solid classic blues

I’ve always known the name Muddy Waters but wouldn’t have been able to tell you they were a Blues signer. I really enjoyed the album though blues aren’t my top genre.

Not too long ago, we had a live album from Muddy, and I remember saying in my review that I was missing hits like "Mannish Boy." Well, guess what track opens this album? It's a blessing and a curse, because I love that track so much that the rest of the album paled in comparison. I hate to say it, but I think I preferred the live album overall. Still a good listen, the music is consistent, but my interest fizzled out fairly quickly. Even in his older age, Mannish Boy is such a powerhouse hit that the rest seemed tame in comparison. Favorite tracks: Mannish Boy, Bus Driver, I Can't Be Satisfied. Album art: This looks super goofy to me. There's no way he's hard again while dressed like that. 3.5/5

classic blues

An enjoyable electric blues album. Typically not my style, but as the title implies, there’s a nice selection of harder-edged tracks on here that do occasionally hit. STANDOUTS: -Mannish Boy -I Want to Be Loved #2 -Jealous Hearted Man -The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock ‘n’ Roll -Crosseyed Cat -Walkin’ Thru the Park

Classic, classic record. Great listen, though no single song sticks with me past "Manish Boy," except maybe "The Blues Had a Baby and They Named it Rock and Roll."

First two tracks are a Led Zeppelin II rip off but I guess that's ok. Pretty enjoyable, fun, delta shit... It's 1977 but still part of that style that influenced all the 70s rock I love. Some of those old iconic blues guys are inaccessible but this is very listenable and has some enjoyable shredding. Same groove over and over again but its a good groove.

Bueno, pero plano

I feel like my enjoyment of this record would have been enhanced greatly by hearing it loudly in a sweaty room while drinking cheap beer. Instead, I listened comfortably while washing dishes and drinking tea. Love his voice and the overall sound of the record. The first song’s a classic (though his spelling needs work), but most of the rest just kind of washed over me.

it's alright I can respect it but classic blues isn't really my cup of tea, all the songs started to blend together for me quite quickly is this record in the book purely because every human on the planet knows the tune to mannish boy? probably

Solid blues record. Fun listen.

had this on in the background and was fairly enjoyable. some of the songs sounded more country than blues and that was kinda not it.

Great blues album

With respect to Muddy - it felt like 50 minutes of the same song. Far from bad, but not much stood out (with the exception of Mannish Boy)

classic

some good songs, but very busy backing

I appreciate the artistry, I guess but I've never been able to listen to blues music and enjoy it.

I want to be buried New Orleans style with a parade and a bunch of drunk people while the song "Crosseyed Cat" is played.

Fun listen, not really my style.

This fucks

Shrug

Not as electric as the Newport album

When I was a boy

1977. Key Songs: Mannish Boy

Pretty darn good - Solid guitar licks. But hard to distinguish one song from the next.

Not for me, but I can hear how we got a lot of influence from this album.

just not my kind of music - bluesy, etc.

Listen, I know this stuff is important but electric blues I just find so same-y. But the opener is great and distorted harmonica is always fun.

Sounds like the blues. Harmonica rips.

Rating does not reflect Muddy or his performance on this album. I just don't like blues music.

Tämmöstä perusbluesiahan tää on. Ei kovettunut.

did’nt like

Two days in a row ☠️ 5 stars to the musician, 2 to the album

Not really my cup of tea.

Best Track - "Mannish Boy"

Dit geeft me het gevoel alsof ik een stokbrood zonder dip aan het eten ben.

Sólido disco de blues.

I listened to this twice because I wanted to love it. It's not bad I just don't think it's my cup of tea. 2.5

Todo sonaba igual :(

no es mi onda, pero blusero viejo

2/5

Long and noisy

Kuu

Ok

imean its typical blues

Not quite the kind of blues that does it for me, but an easy listen. 2.75 rounded down.

Fine

L'harmonica m'a fatiguée, pas mon style

J'ai l'impression d'avoir écouté deux fois le même album, et j'aime pas la country

Buen blues. Tremenda turra.

#323/1001. Q magazine called this a guaranteed delight for students of the post-war blues. Shit, I took Post-Humanism in Feminist Punk. Well actually, I don't regret my choice.

Listening to Blues gives me the experience other people have when listening to hardcore music. It just sounds like a bunch of overlapping noise to me. I do think it's odd that Muddy Waters doesn't feel like the focal point of any of these tracks. I just don't think I like Blues. I will say, I can completely understand why people do like it. If I was drunk at a speakeasy and these guys were on stage going absolutely apeshit on the guitar and harmonica as they are want to do on this album, it would be difficult for me to not jump in the pit. Do they have "pits" at Blues shows? If they don't, then they should. Unfortunately for me once you've heard James Cotton wail on the harmonica once, you've heard it a thousand times. And for me that's the issue with this album - nothing much stands out. These guys are definitely talented but I can't imagine ever returning to this album.

I’m tempted to give this three stars because Hard Again as an album title is too funny. But, alas, like all my two star reviews it seems, the 2 stands for 2 long.

Blue Chew’s favorite album

Love blues but this is a bit meh. I assume the rhythm section is spitting out bog standard 12 bar patterns so that Muddy has a chance to shine. But there's not enough creativity in the melody or solo lines to carry it off. Sorry Muddy. I know you're a legend and all that, but this won't be troubling the decks again. 2*.

Thought I would like this wayyyyyy more than I did. No denying that Muddy Waters is a legend, and it's great to listen to some straight up blues. But man this music can only go so far. By design, 12-bar blues only have like 3 chords in them -- add to that a very similar tempo and vibe for every single song, and unfortunately it gets old fast. Not to mention that damn harmonica. Fuck man, that's grating. Sorry, Mudster.

Not my cup of tea at all :) I guess Blues aren't my thing. Composition was "nice" in the sense that it was comfortable to listen to.