Reviews (page 5 of 13)
I love the blues so much. The guitar is stunning, it is so soulful and you listen and can't help but be drawn into the music. There is so much feel put into how the instruments are played. In Deep down in Florida, the harmonica feels like it's singing to you. 10/10 no notes.
love love love
Mannish boy: Dirty blues love the crowd sound Walking thru the park: nice swing groove, vibey.
Starting off with the quintessential Blues song, this album contains many greats, especially the opening track and, for me personally, “The Blues Had A Baby And Named It Rock”, and “Crosseyed Cat.” It also contains a couple of oddballs that prevent me from giving it a full five. But this is the Chicago Blues at its very finest!
some passionate blues
Mannish Boy!
Absolutely classic blues sound. Excellent harmonica use and guitar is so good so clean.
Damn I love the blues! I've always wanted to listen to Muddy Waters, just hadn't gotten around to it fully. I've loved what I've heard though, and this record is certainly no exception. Having been playing and recording the blues for decades at this point, Waters exudes comfort and absolute confidence in what he's doing. His presence is highly charismatic; the music itself feels almost more like a backdrop to him than anything else. That's not dismissing the other musicians on here, especially the absolutely fantastic James Cotton on harmonica, who even steals the show from Muddy Waters in a few stunning showcases of skill. Overall there's a good mix of more laid back storytelling and driving, raffish, blues mastery.
In the wise words of the 2020s trend: “Smash, next question”
I feel like a drunk man in a far west town's saloon.
Great blues — guitar riffs really good.
Geweldig blues album. Als ie eenmaal "the blues got soul" zingt, raakt dat me diep. Heerlijk hoe dit album de blues, soul en rock 'n' roll compleet omarmt en niet pretendeert wat anders te zijn dan wat het is. Simpel, uit het hart, prachtig 8
Need to relisten mostly for how good the melodies are- incredibly upbeat. A very pleasant listen.
Not normally a big blues fan but this album rocked. 7.5/10 would listen again
The Blue’s King Muddy Waters!
Really enjoyed. Loved the mixture of an old sound with a bigger, more modern production. Will listen again!
A really solid example of this type of blues. Really enjoyed it, great energy.
Ca 3mal glosst willi nie s review abgeh han. Und glaub je meh ichs glisst han desto besser. We feelin good today. 4 xmax lights and muddy tannebaum
Great record, but can’t touch the Chess sides or the Newport album. Seems odd that this one made the list.
I think I may have become a Hoochie Coochie Man just through listening to this.
One of, if not the, best to ever do it. This album was great.
bom, lembra led zeppelin
Morceau légèrement trop similaire malgré des moments de génies, bon dans l’ensemble
Ohhh so when people talk about the blues they mean this
Hard not to enjoy Muddy
Classic bluesy-blues. Muddy Waters is iconic & always a great listen. These are familiar songs, I enjoy his style & voice.
traditional blues lyrics used women, the devil, trains, etc. as allegories so they could complain about slavery, racism, and oppression without saying the quiet part out loud. Not that I think women should be used as a metaphor for slavery, but it was a different time! It does make modern white dudes covering/stealing the songs even more sus though. I don't have the receipts, but there are some really good essays out there that take a deep dive on the subject if you want to get your nerd on. That being said I enjoy some good horny blues.
It's a good, if standard, blues album - there's no denying Waters' place in history, but I don't find Hard Again to be unique among his catalog... with only space for 1001 albums, I may have picked an earlier work.
Pretty cool
I would have never thought this would be something I would listen to but I'm glad I did 8.5/10
Mannish Boy: 5/5 Bus Driver: 3/5 too long I want to be loved #2: 2/5 Jealous Hearted Man: 3/5 I Can't Be Satisfied: 3/5 The Blues Had a Baby...: 3/5 Deep Down in Florida: 4/5 Crosseyed Cat: 3/5 Little Girl: 1/5 Walkin' through the past: 2/5 While enjoyed it for the most part, the same blues groove over and over again gets tiresome. same goes for the repetitive sound of the harmonica, particularly in the later tracks.
I think Muddy Waters should be on the list. Electric blues is essential listening. There is a good amount of variation in each of the songs as well so it doesn't get too samey. My young kids were on board even for the first two tracks before they wanted me to play something else which is as great of praise as I could try to turn into words here.
Pure blue
Classic Chicago Blues! Can’t go wrong! However I think Muddy’s earlier stuff is better.
Johnny Winter's muscular production showcases Muddy Water's talents and enthusiasm for the material and the collaboration. This is pure Chicago Blues at it's finest.
Great groove.
Blues just scratches an itch in my brain every time I listen to it. what’s not to love about this album
A banger right from the opening track.
Some interesting lyrics
Muddy Waters is a legend!
Great comeback
Classic blues, in fact if I were to recommend a quintessential blues album I'd probably go for this one.
An excellent album with some 5 star songs!
meu mano águas lamacentas mandava muito puta merda
blues de ótima qualidade, hein. chei de energia, gaitinhas e guitarrinhas. divertidaço!!
Шикарно. Настоящий блюз, но при этом качественно записанный, с жирным звуком. Особенно впечатляет работа губной гармошки. Между 4 и 5. Половина треков прям мощнейшие
Well, it was a fun listen, and I probably wouldn't mind listen to it again once enough time has passed. The production is great and the performances are great (though sometimes too many things are vying for attention at the same time). But let's be real, how much can you listen to the same riff on repeat? You can walk away from this album for 5 minutes and come back and pretty much have missed nothing.
Playful joy
Pretty fire
Chock full of classic muddy waters songs, harmonica goes a bit too hard but that just the blues
Great Songs: Mannish Boy, Bus Driver, Jealous Hearted Man, Good Songs: I Want To Be Loved #2, The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Rock, Crosseyed Cat, Little Girl Mid Songs: I Can't Be Satisfied, Deep Down In Florida, Walkin' Thru The Park Bad Songs:
Love muddy waters. Not as good as his live album
Blues doesn't get much better than this. I've never been able to fully get into the blues because the repetitive nature of the songs gets to be a little too much for me, and that was part of my experience with this album. But Muddy Waters is obviously at the top of the mountain for the Blues and it was great to experience his music this way. The energy and conviction are incredible. The album is also mixed extremely well - perfectly balanced, every instrument comes through clearly, the whole album sounds amazing.
Blues again! Killer album by another esteemed blues man. Reading the Keith Richard's book got me digging into these blues cats. Really the essential blueprint of Rock and Roll. Chicago Blues at its finest
I wasn't sure if this was considered one of the essential blues releases out there, but public opinion seems to suggest so. I'm really only familiar with Muddy Waters by name, but that Chicago blues sound is always unmistakable and comfy to hear. "Mannish Boy" has pretty much all of the blues standards that you & I have heard. A pretty easy listen honestly, if not only for the fact that it's basically Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter & co. just jamming out.
Hard hitting blues by one of the masters.
Enformigt och ljuvligt. Vilken badass gubbjävel.
It's one hell of a sample of Chicago blues. From a modern perspective it's easy to hear pentatonic jams over a 12 bar blues and think it sounds cliched, but it would be silly to listen to one of the founders of the genre and complain that he fits too neatly into the genre conventions. This probably won't go in the usual rotation but I'm sure I'll pull up some Muddy Waters again if I find myself in the right mood.
Fun times. I don't know that I'd listen to it again, I'm not a huge blues person, but Mannish Boy nearly had me shouting along with the Yeahs in the background. It's really getting a four more for appreciation of the craftsmanship and the artist than how much I personally, subjectively liked it, but I can live with that. (Also didn't know about the Johnny Winter connection and late career revival. Neat!) probably not adding to collection but might listen to it down the road
Classic blues, so great. Not something I see myself revisiting often.
Very good blues album, good bits of rock can be heard in here that’s clearly been inspiration for many to come. 4/5
Damn good 2nd wave blues rock. I made my bones in my early teens with Muddy and I'll continue to appreciate him until I'm dead and cold. A particular standout on this is the track is Mannish Boy. I don't know how many versions of this track that I have listen to over the years but it never gets old. This particular version sounds like the one on Muddy's greatest hits album, although the vocal delivery in the intro and first verse sounds different. But alas. Timeless electrocharged blues rock. Cutting edge for '77 and still relevant in the big '25. As I used to say "bump this til your grandkids are sick of it".
Tänd en mental cigarett, häll upp ett dricksglas bourbon och ropa "HEY!". Detta är något annat än bluesbaren på Hornsgatan. Vif. Tunga musiker, tung gubbe. Härligt med hyfsat modern produktion. Nåja 1977 men det är inte inspelat via burktelefon som den mesta bluesen man hört. Sen känns det åtminstone som att allt är en tagning. Det gör detta till den bästa bluesen jag hört. Alla kör fullt blås hela tiden.
I never really liked "Mannish Boy" that much, which became a top-ten hit in The Netherlands in 1988, due to, by all means, a televised Levi's commercial. But listening closer to this album, I can really hear where the Stones, Faces, Led Zeppelin and other blues rock bands of the late sixties got their inspiration from, especially on "Bus Driver" or "I Can't Be Satisfied". "Hard Again" is in particular interesting because it's from 1977, not the '60s and it was Muddy's comeback album produced by Johnny Winter. So he was basically reclaiming his sound after watching white British and American bands make millions playing his style of blues. The raw energy on it is incredible. This is not bad - in fact, this is at times even better than the aforementioned bands. If you like them, you can't deny this album. I do, so 4/5.
very nice blues album nothing extraordinary
Klasyczny blues to nie jest do końca moja bajka. Mogę posłuchać, będzie to nawet fajne doświadczenie, ale sam po to raczej nie sięgnę. Mimo to kawał dobrej płyty, zasługuje na dobrą ocenę.
On it's own, this is a very good album. However compared to the records Muddy recorded earlier it's just missing something. Listen to the sides he recorded for Chess & before.
Classic blues, what's not to like
thoroughly enjoyed
Um album maravilhoso de se ouvir
Great vibes
Great blues.
C'était très sympa on ne s'ennuie pas
This is what I think of when I think of the blues. Classic.
I am rounding up - I wouldn't listen again out of choice as it was very samey, but oh wow that is a really great album in terms of musicianship and feeling! :)
Thank's Mud', I'm HARD again!
Tää on kova blueslevy
Two songs in and you feel like you’re front row at a club with Muddy just hammering you with the blues. The mix is so in your face, you can’t help but pay attention. The band is on point but loose; it’s not intricate or putting on airs, just full out, no holds barred. Really really good stuff.
A sound that became the template for oh many 60s/70s band. But he was the ORIGINAL!
A genre I dont listen to nearly enough, heavy vibes in the best way
Me when listening to Muddy Waters
Old school blues. The production feels raw and unpolished, the way it should be.
Some souuuuul right here
This was good. Mannish Boy is such a quality song, and the rest of the album held up a similarly gritty blues feeling. I would absolutely listen again.
Certainly a classic! Before listening to this album, I didn't realize how sad and horny Muddy Waters was.
This is as classic of a blues album as you can get. Blue and simple
This is what plays in my head when I picture the blues. The guitar absolutely rips on this album. Even though a lot of the songs sound similar due to the style of music, I still really enjoyed my listen through. I have always wanted to listen to some Muddy Waters but have never given him the time of day until now, was not disappointed. Random side note, there used to be this rib place at the Forks called Muddy Waters, I have a distinct memory as a kid getting nachos there, and I remember them being soooo good, when in reality they were probably just regular nachos with cheese. Anyways, that restaurant was named after this guy, when I thought it was because the rivers in Winnipeg looked muddy. I also say 'was' as it closed down years ago... I will never be able to confirm if the nachos were actually as good as I remember...
One of the greats
I like blues, but sometimes gets a little repetitive. Good album!
Wow, du bon blues comme dans le temps ! Un peu plus rock, quand même, mais c’est un agréablement changement de tout ces albums de southern rock que j’ai du écouter depuis le début de ce projet. À réécouter.
This is the best harmonica I’ve ever heard. Soulful singing, great guitar and piano
Oh yeah, this is the blues. I love how he basically has two voices on this record- his actual voice, and the way he makes the guitar talk. Even if it were only one or the other on the recording, you would be able to feel the music and message he's telling you. The other instruments compliment those voices incredibly well, especially the way the harmonica adds to the whole feel. And feel is what the blues is all about. My only real negative is that it does get repetitive. There wasn't much diversity in the tone or instrumentation for the album's run. It wasn't that bad listening to it, but the style causes a number of songs to blend together rather than feel distinct. That's more of a quibble than a real criticism, since the simplicity is part of the beauty of it. Other than that, it's more just personal preference, since I generally like a little more "rock" mixed in over straight blues. Still, this had a decent amount of rock feel. Really, really good record. Overall: 4/5
no nonsense
Blues with lyrics that live up to the album title. Throughout the record Waters is letting you know he's cooler than you and his accompanying musicians also shred.
Really good jamming music. Could listen to this all night playing in the street. Never a dull moment
Raucous bluegrass. Is it guitar or harmonica? You may question it. Answer: it's usually guitar. Doesn't matter the bpm of the song, they all have wicked rhythm and make you want to move. The lyrics seem as though he has a bad time with women though.
Swampy
Fire. Straight fire. Blues all up in your face from the first note of Mannish Boy. Muddy’s slow southern drawl works perfectly with the electric energy of the guitar and the bouncing harmonica on every track. This was a great return to some solid music, despite being almost 50 years old. Would listen to this again and definitely will soon.
Classic blues album by influential and legendary guitar player. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs Mannish Boy Bus Driver Jealous Hearted Man The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll Little Girl
Muddy Waters kicked down the studio door and reminded everyone who invented the Chicago blues. 🔥
Some great stuff here with a lot of heart and soul.
A pleasure to listen to. I love how Waters' is so easily able to transition between the original blues styles and the electric style. Nothing seems to be lost. A master of his craft. The album starts with a bang with that quintessential Chicago Blues sound. Tracks like "I Want to Be Loved" showcase Waters' playful side and mastery of guitar. "I Can't Be Satisfied" shows us that even stripping it down back to a more acoustic sound, Waters is a virtuoso. Overall, a fabulous album and representation of the style. Though it's called the blues, I feel as though you'd have a hard time being blue listening.
Absolutely fantastic blues
holy shit This was definitely from an era when white rock musicians and sketch comedians were taking their turn at getting what they could out of proximity to legendary untouchable black musicians that had been toiling in near obscurity outside mainstream pop music for decades. See also: John Belushi BUT the music is legit as hell; this is Waters and his touring band just throwing their shit down in a studio, and producer Johnny Winters is smart enough to just get out of their fucking way. Pinetop Perkins on piano! Unreal
Mannish boy!
Beast!
Cool, energetic, even intense. So good. It’s a minor quibble, but maybe the vocals/lyrics could be a little more prominent (vs. all that harmonica) on some of the songs. I’d give this 4.5 stars if I could.
Late Muddy. He sounds great, as does the band. The best songs on here are re-recordings of a few from the 1950s. Recorded in three days.…the way it should be.
If you don’t think this guy is cool as fuck there’s something wrong with you.
4.1 incredible vocals, range & instrumentals. I'm a hoochie-coochie man
Proper blues. Lovely stuff.
A consistently solid album. My criticism is exactly that though - if the same song played twice in the album I probably wouldn't notice
What a great classic blues artist!
Blues massa
Wow, these songs sound amazing. So good. Muddy Waters sound incredible and his backing musicians are on-point.
Nice
Really really good but somebody needs to tell old boy to take a breath and put the harmonica down once in a while.
What a listen. Great stuff.
I don’t know why, but I’ve always felt familiar with blues music. Maybe it’s the seamless way the musicians lock together - riffing, improvising, and still sounding like a cohesive unit. Some people in my group discussion found this album to be a drag, but for me it’s the opposite. Hard Again is a jam. It’s musically incredible, and it’s the kind of record I could throw on anytime. This was Muddy Waters’ big comeback in 1977, produced by Johnny Winter, and it brought him roaring back into the spotlight after a quieter stretch in his career. You can feel that energy here. It’s raw, powerful, and deeply rooted in the blues tradition while still sounding alive and immediate.
På den ene side bliver den her genre meget monoton - man skal kunne lide det der "dudu-du-dudu-du-dudu-du-du...du-du-duuuuu" blues riff for at kunne lide det her album. På den anden side bliver numrene aldrig for lange, bandet lyder sygt godt, og det lyder som om alle nød at indspille det (hele albummet blev åbenbart indspillet på 3 dage??) Jeg smilede i hvert fald hele vejen igennem, så det trækker jo op
Fun album! Great blues - Makes me want to by a harmonica
Heví næs blús.
Muddy waters slaps.
I wanna be the hype man screaming in the background.
The 12 bar element has its limitations - but nobody does 12 bar blues better than this. Low 4/5
Lowest 3, a bit repetitive but damn it’s that sound
Big fan of this. Should listen more
Solid blues album
I like Chicago/Delta blues in moderation.l, so maybe not an entire album in one go. I really liked that part about the cat licking his balls.
album is great. sounds like the blues but also kinda like rock. or electric? some of the instrumentals just hit the right spots in my brain! great listen and fun throughout it.
Really fun
Just good solid blues.
If you like your blues electrified and from Chicago, this is your album. The sound quality and performances are wildly good. My only gripe is the harmonica is a bit much at times. A few of these tracks sound like they were recorded live, and the recording is so clear that with the volume up you feel like you're in the room. So between the vitality of the performances and the remarkable clarity of the recording, this record just feels good to listen to. Even if you don't have the blues. FOUR STARS
Some really solid blues track with Muddy Waters putting on his A-game
One of those albums filled with songs that I have heard before but never knew the names of the artist of the songs.
4/5 - SOLID ALBUM!!! IT WAS SO GOOD!!! I LOVED IT!!!
I loved this. I don't listen to the blues often, but it was soo good. Loved the guitar licks and his voice
I'll preface this review by saying I've never been a "blues guy" - I know many people in my life that love this music (and rightly so, there's a lot to love) - I've just never really gotten it. Muddy is a legend, undoubtedly, and helped to translate where Robert Johnson started to a whole new audience with his electrified Chicago sound. His talent and influence are clearly on display here and this for me went from 3 to 4 stars just based on who this man was. I do love the raw Delta blues influence here rather than maybe a more polished BB King sound - my hot take is that there is only so much you can do with a 12-bar blues pattern, and there often just isn't enough variety for me to hold my interest across a whole album. My favorite song here might actually be the acoustic "I Can't Be Satisfied" just because it was so different from the relentless shred surrounding it. One other musical critique - the overdriven harmonica originally started out being awesome, but became way too much by the end, I felt it made the music too busy and cluttered a lot of the verses, could have used more space to breathe. All in all this is really good, I just have to acknowledge my own personal limitations when it comes to interacting with this style of music.
I was in from the opening kick.
Really enjoyed - not a big blues fan as a rule, but great album
"Mannish Boy" - 4 "Bus Driver"- 5 "I Want to Be Loved"- 5 "Jealous Hearted Man"- 5 "I Can't Be Satisfied"-4 "The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll, Pt. 2"-4 "Deep Down in Florida"-4 "Crosseyed Cat"-5 "Little Girl"-4 "Walking Through The Park"-4 Solid 4/5
"Mannish Boy" - 4.5 a classic, but little too repetitive/long for modern tastes "Bus Driver"- 4.5 see above "I Want to Be Loved"- 4 "Jealous Hearted Man"- 3.5 "I Can't Be Satisfied"- 3.5 "The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll, Pt. 2"- 4 "Deep Down in Florida"- 4 "Crosseyed Cat"- 4 "Little Girl"- 3.5 "Walking Through The Park"- 3.5
Blues for people who like noodlin. And I was fresh out of musical noodles.
Chicago blues og electric blues revival. Det var jo lavet i en tid hvor punk osv disco var dominerende, men viste at blues stadig var very real. Jeg elsker lyden af mundharmonika og guitar osv så det er et kæmpe plus for mig. Jeg synes hele albummet er godt men har svært ved sådan at adskille sangene. Men den overordnede følelse og vibe af albummet kan jeg rigtig godt lide. Handler om stolthed, overlevelse, seksualitet og rå livskraft
“62-year-old Muddy (...) kicked ass, hard, again.” What more do you really need to say past this excerpt from the reissue liner notes? Waters was undoubtedly a master of the blues, and on the first of his last three acclaimed albums, he comes out swinging, and doesn’t stop until the last ‘plink’ is played on the piano. The first track, Mannish Boy, is the most recognisable and probably the best track on here, but that shouldn’t let you be deterred from experiencing the remaining 40-or-so minutes of blues excellence. There’s never a dull moment, quite literally, the instruments continue pounding and Waters’ iconic voice continues soaring throughout. An essential blues record, despite being released far past the genre’s heyday. It just gave Muddy time to master his craft even more.
This one gets into your bones.
Fun album I have heard Muddy Waters but never really listened I enjoyed it
Eighty-nine albums in, and "Hard Again" by Muddy Waters is my first blues review. The album hits the ground running with the one-two-three punch of "Mannish Boy," "Bus Driver," and "I Want to Be Loved," and the quality is pretty much maintained throughout. Produced by a dedicated Johnny Winter, this comeback album is pure, blues—gritty, powerful, and thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. A solid four stars. Would I listen to this album again? Yes. Would I buy this album? Possibly! 1- "Mannish Boy" - An iconic, famous tune. First recorded in 1955 on the Chess label.- 5 2- "Bus Driver" - Just wonderful. - 5 3- "I Want to Be Loved" - Classic Willie Dixon song. - 5 4- "Jealous Hearted Man" - 4 5 "I Can't Be Satisfied" - 3 Side two 1- "The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll, Pt. 2" - Great guitar solos. - 5 2- "Deep Down in Florida" - 4 3- "Crosseyed Cat" - This is sublime. Boogie, swing and the Blues. 5 4- "Little Girl" - 4 Total - 40 Average - 4.44 89/1001
I really enjoyed this album. Is it a bit repetitive at times? Sure. But the energy, feeling, and passion are excellent throughout. Mannish Boy was an excellent way to start. This reminded me a lot of Bad to the Bone by George Thorogood, which undoubtedly borrowed from Muddy’s song. I Want To Be Loved #2 was another highlight for me. A couple of great songs that have been added to my library. Nothing else truly stood out to me, but that doesn’t mean they were bad songs. It was all just very solid with these two significant highlights and really no low lights. All in all, a very fun listen.
This is 50 minutes of 12-bar blues music. But it's 50 minutes of some BANGING 12-bar blues, with one of the best blues songs of all time kicking it off.
Volvemos al reto después de una pausita por estar escuchando otras músicas con Muddy Waters y con el comienzo de septiembre. Una bestia del blues y uno de los músicos que sentó las bases del rock. Como de otros tantos artistas de esas épocas, sólo he escuchado temas sueltos, así que ahora me sumerjo por primera vez en un álbum completo. El álbum arranca con "Mannish boy", un standard del blues, acá regrabado y hasta más sexi. El disco continúa en ése mood, con canciones más largas o más cortas. El blues en cierto momento se vuelve hipnosis y deja el espíritu en un estado de bienestar. No lo había pensado pero es así. Gracias por la sugerencia musical y hasta mañana.
Do love it, but 45 mins starts to feel repetitive.
An enjoyable listen.
3.5
3.5
This is definitely one of those albums where if I was exposed to it earlier in life I probably would have loved it a lot more. But my many years in Memphis and seeing a lot of bar bands do this kind of Blues ad nauseam, has really softened my appreciation for electric blues. That being said this is a fine example of it and much early on then the kind of rote blues I was exposed to in the 90s. Still I don't think he was Reinventing the wheel as much as carving another notch in his legacy on this album. It's a good album, actually a really good album, but I think his Chess material over shadows this album by a good margin. (8.4) ★★★★
I mean it’s Muddy Waters 🤷🏼♂️ This is great
Listening to the album made me instantly hungry for BBQ because I feel like every BBQ joint has this album on repeat
I really wish I could see this live Best Song: Mannish Boy Rating: 8.5/10 Stars: 4/5
This is so incredibly chill
Fabulous album. Filled with energy, it’s the blues but good detail a true craftsman. A keeper.
A lot of harmonica
Johnny Winter produced
Feels like you're right there. Doesn't get more real than this.
The "yeahs" screamed throughout by his backing musicians are maybe a precursor to early hip hop hypemen grunting "uh huh" and "yo! yo! check it!" and whatever else? Anyway, they're fucking amazing. This album rules.
If anyone wants to hear quintessential blues, this is it. Energizing and masterful.
This album kind of cooks. Also my musical knowledge is enhanced by finally hearing Mannish Boy vis a vis Bad to the Bone.
Good soul / rock n roll album. Pleasant listen all throughout. However, includes some bloated songs without significant change of pace, melody or style. +Mannish boy
Hadn't listened ti him before, it's a good guitar record and his work was astounding in this one. The blues and true sound of it makes it a special one.
Classic album. Would listen to this again no problem.
Really great instrumentals, though they got somewhat repetitive. I love how the pace picked up at the end of "Walkin' Thru the Park". Muddy's voice is pretty good!
88/100. fiery instrumentation and commanding vocals. A lively, endlessly enjoyable blues experience.
This album goes hard. The title is earned, and I would happily return to it.
cabilla
If you don't like Muddy Waters you don't like blues. If you don't like blues, and like rock, then your are confused. IDK, In high at 8000', so in at least two contexts. Enough said.
Mannish Boy 4.5 Bus Driver 4 I Want to Be Loved 4 Jealous Hearted Man 3.9 I Can't Be Satisfied 4 The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll, Pt. 2 3.8 Deep Down in Florida 3.8 Crosseyed Cat 3.7 Little Girl 3.5 Score: 3.911111111
blues rehashed but still legendary
Some classics
I take back what I said about this kind of blues. This was very fun.
This was a great choice for today, I loved the party atmosphere that it evokes. The backing vocals shouting, the wild harmonica parts. Brilliant.
A staple of blues, something very different from most of this list. However, it felt a bit long.
Muddy Waters is one of the best delta blues musicians ever. This record is great and influenced one of my favorite bands, Clutch. Great listen front to back, high energy and tight band.
Pretty good overall, really swingy and catchy. You just want to scream and dance
This is some good ol' blues, but not the kind that makes you want to wallow in the corner and cry into your beer. This album flows so well and every song has such a bouncy upbeat vibe to it, that you can help but bop your head along. Favorite tracks: Mannish Boy, I Want to Be Loved #2, Crosseyed Cat
4.5
Solid album for a Blues record I'd say, though not a ton of songs I'd hold on to.
Mannish Boy - 5/5 Bus Driver - 4/5 I Want to Be Loved - 3/5 Jealous Hearted Man - 4/5 I Can't Be Satisfied - 3/5 The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll (#2) - 5/5 Deep Down in Florida - 3/5 Crosseyed Cat - 3/5 Little Girl - 4/5 Average score: 3.8/5 (rounding up) not really a big fan of blues. i know it's an important and influential genre but it gets old real quick for me (hence the decline in song ratings toward the end). i can't justify this getting fewer than 4 stars tho
After having Clapton and Jack White recently, what a great joy to get the real deal with Muddy Waters. I'm not even a blues fan Dan but this is immaculate stuff.
Blues entretenido, piedra angular de todo el rock que vendría.
Great album and fun to listen to. Iconic of a genre
Obviously a legend of the Chicago blues, this album is most likely listed because of the famous recording of Mannish Boy. It sounds absolutely fantastic (and has the great Pinetop Perkins on piano) but I still prefer Folk Singer, or Fathers and Sons.
Mannish boy is so iconic that everyone knows coming up with some random off the cuff blues song to the tune. This is an incredibly way to start an album and honestly I think it stays very high for quite a while. It is a bit samey so there is a bit of ear fatigue but I think that is a factor of the genre more than anything else. Never listened to Muddy Waters in LP form but yeah this record is well put together.
Now THIS is the Muddy I know. Down 'n dirty. I've got it on vinyl. That is all.
Insane aura of this album. What rippin rockin rollin good time.
Soul
Ladies and gentlemen, Muddy Waters gives you the blues. Starts off with the kick in the ass Mannish Boy and just keeps hitting you with classic guitar blues. Why does this album sound so good? Well, because it's not just the legendary Waters. Producing and lending additional guitar is Johnny Winters. Top five all-time harmonica player James Cotton features prominently. Influence 5, Quality 4, Intagibles 4, personal taste 4.
Delightfully unadulterated blues from an abstract legend. These guys sound like they had a lot of fun making this record.
Love the blues especially BB King; Muddy Waters a true original; I found the album heavy on "talking" ~
I'll be honest, my reaction to seeing this one come up was "not *another* Muddy Waters album!" It's not even that I disliked the last one or anything, I just thought I wasn't in the mood for blues today. But before Mannish Boy was over, I had it properly proven to me that there's probably not really such a thing as not in the mood for Muddy Waters. The title's totally not a lie, this album really *does* go harder than most rockers can even imagine!
Enjoyed this one.
I haven’t looked at the average rating yet, but I’m guessing this one probably lands below 3 stars. That wouldn’t surprise me. Blues albums don’t always get much credit, especially on lists filled with flashier genres. Still, I’ve always liked blues and this album reminded me why. Muddy Waters sounds like a man who still has something to prove. His voice is raw and steady, and his band backs him up with grit and swagger. "Mannish Boy" kicks things off strong and sets the tone for the rest of the album.
3.8. Muddy Waters voice and guitar work on the album are fantastic.
Late career resurgence for Muddy. He’s still got it at the time of this recording. Great blues record.
first time being exposed to chicago blues. I love it.
Good blues album
Nice.
Classic blues.
Good stuff! Bluesy, great jam and unexpectedly funny lyrics.
I mean, it's Muddy Waters. This is a fantastic blues record, but that's to be expected, and he sounds great here. This record is polished, but still has that grit you expect from blues. A worthy inclusion to this list.
I did not expect to like this so much
Estupendo. Terminas el disco queriendo limpiar una escopeta en tu porche mientras estás borracho.
god I LOVE THE BLUES. haven't listened to much blues but this album was such a vibe all the way through
Never heard this before but Chicago Blues is right up my street, and feels like I’ve been listening to it for years.
Old master evolving
Best Song: Mannish Boy I'm not the biggest straight blues fan but this is a quintessential blues album. Mannish Boy is a damn masterpiece.
In an uncertain world, it’s always good to start the day with a song that begins “Everything gon’ be alright this morning”. There then follows 50 minutes of gloriously raw, foot stomping blues from one of the all time greats, recorded in just three days with a very live feel to it. It’s one of those albums where it feels like you are in the room with the band, listening to them play.
Really entertaining and up-tempo blues album. It is almost rock in many occasions.
Loved this. Muddy and the whole band sound all loose, reckless, in to it. Mannish Boy is a jam, but tons of the other songs were kicking it. The drummer is an assassin and everybody sounds awesome. Fun one.
Ripper
Really good album. Did not expect that
Ну это Мадди, больше люблю его ранние альбомы, но тоже ничего
Yes! I love the blues! ... but not all the time. This record is phenomenal and a classic. Love it.
4 Muddy Waters left us authentic Delta Blues, practically invented the more Electric brand that was synonymous with Chicago, and revived the Blues on its own in the Seventies. Backed by some members of his last band, Johnny Winter and others, Waters sounds primal here. Not his last gasp, but one long deep cleansing breath of what the Blues was meant to sound like.
Classic album. A bit redundant but Muddy Waters is great
Excellent deep-south blues
A Muddy Waters album from the 70s, produced by Johnny Winter. Good stuff, sounds surprisingly clean and polished.
Hard Again is exactly what I want from a blues record—raw, full of swagger, and played by people who clearly live and breathe this music. I think what makes it hit so well is the energy; it doesn’t feel like an old legend going through the motions, it feels alive and kicking. That’s probably thanks to Johnny Winter’s sharp production and the band behind it, who are all firing on every cylinder. Right from the growl that kicks off “Mannish Boy,” you know you're in for something fun. I do like how the album balances grit with groove. Tracks like “I Want to Be Loved” and “The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll” feel playful, confident, and full of charm. It’s not reinventing anything, but it’s bringing the blues back with teeth, and I think that’s what makes it so enjoyable. For me, it’s one of the better late-career records out there—just a joy to play loud.
cool af
Now when I was a young boy at the age of 5 my mother said I was gon be the greatest man alive but now I’m a man way past 21 I want you to believe me baby I had lots of fun.
Bleueeeeee
Du bon blues, des bonnes guitares! (Désolé de la critique courte)
Geralmente não gosto muito de blues elétrico, acho que é algo que ficou muito no início da minha adolescência, mas incrível ver como tem alma nesse disco. Fiquei especialmente maravilhado com o som de gaita.
I didn't really know Muddy's music before this, but dang was this a lot of fun, and to read this was a comeback album?! I'm excited to hear the rest, sure it was absolutely classic formulaic blues, but it was damn fine.
i respect the blues and this is good, i just dont love full blues albums usually
LOVED! felt like it was delroy lindo’s character from sinners
365/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
A damn good blues album, oozing with grit and soul. But nearing the end I was starting to think, "okay... this is too much blues in one sitting"
idk how he manages to make one riff over and over and over and over again sound so compelling….but i guess that’s rock & roll at the end of the day!!! i love slide guitars. i love johnny winter’s “miscellaneous screams”. i even love that crazy harmonica that sounds more like a guitar than anything else…how’d he do that?! also muddy waters is a friend of the band the band so he’s like my blorbo-in-laws’ blorbo. fav tracks: mannish boy; i want to be loved #2; i can’t be satisfied; the blues had a baby…; deep down in florida
I listened to this Friday before work and thought it was decent - maybe 3.5. I didnt pick it up again until Monday night when I started checking reviews. The 5s I saw were insanely positive, so I convinced myself I missed something lol - kind of a rare thing for me to read reviews before writing my own, but this was a good wake up call I still didnt like Manish Boy. Bus Driver is awesome - loved the long harmonica solos. Slide guitar is perfect on I cant be satisfied. Walkin Through The Park sounds like the Doors doing blues on LA Woman. Really fun. Unsolicited opinion on the blues: There isnt much variation. The positive part of that tradeoff is you start to ignore the progression and really fall into the energy dynamics being the main focus One last thing: all this blues made me think of possibly my favorite place to listen to live music in SF - The Saloon in North Beach. If you haven’t been, get yourself there on a Saturday night. A couple of drinks later and youll be dancing to the house blues band du jour in total force
Listened on 5/23/25 4/5 Favorite song: Mannish Song It may be because I just saw the Sinners movie but I really fucked with this folk album and Muddy Waters and his band are incredibly talented
Blues is a genre I want to dive into more. The production is great, performance is tight, lots to like here. Think I'll revisit this one. 4 1=Crap that shouldn't be here 2=I didn't like it but get why it's here 3=I thought it was ok or even like it, get why it's here, but won't revisit 4=I like it, will revisit 5=This is some of the best music I've ever heard and will continue listening to it
Never listened to more than a song before. Great, straight ahead blues.
Really cool blues album!
This is pretty great. Muddy Waters is a legend of course. There is a certain drive that pushes this record on and on. I suppose this would be perfect for a roadtrip.
Grei blues, litt kjedelig
Holds up well as a classic blues album. A bit one-note, with many of the songs blending together, similar progressions. But it's all listenable, excellent, emotive. I stuck a couple tracks on the playlist for later listening.
You can hear a lotta echoes from the future when you listen to this one
This is great! I am not the biggest fan of the blues, but I am fan of this.
Very bluesy and soulful. I dig it. 3.5/5
Never a dull moment. Vibed with the whole thing. Some of the guitar solos sounded pretty similar in each of the songs but still a vibe. Great voice and some great soul. 7/10
Music history right here. I'm personally not too interested in blues generally speaking but I will absolutely not deny this artist's significance and influence to the genre and countless artists beyond. This is the crème de la crème if you're looking for authentic blues.
“Little girl, little girl You know your kisses taste like The sugar you use in tea” The 1970s was a very different time. Despite the above, I really enjoyed this! Love me some electric blues!
Good stuff for me.
4/5
A classic
Had me toe tappin' through Friday morning.
This was great. I feel like there's a band that samples rifts from the song "Mannish Boy" like "Bad to the Bone" or something? Didn't like this as much as other Jazz albums but still fantastic.
Not a fan of the blues (at least what I’ve listened to at bars) but this was rad. Tight, and not overdone or overplayed. A real enjoyable piece of music
Again?? Don’t look at me like that, Muddy. I will not assist you with this. Oh that Muddy. What a scamp! Oh, hello! I didn’t see you there, you’ve caught me at an inopportune time as a long deceased blues man appeared to have been propositioning me for some sort of romantic rendezvous. Before I ensnare Mr. Waters in some sort of Me Too-esque snafu, let’s figure out what he has to say on this album. Hopefully we can distract him somehow. Mannish Boy - Oh HELL yeah. I need the screaming background man in my general life. Every time I shut down some dumb email, I need some blues hype man screaming YEAH. As stated in my previous email “WOOOO.” This thing was thrilling right off the bat, but I dint know if I needed this exact riff for 5 minutes, but still a classic. Bus Driver - The most honourable job of them all. I look forward to 7 minutes of hearing about this. WHAT? He stole his woman. Oh god. Betrayal of the highest order by the man who is supposed to whisk you to within a 45 minute walk of your destination, late and with a disenfranchised grimace behind his protective plexiglass. Who would’ve thunk it?? This is a long song. Not bad, but probably not 7 minutes worth of stuff here. Although finding out a guy named “Pine Top” Perkins is tickling the ivories makes this whole thing worth it. I Want to Be Loved - Woman mentioned!!! YEEEAAHHHH. I celebrate because people usually just used to say “little baby tiny infantile girl” in this era. Got to rejoice when age appropriate love is mentioned. Fun song. Jealous Hearted Man - The passion continues to fly off the uhh page? Into my ears. Whatever dude. My nonexistent writing career died with this endeavour. Might as well keep digging the linguistic grave. Here lies my verbal ability. But yeah, the energy in these tracks is insane: how is this a late career album? I Can’t Be Satisfied - I Can’t Never Be Satihi. He really shortened that puppy up. This is a quieter song, in the style of Holes the movie from like 2003 The Blues Had a Baby and They Named it Rock and Roll - Blues and Rockabilly were in the closet making babies, and the baby looked at me and it said it was a Mannish boy, and then it spelled “Man” with an “ooh child.” Stupid babies need the most attention. Anyway. Decent track. I appreciate the lack of contraction on “Rock AND Roll.” Deep Down in Florida - Let me tell you something JACK, down in Clearwater beach in Tampa Florida, the Hulkster was down on the beach clanging the weights around and I looked to Brother Bruti and I said, HEY DUDE, IS THAT LARS ULRICH OF METALLICA? Lars asked me to join Metallica and also play Cliff Burton in the upcoming biopic, but I said, no way DUDE, I need to defend America from the Libs at SummerSlam. Whatcha gonna do when the largest arms in the world are attached to the biggest moron in Florida. Uh this song is good! Crosseyed Cat - Another good song. Blues doesn’t do all that much in the way of variety, does it. At least the energy stays UP. Ugh I don’t want that to be some sort of erection pun. I already did that bit. Whatever. Little Girl - And here it is. Small infant child ooooh you’re so young and juvenile. Why are we like this? Gross lyrically, and fittingly, probably the most boring song going. Although that guitar solo does go very hard. This is one of the toughest ratings to conjure up in a long time. On one hand, if I was in the room while this was being played live, it’d probably be 10 stars and I’d be passed out in a pool of tears and sweat. Might even be some blood in that pool. You know, to complete the idiom. On the other hand, these songs are not really “songs.” I can’t remember choruses for the most part and this don’t stick out to me as an album experience. That really doesn’t matter though. The music is enjoyable and the instruments sound so incredibly raw. This thing is powered by a thousand viagras, Pine Top Perkins, and the gravity of love. Let that muddy river roll right into the vaunted annals of positively reviewed albums. The walls in this temple are sparse, so plenty of room for that sick guitar tone to resonate. 3.5-4 HIGHLIGHTS: Mannish Boy, I Want to Be Loved, Can’t be Satisfied, Deep Down in Florida
I’m slowly growing more familiar with blues so this is a very inexperienced critique, but this just felt like a quintessential blues album. If I look up blues in the dictionary I think this starts playing. May not be an every day listen for me but I did enjoy it.
Yes!!!!!!
Boyish man
pleasantly surprised by this album. i like the blues but it’s never my top choice of genre so i thought this wouldn’t be spectacular. i listened to it in one earbud while playing softball so i wasn’t paying attention but the songs kept catching my ear i lowkey regret not waiting and listening to this later.
hehe hard again lol, the first song has the most streams very typical blues not bad tho. This first song is doing a lot of building its not terrible, I wish the riffs would switch up, from the blues i have listened to that's not super common but it does get slightly boring over the course of five minutes. I think that song did a fine job avoiding it getting to bad however. Second Track: nice I like the solos for each different instrument, this is probably a classic blues album but cause of that its just kinda an average blues album.
flink blues
Fun! I liked the second song most, but great to cook to.
Produced by Johnny Winter--now there's a name I haven't heard in a while. My dad used to have one of his albums on vinyl, and several Muddy Waters album. Anyway, this is solid blues. 4/5.
A legend.
Can’t really go wrong with this one
Vinyl: Want Fav: Blues Had a Baby
Oh yeah, let's go! From the jump this one lands. Iconic blues, the master at work. I'm just a dumb Midwest white boy, but I'm not sure there's a better conduit from the blues to the masses than this record.
The soul in this is just next level. Mannish boy is a killer opener, this is original blues that can never be replicated. 8/10.
I'm not usually a blues guy, but this album brings such incredible energy. It's undeniable. The production is also great. 4⭐️
Great blues album, beautifully written and executed.
Brilliant rhythm and chaos. I can't say on weather this is hard AGAIN* seen as I haven't heard his previous work but I know I felt the power here. Fun all the way through. My absolute favourites are Mannish Boy, Bus Driver and The Blues Had a Baby... Never heard of this before yesterday but glad I listened.
Niceeeee
Very good. Was impressed by the recording and producing quality. I think I never listened to a 70s blues album.
Good intro for me into more classic blues. MW is from Chicago
'Bad to the Bone' was definitely "inspired" by 'Mannish Boy' from this album... Also, I rly dig 'I Want to Be Loved #2', especially how the instruments complement to round off that groove.
This is a fantastic blues album. I could have done without “The Blues had a baby..” but the rest of this album is dope! 1001 album worthy: yes - 67/124
Really liked what I heard
Solid blues
This one took me a while to come around to, as I don't normally find Blues very interesting. The first couple of times it just sounded like the same song over and over again. Had another listen today though with the "good" headphones, and it sounds great. The production is impeccable, especially the guitar and drums. His singing is great too. Main standouts for me were Mannish Boy, I Can't Be Satisfied, The Blues Had A Baby..., and Deep Down in Florida.
great blues album! Gave me those bluesclub vibes!
purr 4/5
Fantastic blues from Da Man!
Just an excellent blues album.....sounded a lot older than the 70's, in the best way.
Really good stuff. A couple tracks I thought were just alright, but they were still nice to listen to. I Can't Be Satisfied and Crosseyed Cat are incredible
[pointing at my old-timey record player doing poggers face] they did the blues thing!
Better than the HM Surf
9/10 WOW, such an infectious and insanely fun Blues record, not only being one of the most obvious classics of the genre but being one of the most exhilarating classics I’ve heard so far. In love with the guitar and harmonica by James Cotton in particular, fucking peak. Accurate album title for me in particular
When you think of Blues, you think of Muddy Waters (or you shoud anyway) His voice and musical skill is unrivalled, this album is phenomenal and I can hear the fun they had recording this which makes it all the better. I particularly enjoyed "I can't be satisfied". Unfortunately the album is all very samey, and for the lack of variety I have to drop a star.
Back in the day I was fortunate enough to see Muddy Waters in concert, as opening act for Eric Clapton. This album is classic blues music from one of the legends of blues.
Such a strong opening track and it keeps on rocking out old school style.
I liked this a lot! He just defines the blues. A few songs felt like they went on a little long (like the Blues Brothers were making their escape or something). Bus Driver made me laugh “my baby left me for a bus driver. He used to give her rides during the day and now she gives him rides at night” haha classic
Was never exposed to much Blues but I liked this. Not sure if I’d listen every day but can appreciate the history and influence on other music.
pretty good. just classic blues. timeless!
Jolliest album cover I’ve ever seen
Would like to be the guy yelling in the background, I think I’d be good at that
Grew up hearing stuff like this, so it will always be pleasing to the ears. Muddy's got the nicest, deepest blues going!