Hard Again

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.

This was ok. Not really my thing, but good for what it is. Became very repetitive after three or four songs.

I def lost patience for even good blues like this one

the album is totally fun and all and i guess i would enjoy listening to it live. but somehow it never really clicked...

Muddy Waters is alright. Oh man, what a name.. 🌊🩵

*cisza intensifies* TUDUDUDU i tak przez całe jebane 49 minut

Ma ei saanud aru, millal see album läbi sai ja mis hetkel Spotify mulle sarnaseid lugusid soovitas. Kuulatav blues, aga klišeesid täis (samas äkki on need klišeed on sellest plaadist tingitud, aga 1977.a väljalase puhul pigem mitte). 2.4/5, sest mitte ükski lugu ei jäänud siit meelde ega ärgitanud minus huvi vaadata loo pealkirja.

Pub blues but with Muddy Waters voice. I didn't think that he could be that influential sounding like this, so went and listened to the originals of the rerecorded tracks on here. Those original versions are tight and great. Everything on here is flabby and interminable. I did not enjoy this.

Very repetitive, especially with the same high pitched harmonica or horn note. Pretty aight

I already knew two songs from this, "Mannish Boy" and "I Can't Be Satisfied", but both in the earlier and, in my opinion, superior versions. I'm not a blues guy, I honestly think it all sounds pretty similar from a composition point of view, but I get how influential it was on a lot of music I actually like. But not this album. This came out in the 70's. No more new blues influence at that point.

Not my type, still cool tho.

Classic blues, but repetitive lyrics and composition. I learned that I cannot listen to a full album of harmonica.

All blues sounds the same... this is not dispeoving my point

I'm not a huge blues guy, 5/10

Honestly, i didn't like this album that much. I didn't like half of the songs, they're not my style, it's too masculine vintage style. My favorite song was 'The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock & Roll', overall, to me is a 4.8/10.

Could not finish, reminds me of jail blues but bad

Сара није слушала, класика Марко 2

I feel like I should’ve been more interested in this but I just wasn’t. Muddy’s great and it’s not a bad album, but it just didnt intrigue me.

J’aime pas trop le blues honnêtement

I like that people like it; it should be liked. I don’t like it.

1.7/5 While the blues sound is solid, it all just blends into one after awhile

I was unfamiliar with “Hard Again” by Muddy Waters when I saw it pop up on the website, and I don’t normally listen to the blues, so I was pretty excited to listen to my first album of this kind for the challenge. Also, interesting title. However…this was a challenging listen. It started okay, with “Mannish Boy,” but then got increasingly worse, and I found myself restless toward the end, even writing in my notebook during “Little Girl,” “Oh no no no not 7 minutes of the same thing over and over again.” You can probably tell where my review is going with this, but I’ll sum it up in the wise words of another listener: “Listening to this album is like eating 6-day-old leftover food for the 4th time in the same week. The first night, it was delicious, but in the end, we eat it out of principle so as not to waste.” Building off of the quote, I now realize why “Mannish Boy” is the most popular track of the album: they listen to it once, like me, and then go down the tracks, beginning to realize that each track is basically the same thing as all of the above, with the same electric guitar, with the same type of Muddy Waters vocals and spontaneous shrieks that get old after hearing them fifty times. Don’t get me wrong, I think Muddy Waters’ vocals are great and completely different from what I’ve heard, but after the first three songs on this album, everything else becomes genuinely unbearable because it's quite literally 49 minutes and 28 seconds of the same stuff. I pretty much zoned out after 12 minutes, though—and the lyrics might have helped if they hadn’t been sung to the same tune every single time (I’m really sorry, I can’t stop stressing this). Maybe this album would be better if it were released as 10 separate singles, 10 years apart. I hope “At Newport 1960” will help me maybe see what I’m not yet seeing, but in the meantime, I don’t think I’ll listen to any more of Muddy Waters’ music. I hope tomorrow’s album won’t make me crash out. 2/5

Not for me

Cool and jazzy? Is that the genre? Unsure I am, a good vibe but yet again, not something I would go out of my way to listen to.

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

Guy is looking forward to the women after the show.

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.

Very St. Louis blues, sadly not my taste

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.

I really want to like this but I just can’t. He seems very talented but the blues just don’t work for me. Can’t get into the genre no matter who does it.

instrumentals were interesting but its just not my style and i had a hard time getting through the album

nice

I can hear this is epic. I’m just not the listener. Great for a casual party!

I'm not entirely convinced that I didn't hear the same song over and over again. Obviously I respect that Muddy Waters influenced so many genres, but I didn't like this, sorry.

Not my cup of tea.

sounds all the same :(

Listened in the car. I mean it's really well made with the greatest blues musicians of the time, but even in 1977 this music was old fashioned. I can only take the same 12 bar blues progression so many times before I want to turn it off and listened to literally anything else. Appreciate the art, didn't love listening to it.

I don’t know it was fine? Listened to it yesterday and don’t really remember anything

Pretty boring

2,5

I can appreciate it for what it is, but not my fav. Very repetitive sound

Okay blues album but heard better.

Ñe

one good song

Typical blues songs and therefore quite repetitive

i leaned that i'm not a fan of blues, very samey.

I'm think I enjoy what the Blues gave us down the line, more than I like the Blues themselves. There are good guitar parts here and there, but overall it's a completely forgettable album.

My ears are not exactly bleeding but still as annoying as a fly buzzing around your head. I guess these blues sounds and guitar solos just are not my jam.

All of the songs on this album are good and Muddy Waters is a talented musician. That said, I'm not a fan of blues music in general. The songs are repetitive in nature and after about 3 minutes of the same riff, it gets a bit boring. Great musician, but not for me.

Well composed, however what you hear in the beginning is as far as the sound develops. And for a genre so defined by jamming I was hoping this would experiment a bit more.

Album #45: Hard Again - Muddy Waters Genre (W): Chicago blues No singles. I have not listened to this album before. Thoughts?: Well, I think I’m in for an insane ride with as energizing a track as Mannish Boy. I hope the rest is as decent. The more I listen, the more I kind of like this classic blues sound. I haven’t been exposed to much blues music, but I feel like I’ve been missing a lot. Maybe it isn’t my style, maybe I’m just not into blues. I should be. Favorite songs: Mannish Boy, Jealous Hearted Man

12 bar blues slop please make it stop

I'll be honest, I didn't even know Muddy Waters was still recording stuff in 1977. This just sounds like a 50s album with enhanced production to me. To me, most blues of this ilk sounds all the same. As much as I like a good bluesy lick in a classic rock song, every actual blues album I've heard of this type is just a load of guitar and harmonica and no great songs putting their heads above the parapet. A number of these are old songs such as Mannish Boy, his most famous track. I'm sure he's a great talent and all, but not my bag.

This album concludes that I don't have interest in blues anymore

It was fine. That's all.

just not my thing i think! haven't really listened to blues for 10-odd years, and when i did i preferred it more acoustic, muddier (lol), deeper. this would be a killer kind of thing to see live but i don't get much out of sitting down and listening to it

i’m not a blues person myself nor i never heard a blues album. at first it felt fun, but then it kind of felt repetitive.

Cool sound, and I really liked it at the start, but this album is pretty one-note. Maybe I just didn't listen hard enough, but nothing really changes or develops throughout the album.

Classic blues

werd kein Blues-Fan mehr in meinem Leben

Hat mir nicht gefallen, war mir zu repititiv.

I didn't like it, but that's probably because that wasn't my style of music.

More mature than other of his albums. It sounds really well and it is a great comeback album to the rockier side of his discography. However, I'd much rather have 'Electric Mud' in the list as his magnus opus. 7/10 [SWAP]

You can tell a great deal of talent went into the making of this album. Not for me though.

Repetitive instrumentals, nothing catchy. It's a typical blues jazz/rock album, exactly what you would expect.

Ya heard one Muddy song and ya heard ‘em all. Opening track is a great starter, they just get very, very similar from there. Not a bad 15th album, maybe just ran out of ideas and new material. (2.2*s) Hoochie Coochie Man will likely make the 1001 List one more time…

Muddy is a blues classic and this album features his top track as the opener. I prefer the Yardbirds cover but still a great song. As for the rest of Hard Again, it's again, hard for me to distinguish any song from the other just like all blues. There is always the same guitar riff, with piano and harmonica accompaniment and a down-on-their-luck grumbler at the helm. Heard one blues song, heard 'em all. It's not bad though, just repetitive. I just got get older, drunker and less fortunate to have more appreciation I guess. Getting a slightly better rating than the previous live one from MW at 1.92 stars.

Well aware that Muddy Waters is a well respected legend of the blues genre. Many artists cite him as influential but I can't say I've ever listened to his music. That's definitely some growling blues. Pretty much the same song over and over again which I guess it to be expected. I have to admit I liked it more than some a lot of the other traditional blues as it was a little more upbeat. This felt like something to listen to on the front porch of a southern bar as opposed to a dark smokey late night lounge. It's not my genre for the most part but can appreciate it for what it is even if I'll never listen to it again. File it away with a lot of the other classic artists that have been passed by. Manish Boy was somewhat familiar from other versions I've heard from other artists. 1.86 stars