Hard Again

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.

Some notable songs, I’m really not into this kind of music so it feels a bit lost on me. Mannish Boy is very recognisable drums

Same song for 40 mins

There was zero chance I was ever giving this less than 5 stars

Great blues playing, harmonica work is excellent, a little repetitive maybe

LOVED this! Great vibes

The gravelly voice. The honkytonky keys. The SHREDDING guitar. Even the harmonica has a wail of a good time here. LAWD HAVE MERCY. My new favourite colours are blue and black.

Johnny Winters, Muddy, and his road band, stripped down to the essentials. Phenomenal.

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.

To me this feels older than 1977. 'Mannish Boy' sounds a lot like 'Bad to the Bone', but it turns out there's a whole list of songs from the 50s on that use the same riff. (Guitar stuff isn't my area of expertise!) Anyway, if I were in the mood to listen to "oldies", this would fit the bill. There's something sociologically interesting about the first track being all "I'm a man, not a boy" (valid) and the last track being all "little girl! I want to be your man" (hm), but no need to muddy the waters with all that.

Such a strong opening track and it keeps on rocking out old school style.

Blues perfection. They just sounded like they were having a great time recording it.

Man, I’m not even a blues guy, but I guess when it’s literally Muddy Waters, that doesn’t matter. This just hit me good yesterday. It’s perfect! A true master of his craft. Sounded like a party I wanted to be at!

I find it easy to take the blues for granted. To hear the 12 bars as musical cliche; preconfigured by a thousand parodies, always already a relic whose symbolic potency is the preserve of historians, presumably. I also find it easy to park my car dangerously close to my letter box, though. Muddy Waters, here in his seventh decade, is perhaps peerless in terms of influence on 20th century music. The man himself is so abundantly present in this record that you’re almost forced to grapple with the idea that he IS the blues; likewise, it’s tempting to read his biography through the stylistic lens of the genre he pioneered (or to take that idea to it’s logic end: what’s music history if not one long call and response?). I listened to Hard Again four times through, letting the ridiculous assumptions I’d made about blues steadily undo themselves like knots in muscle. What I heard on first pass was what I thought I was hearing. Second time through I heard the record properly for the first time. Third time I got to letting myself be swept away by the sheer charisma of it. Fourth time was because I couldn’t think of anything better to put on. Across the record Muddy Waters corals a rowdy collection of players, serving as leader and focal point for the flow of some truly electrifying musicianship. “Jealous Hearted Man”, “Little Girl” and “Walkin’ Thru the Park” get my personal nod (there was a lot of nodding across the repeated listens, truth be told) … but I can imagine it going another way on another day. It’s perhaps slightly cruel to say so, but for evidence of the all encompassing gravitas of Muddy Waters, the live collaboration with the Rolling Stones, “Hoochie Coochie Man”, offers some perspective. It’s by no means a bad performance on his part but, standing beside Waters, Jagger feels oddly, uncharacteristically background. The peacocking rock n roll godhead is reduced to performative cheekiness while Waters just gets on with it. If only he’d have realised; lucky Mick had the best seat in the house.

Just some damn good blues, and the re-records on this are reminding me of this dudes influence. Unfortunately, I'm just not a blues person. Good for sitting in a bar during a live performance, but not something I'd put on in the car or just to listen to.

Arg bluesig, Mannish Boy einfach nur 1 Akkord durch Nach Track 4 endlich nicht mehr Mundharmonika das präsenteste Instrument The Blues had a Baby dings - krasse Zerre auf der Mundharmonika Crosseyed Cat bestes Riff

As a whole I liked it, but I probably would not listen again

I'm not a huge fan of classic blues and this particular album is not for me 100%. But I like blues/jazz and modern versions in general. I listened to Mannish Boy, one of the most popular Watter songs - liked it way more than the proposed album.

Elemental.

Terrific, my favourite so far.

Boogie woogie blues that George Thorogood got his shtick from. I don’t like him, and I don’t like this. Jimmie some Mississippi John Hurt or Skip James or Taj Mahal or RL Burnside. Keep this shit to yourselves ye drunken vapid party people.

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

He's a legend. I just don't like blues.

Blues etc. I get it but also I was p bored.

Solid old school blues. 3.5

3.0 - Ok

muddy is cool as fuck just nothing that special about it to me besides being muddy waters doing his thing not bad, just fine

First and last tunes are my favourites!

Probably one of the best albums ever written

Really conscious of the misogyny/machismo of the lyrics in this in a way I wasn’t when I was younger 🫣

All blues music sounds the same to me SORRYYYY

Would like to be the guy yelling in the background, I think I’d be good at that

lots of heart n spirit

It end up being a bit repetitive. But not too bad.

Lo que sonaría si digo hey Siri pon rock and roll (?)

Grew up hearing stuff like this, so it will always be pleasing to the ears. Muddy's got the nicest, deepest blues going!

Not a big fan of delta blues :(

This is good; honestly, it's very good. It does kind of feel like exactly what I would expect a blues album to sound and feel like, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing. I really wish it did something different part way through the album. It's just kind of the same thing through the whole album. Again, it's really good! But also, *just* really good and nothing else. Maybe I'm missing something. Maybe I'm looking at this too much from my 2025 perspective and am missing something contextually. Maybe I'm not appreciating the talent and skills of the musicians enough. I don't know, but it gets a good not great rating from me. Favorite Song(s): Deep Down in Florida

If you want a great Blues album, this is a good place to start. 5 stars or A+.

Just doesn’t do it for me

01) Mannish Boy - 7,0 02) Bus Driver - 6,0 03) I Want to Be Loved - 6,0 04) Jealous Hearted Man - 5,5 05) I Can't Be Satisfied - 6,5 06) The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll, Pt. 2 - 6,0 07) Deep Down in Florida - 5,5 08) Crosseyed Cat - 6,0 09) Little Girl - 6,0 TOTAL: 6,06 (61/100) Current ranking: 379/487 I'm sorry, but this is just boring to me.

This is what I’m here for.

Damn this album is fine as hell. Maybe a tad too much harmonica in some moments, but the musicianship on the whole is amazing, along with the fantastic vocals and all around just the passion.

Not a blues fan, but this close to a 5. Instrumentals are great. Sounds like a live album.

This is cool, but it doesn’t totally click for me. I can’t articulate what it’s missing though.

Nice blues album by a real blues legend.

Enjoyable blues by one of the masters. Guitar and harmonica is fantastically soulful throughout. Best Tracks: - I Can't Be Satisfied - Deep Down In Florida - Mannish Boy Worst Tracks: N/A Rating: 7/10

- I want to rate this higher, because I know Muddy Waters is a legend. But every blues track sounds like the same three songs to me. And even those blur together. - I think "Deep Down In Florida" was my favorite?

блюз для меня абсолютно песня на одном аккорде. альбом на одном аккорде. и он с душой под этот аккорд поёт но я ничего не поняла и никогда от других не отличу

Classical blues album. Not my kind of music.

Definitely not my style of music but I liked his voice

"I first heard him as a little boy and it scared me to death"

Classic sound, very soulful.

Cool album, bluesy without leaning too much into the uncle jesse type blues. Always dig the stutters he adds into some of the lyrics. His guitar tone is great, his voice sounds solid throughout. Some of the background screams make it sound like they're having a blast recording this. I'd say Muddy or whoever his lead guitar player is, really shreds.

It’s as Chicago blues as you can get. Nobody does it as good as Muddy Waters and the ones who try can’t pull it off.

I’ve never much cared for George Thorogood, but I guess it turns out I’m just not much of a Blues guy. Maybe this shit hits hard if you’re walking along a sun scorched, lonesome dusty road or sitting in a Mississippi jail cell after a run in with the crooked local sheriff, but otherwise it’s gonna be a pass for me. And speaking of George Thorogood, he totally ripped off Manish Boy, so I guess I can hate him even more now. 2.5⭐️ rounding up because it’s not bad…I just don’t like it much 🤷🏻‍♂️

What is there to say about Muddy Waters that hasn't been said already? The version of 'Mannish Boy' rocks and the rest of the album follows suit. Great listen.

I hate the blues but I liked his voice.

Overall: 6/10 Pretty good. Blues seems to be repetitive and simple to the point that you sort of wish more was going on at times. Great guitar work (of course) and great voice. Fav Song: Crosseyed Cat Least Fav Song: Bus Driver

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I find a whole album of this kind of delta blues a bit repetitive, but I can’t deny how good these songs are. Proper toe tapping thigh slapping riffs from one of the best the genre has to offer.

I don’t listen to a lot of straight blues. But I really like it when I hear it. And Muddy’s one of the best. Loved everything about this album.

3 sterne

Classic. They way the harmonica sits with the guitar and bass, and then Muddy Water’s vocals that are smooth and growling at the same time. A masterpiece

Cool, aber nicht ganz mein Genre, klang mir alles zu ähnlich

Absolute fire of an album, energy from start to finish. Love it. Mid 5.

Solid electric blues album from one of the greats 4.5*

The Blues. From the ORIGINAL Himself. He was a great influence.

Definitely no doubt a blues album, nice addition to my knowledge of the genre. I listen to B.B. King and Stevie Ray Vaugn, so it's a sound that I am familiar with

It's was good, not great...maybe I just wasn't in the mood for blues.

Every modern day music artist owes a massive debt to these guys for without them there would be nothing. Rock n roll started here and the rest as they say is history. This album is what a hungover cockerel would make after finding that his wife had took the dog and fucked off after he returns from a three day drunken blender 😭

An essential listen for all who are curious about the Blues. This album really captures the blues, and perhaps more importantly Muddy Water and Johnny Winter's essence.

Really loved this, the production, the guitars, the piano, it was all brilliant blues.

Blues always feels a bit like jazz to me where, if for example, you don't know that the only time Hooty McBoob played with Jim "Daddy" Sausage was in Chicago in Nov 1927, then you're an idiot. I'm sure it's massively significant and influential, but......... *shrug*

Fucking confident blues right here. (19 known/32 new)

An actual goddamn delight, open with the quintessential blues song "Mannish Boy" and the smile will never leave your face. The hoochie-coochie Chicago blues bars, Johnny Winter hollering in the background like a maniac, the tight band, the fact it was recorded as is in, like, a couple of days, its just so raw... This is that sauce. This is the shit.

THIS IS SO GOOD!! Listened to it a bunch today. i'm sure there are a number of albums that would have been the one to get me into blues, but this is the first one I got from the generator. I've always meant to listen to more blues, just never got to it. I hope there are more albums like this on the list - more blues yes, but also just more for me to discover

Really good album

An exhibition of musicianship the music was textbook blues, with what would have been considered risqué lyrics at the time the album was recorded. Love me some Muddy Waters.

Aside from all sounding very similar, this is a good traditional blues album.

Latere albums van heilige bluesmen als Muddy Waters zijn altijd een beetje lastig te peilen, vind ik. Het voelt altijd alsof ze zich toch nog even willen bewijzen in de 'modern age', met de hulp van een nieuwe aanwas aan bluesy sessiemuzikanten met gelikte instrumenten waar de oude garde in z'n hoogtijdagen niet van durfde (en vooral niet konden) dromen. Vaak doen ze daarmee alleen die nieuwe generatie aan bluesmuzikanten een lol mee, want die mogen een aantal dagen met een levende legende de studio in. Het resultaat is vaak een verzameling nummers die ze over de tientallen jaren dat ze muziek maken al meermaals uitbrachten, maar nu met een moderne elektrische gitaar en betere opname-methodes. Ben er vaak niet zo fan van, omdat die stoffige sound van de Delta Blues (of van de Chicago Blues) juist voor mij het genre maakt. Het moet kraken, en je hoort het liefst de fundering van de 'front porch' meebewegen met de slidegitaar. Maar alhoewel dit album voor een groot deel voldoet aan dat profiel, moet ik toegeven dat dit album wel echt bolstaat van het klassieke blues-gogme. De man schrijft de meeste nummers zelf - de één wat sterker dan de ander. Het probleem van openen met je bekendste - en wellicht je sterkste - creatie is natuurlijk dat de rest er al snel een beetje achter aan hobbelt. Tot aan 'I Can't Be Satisfied' kakte het ook even flink in, waarna de tweede helft van het album de blues-energie wel weer aanzwengelt. Het klinkt in ieder geval alsof Muddy zich bovengemiddeld goed voelt bij de ietwat modernere insteek, en de sessie-muzikanten hebben duidelijk de tijd van hun leven. 6,5/10 Highlights: Mannish Boy I Can't Be Satisfied Crosseyed Cat

Oude blues in een modern jasje. Niet altijd met de gewenste uitkomst, maar vaak wel met een betere productie. Dat is ook goed te horen op Hard Again. De plaat begint meteen met de Muddy Waters-klassieker; Mannish Boy. En als je met het beste werk begint, hoe houd je dan het niveau op de rest van de plaat hoog? "Door gewoon hetzelfde te blijven doen" moet Muddy gedacht hebben. Eer ik bij Little Girl ben aanbeland kan ik mij niet herinneren of er een nummer ten einde is gekomen, of dat ik nog steeds naar een solo van Mannish Boy aan het luisteren ben. Op de hele plaat is Muddy heerlijk aan het bluesen, maar is het wel veel hetzelfde. Eigenlijk is alleen I Can't Be Satisfied een beetje anders (Seasick Steve avant la lettre) en een break in de verder continue blues-stroom. Well, I'm not satisfied enough by that... 6/10 Highlights Mannish Boy I Can't Be Satisfied

Classic Blues. Amazing Album.

Loved it

Pretty good. Sounds so familiar, hard to think there was a time before Muddy Waters. Solid, simple blues, but I wouldn't repeat listen very often. Three stars.

5/10

Good, old fashioned blues.

its the blues

I was blown away by the production and mixing I could hear every layer of instrumentation even in the more chaotic moments.

Not a bad listen. Put it on while I was cleaning and really enjoyed it.

I don't wanna say he bores me because I've not heard this album before to my knowledge but I've heard enough similar stuff to feel like I'd already heard this album before. 3 stars. Blues is a part of the soul of Chicago, but doesn't mean I have to love it.

Yeeees buddyyyyyy 9/10

3/10

Very authentic and full of steam. But it gets a bit annoying from time to time. Probably something to watch live. 6/10

Not my favorite type of blues. Too much

This was a very well done album.

The intro track (Mannish Boy) has some great background yells. It should be sampled more. The rest of the album is solid blues. Pretty enjoyable.

Like a lot of blues, by the end of the album there was a sameness that started to set in; but still bumping this up to a 4 star because it's actual blues as opposed to the usual 60s British blues-rock this list loves to wallow in.

He's a legend, and has good songs, but needed more variety for a higher score.

I am sure I am missing a lot of nuance, but blues all starts to sound the same to me after the first song or two. Fortunately that sound is pretty good.

iconic blues

Nice for a few songs but i got really tired of it fast.

Not the greatest blues master - that'd be Robert Johnson, Howlin' Wolf, or a live B. B. King for me - but most likely the greatest exponent of the genre: 'I'm a man / I'm a rollin' stone.' We know where the Londoners got it. 1977: amazingly, this is not a throwback or nostalgia trip, but a profound barrage of raw deals and comedy, i.e., the real deal - the blues: 'I be troubled / I be all worried in mind.' A music about the psychologically downtrodden did more to describe our societal malaise than mucho sociology and theories of economic nadirs. Muddy Waters effectively gets that vision across on this album, a perfect entry point into the music that had a baby we named Rock and Roll. Essential for its history, so it is also for its pleasure/urgency.

An album best described as a house on fire. Absolutely insane from start to finish and utterly bonkers Muddy waters catapulted himself back into the picture of the late 70s blues scene after most people had believed he was past his sell by date. Muddy's energy is just ecstatic and latches itself onto anyone listening including the bad who are just killing it and never once letting there foot off the pedal. They provide the perfect backdrop to allow Muddy to ramble on and just keep on punching it. Bob Margolin just goes and never once stops, from lightning slide guitar to thumping hard classic blues riffs. This is probably the only album in the world where the harmonica feels worthy of being with the rest of the band. keeping with the violence of the rest of the band and accentuating it tenfold, James Colton is a true wizard. This album of course wouldn't be as good without Johnny Winter (and his screaming) but I don't know enough about the history to divulge. Overall this album doesn't reinvent the wheel but it makes it HARD AGAIN, an essential blues album and easily one of the best of all time.

Wasn’t a big fan of about half of the album. The other half was incredible though. Can absolutely hear how influential Muddy is.

Another crop of fun tunes from the horniest man alive.

Some rocky blues def cool

Good, fun blues

Some people find the harmonica annoying. I am not some people people

Nice

This was brilliant. Proper old school blues, all the thump and growl youd wants and oozes authenticity from every pore

Well, by the time I noticed I was on the 3rd song I thought I had listen to twice the amount. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I don’t know. This is peak dance blues. That’s what I’ll call it. Where Robert Johnson and RL Burnside and the likes made blues to wallow in, Muddy made it to move. I’m a sucker for that harmonica. Choice cut: I Want to be Loved #2

Give me a martini, a cigarette, and drop me at a round table in the back of a smokey back alley downtown bar. Surrounded by a bunch of fellow music heads, we all scrunch our faces, and shake our heads at the hard blues and big feelings. This is the place to be, and the music to be listening to.

Very good album but not the kind of thing that really makes me want more. A solid 2 star for great musicianship and tempo.

Is there a star rating higher than five?

very good

I’m not necessarily a bluesy girl, but this really hit. If I could sense some more variation, I’d be ready to give it a perfect score.

Good bluesy album, again all sounds the same though.

Need more variety

I don't really have much to say about this album. Favourite track: Mannish Boy

Great example of classic Chicago blues. Who doesn’t love Muddy Waters?

Listed to the first few songs. Always liked the blues. Wonder if he cut his brother in half

really felt it when he said "I'm a hoochie-coochie man"

It was okay lol. Not my type of music but def fun. The blues had a baby and named it rock and roll was a sick title name

Opening track had me thinking I was in the car with Michael Scott and Darryl after dropping Holly off in Utica. You can really hear the emotion and rigor in his tone with the music not overpowering the vocals. When it’s time to get down to business Muddy Waters is ready to really lay down some verses and let the audience know how’s he’s feeling. When it’s time to take a back seat and let the harmonica do its thing, he’s able to do that as well. Continues to flex his vocal prowess throughout the entire record. 10 songs, very digestible. 3.9/5

I feel like it’s pretty apparent that muddy waters is talented, and this was probably the first time I heard the blues and didn’t feel like it was some ancient guy singing them. It had more structure than what I would expect the blues to have, and I imagine this comes from the influence both on and from rock and roll. The guitar riffs — whether or not they are original — are pretty catchy, but man this album could be pretty repetitive at times if you ask me.

A tasty jam!

Bueno

Good voice, nice sound but beats are heavy and pounding. Almost 4.

Rating: 7/10 It's got some soul but also very same-y.

Really enjoyed this one. Couple of great tracks.

Unreal blues album

Blues, jazz club - Great vocals, deep voice - Instrumentals such as harmonica and guitar are nice - Gets boring after a little bit

I have not listened to many full blues albums. However, I do enjoy the genre. Muddy is one of the best in this music group. Liked the album a lot.

I’m not much of a blues guy but he was very good and entertaining

This was the first Muddy Waters album I've listened to and I loved it. The sound is just phenomenal. The way he can manipulate the guitar with the slides, the picking, the amps and give it that gritty, screamy sound is just fantastic. I absolutely loved this album. Seriously this is some of my favorite sounding blues guitar (or just guitar in general) I've ever heard. You can really feel his influence on later artists with his style. The slides though, the slides. That was my favorite part of this album.

I've never really listened to much blues. while this isn't really my style & doubt I would seek it out to listen to again, I understand why he's on this list

yeah it was alright. decent unique voice

Det var fett en gangs lytt. Kommer nok ikke til å høre på det igjen.

50th Album!! Muddy Waters is the real deal. I don't always love blues music but Muddy has such a distinct vocal and guitar style that makes his music really enjoyable. Favorite track: Mannish Boy 3.5/5

This guy was having so much fun! An album to listen to if you need an instant shot of pick-me-up!

Such generic sounding blues

yeah!

Good voice, good grooves. Sounds like old school rock and rool mixed with Jazz almost. This dude has got that old school black soul filled voice.

Not my type, but def great and soulful

The Blues Genre is not really something that I know a lot about but I know that I throughly enjoyed this album.

Hard Again is a blues classic and an effortlessly enjoyable listen. Muddy Waters sounds revitalized, and the energy throughout the album is contagious. It’s timeless, straightforward, and a must-hear for any blues fan.

Loved this one

I don’t know enough about the blues to say a lot about this, but it was loud heavy stuff, where you could hear how rock and eventually heavy metal might evolve from the blues.

Y'know, this is good stuff.

Mood.

Nice

Hard Again pretty solidly exceeded my expectations. Definitely anticipated a good blues record and it’s that for damn sure, but most of these songs are simply mighty. Tons of good energy to these songs, some of which is captured through in-studio howls or post-tracking banter. The band and production help to make these songs thick as Delta mud. And of course, what a voice.

Ik kende Mannish boy al wel, maar het album niet. Echt klassieke blues, heerlijk weg te luisteren.

THE BLUEEEEEES BABYY

God, this just goes so hard. That harmonica is like a buzzsaw. And Muddy Waters is such a charismatic presence, how could you not love this?

This was decent listening, nice change of pace to all the 80s albums so far.

Favorite Track: Bus Driver

nice but all songs seem a little bit repetitive. some good old fashion blues though.

Definitely have heard of this artist, really never heard any of his tracks. This will be cool to listen to. Definitely know this first track. True blues. Going to have the king of blues right after this, BB King. This is some good shit

Sounds great, very listenable, very enjoyable. It doesn't push the envelope (to my knowledge) but was an enjoyable listen.

Love it

Very bluesy blues, but all the songs sound the same to me.

Not a huge fan of Jazz but his music was enjoyable.

About as high as I can rate a blues album - enjoy it quite a bit while listening to it but will never willingly stick it on. Can't distinguish it much from other blues artists. Mannish Boy is a classic though.

Who would listen to this voluntarily?

BLUES AT ITS FINEST

Classic

Really solid blues album

Very enjoyable blues album, probably one of the favorites of the project so far.

A real good sound. I enjoyed this one.

Good stuff

Enjoyed. Good old straightforward blues.

“Muddy Waters invented electricity” — Willie Brown in the movie Crossroads with Ralph Macchio.

Mannish boy is just that song 👌🏼

Ich hatte das Gefühl das Album litt ein bisschen unter dem Seinfeld Effekt. Kann mir vorstellen dass es extrem wegweisend war aber für mich klang es so Basic und abgedroschen dass ich es nicht ernst nehmen konnte

New Album for me but I knew all the songs. Classic!!

I wish I liked this more. I respect the hell out of it, and I get why people would love it, but it's a music style that doesn't hold my attention.

He completely defined an entire genre of music.

I am not a blues fan. I can appreciate the skill and music, it just does not float my boat.

I wasn't sure, so I had to listen again! ;-)

Uh, no

⭐⭐⭐ 5/10 Album is allright, but didnt impress me much.

Sick blues album. Great guitar.

Once you’ve heard the first track, you have it all. 2.5

Mannish Boy // Bus Driver // Jealous Hearted Man // Deep Down In Florida // Little Girl 3.5/5

If you like the blues (and I do) this is excellent. 4/5.

I don't remember having Blues yet, or maybe it wasn't memorable but this one was. Something special about this album is how the instruments aren't just playing the melody, they are another member of the band. For instance, Deep Down in Florida, the bass and the harmonica invoke so much emotion and soul. Yes it gets repetitive at times but it's also beautiful. Cross-eyed Cat is my favorite. As I was listening I did think how much similar sounds you find in Blues and that they don't mind. It's like this amazing brotherhood of sound, emotion and passion. This album brings me to a smoky bar, drinks following, people talking and enjoying just the music.

Driving to work in the snow today wishing I was down in Florida. I'm not a big Blues fan but when it's done right, gotdamn it's good! The energy and instrumentation of this album is great. Love the rhythms. Some of these songs just stomp so hard! I'm not surprised that loretta-marie gave this a 5. SO MUCH HARMONICA! Usually harmonicas only get bit parts in songs but this is full out harmonica. Also the musicians have a great synergy that just fucking works!

The blues are fine as an art form and they are so influential on most music moving forward, but I don’t seek them out and this album won’t change that. Muddy hits hard though. There’s a lot of power in his delivery.

So much great energy! I had no idea whose song Mannish Boy was, now I do. And did they base the Babysitting Blues from Adventures in Babysitting on that riff? I don't know if blues is typically my thing, I've never dug into the genre much, but I really loved this album. It overflows with heart and soul, has great lyrics and vocals, and the band totally rocks! What's not to love about this? Hearing him live would've been so fun. Also, special shoutout to the Crosseyed Cat lyrics, and to this lyric from Bus Driver: "He used to give her rides in the daytime, now she gives him rides at night."

It’s Muddy Waters. Come on.

Muddy Waters - full grown man!

Solid.

There’s not a lot of over-complication to unpack here. It’s the blues. Wash. Rinse. Drink. Repeat.

I don’t need to get into anything about what point in his career this falls. If this doesn’t put some stank on your face and make you want to pound a hundred brews, lord help you.

Much like Muddy Waters I am also a hoochie koochie man. This is great.

I don’t know much about the blues other than I got them. Mr. Waters taught me a thing or two. Great stuff. 4/5

This is a solid 4, due to the musicianship, led by Johnny Winter, who orchestrated this late in Muddy’s career. Muddy’s earlier work never had this kind of backing band. I owned this when it came out.

Solid, dependable, workmanlike

A really fun, raucous time!

Very good even if the songs blended into each other. This had soul man gah damn

This is perhaps blues in its most peak and natural form, made by the blues for the blues. It’s rockin’, it’s rippin’, it’s rollin’. what more is there to say?

Yes I know he inspired great guitar players but it just doesn’t do it for me.

I love the blues. Not my first time listening to Muddy Waters, but I always enjoy it.

gostei demais

Interesting blend of almost spoken word with tempo and flair of primo bass lines. Utmost flair with an unusually upbeat tempo for blues.

Absolute genius start to end

I get mad at all the 12 bar blues wanker bands, but it's hard to deny the energy of one of the OGs.

Decent

Fine.

Really nice blues. Nothing special, just something to bounce your head to.

Great vibes and classic jazz tunes

This is one of those albums that I wish I could better place in time. I saw the 77 release year and thought that is awfully late for blues. Come to find out this is almost 40 years into Muddy's career. Could have fooled me by just listening to it. Sounds great for a 60+ year old man. I kinda dig these return to form albums for aging artists and this one is good enough on its own, but I'd love to have come into it with a better knowledge of his career to this point. Solid record. Favorite track "Crosseyed Cat" 4/5

too repetitive musically for my taste it’s just the blues scheme with minor deviations ALL OVER & IN EVERY SONG i’m bored guys

Great background listen! I didn't know the riff from "Bad To The Bone" came from "Mannish Boy" on this album.

Pretty decent, not one i'd listen to again

Discazo. Solo en el blues una canción que dura casi 8 minutos puede tener una letra de 6 frases: "My baby run off with a bus driver And you know that don't seem right My baby run off with a bus driver And you know that don't seem right He used to give her rides in the daytime Now she gives him rides at night" Y esa armónica es una puta locura. Chicago blues en su máxima expresión. 4.5 bajo.

Mamma gone took those batteries

Blues like... blues

not my style (j'ai pas fini l'album :))

REally enjoyed this - don't know much blues music, was great

This is pretty good, classic blues stuff, not a ton that really stands out in any big way, but it's good straight forward blues guitar playing. Good stuff, great background jams.

Very solid, no complaints, even recognized a few.

Dope.

Classic electric blues sound

Unreal. The blues had a baby and his name was Muddy. No doubt there's lots about this era I wouldn't want to experience, but how exciting it must have been to hear this music. Even the more uptempo songs have a melancholy edge to them. No one's asking, but if I had to pick I'd take this expression of rock and roll over what feels like the more dance hall entertainer kinda Otis Blackwell stuff. This just seems so personal and honest. But hey, I'm an emo kid :P

Never hard decision to play this album again. Love it. Timeless!

Groovy and bluesy and fun.

Five star Chicago blues album. A must listen.

Well now, I recognize this first song. Muddy Waters is a clear legend in the game. While I have great respect for what he means to music, I just don't get into blues. I know that rock wouldn't be here without blues, so for that I'm thankful. As I listen, I can't help but realize just how much Mr. Waters mastered his craft. All the musicians on the album play perfectly together. As much as I don't like the style of music, I must give this a 5, because it is best in class.

I'm not a big fan of the blues, and this album perfectly exemplifies why. Having never heard a single track on here before, I knew the exact chord progressions and melodies on most of these songs. It's less like a style of music and more like a prescriptive set of predictable progressions. Some blues can break from the norm, and in those tunes the blues are transcended and beautified with respect to the genre and yet doing something unique with it. Not that Hard Again isn't without its merits. Muddy Waters and team put out a great energy, and can crank it up just as skillfully as strip it down. And vocally, Muddy is anything but muddy. Expressive, invigorated, horny, and present in the moment. And they are somehow able to avoid making these same progressions feel mundane song after song, even with the same instrumentation throughout. They have an unparalleled strut and groove. Favorite here is "I Can't Be Satisfied" since the chord progression is a bit different.

For me, this perfectly exemplifies what the blues is. I know that the blues can differ from this in a lot of different ways and still be blues, but this album is something I would show someone who had no idea what the blues was, to introduce the genre. I've enjoyed many a night out listening to live blues, but I almost never think of listening to blues when I want to put music on. I feel like in a lot of ways, the blues is best experienced live, in a dingy little hole in the wall late at night, preferably while drunk, sweaty, and dancing with some poor soul who is as unattractive, miserable, and desperate--but horny--as you are. The blues, as seen here, can take such basic riffs and lyrics, and such a simple template, and riff and expand it and make something so full and enveloping. It can be really impressive with its soulful virtuosity, but it never gets too highfalutin for its own good. The blues is quintessentially bawdy and swaggering, earthy and lowbrow, in a good way. His voice and phrasing here reminded me of Jimi Hendrix, and I was again reminded of how despite being thought of as a rock god, Jimi was really just a kid who came up among these old blues men. I had heard the classic "Mannish Boy" before but never knew it was called that. The title makes me smile as I think of my own almost 5-year-old mannish boy. Many of the lyrics made me smile for its intentional or unintentional humor, like this one: All you little girls, sittin' out at that line I can make love to you, woman In five minutes time Who's gonna tell him? Sir, that ain't no flex! haha

Muddy's singing and playing transport your mind to another place and time. I'm sure he wasn't the first bluesman, but what a hell of a representative of blues music. There seems to be so many musicians influenced by him. Seems like Muddy was at some point the go to guy to hear blues done right. Mannish Boy Is a classic.

Yo this album rocks super hard. When I was taking guitar lessons as a young lad and in a band, I was constantly told about Muddy Waters and his emphasis on rock and roll. I knew this, but had never taken the time to sit down and listen to him. This album may not be the craziest thing ever composed. But it slaps. It’s good ole home town blues and with good licks and some really technical solos. I super enjoyed this. I was even close to ranking this a five, but I think where this suffers is lyrically. Not that the blues is known for its hard hitting lyrics, but man if this album had songs that didn’t repeat the same thing like 24x in a song, I think this would be a five. This shit rocks, easy four.

3 star. It seems like the first song was the original inspiration for “Bad to the Bone.” I really liked this version though, so it’s really interesting that the other version seems to be more famous. I liked the album in general too! Couple really good songs with an ok rest of the album - that makes it a 3!

The most bluesy Blues album I think I’ve ever listened to. Was pretty solid, just don’t know how often I could listen to it.

I started off listening to this album. Not enjoying it at all. Found it pretty boring and repetitive. I was thinking of giving it a 2, however, by the time I got to "cross-eyed cat" I was really jamming along with it. I started out at 2. I ended at a 4. I guess I'll split the difference with the 3.

i could see suits using this album, genuinely a happy vibe

I could listen to this all day.

I realize this is weird, but a bucket list trip of mine is going to Clarksdale, MS, staying in a dumpy motel (motel with an M), eating deep fried everything, and spending a few hours each day in a blues joint. I’m such a sucker for this stuff, and Muddy Waters does it better than most. This is active listening foreground music or mood setting stuff in the background. It picks you up or lets you wallow in your particular sadness. It’s raw and it’s gritty and I wish I could give it 8 stars.

Good ol’ blues 3.6

5/5. This album feels like a few friends just chilling in a basement with about 7 people at their show but they are all having a good time. But these friends are expert musicians and have been playing for years. Blues is simple and yet every instrument gives it their all and it brings an energy sometimes missing in blues records and that is joy which is ironic. These are just chill and great songs back to back, it doesn't really even matter what they are playing. They are just having a good time, and so am I. Best Song: Mannish Boy, Bus Driver, Crosseyed Cat

Quality

Know the name and probably heard some of his music, but this was a great soulful blues album. Musicianship was top notch. 4.25/5

4/5

This isn’t for me. I respect the blues and all it influenced, but the variety isn’t there for me. I’m sure if you’re super into the blues then it’s great, and I’m glad I got to take the time to listen to it, but it probably won’t be listened to again.

Very blues. Pretty good, but they do start to sound the same...

- Muddy Waters and his decades-spanning career was well into his groove by the time Johnny Winters recorded this and several more albums with him, most of which gaining Waters a Grammy - For someone so engrained in the zeitgeist, this album was considered a comeback album! - Muddy Waters, you're a legend

The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll, Pt. 2

I didn't like the repetitive sound but it was chill

Leuke blues muziek

Blistering. Best listen to loud. Crackles with energy. Deserves a place in my permanent library. My only criticism is I think the tracks could be shuffled around to make it more consistent beginning to end.

This album feels like quintessential blues rock—solid, familiar, and comforting. While it might not push any boundaries or break new ground, I don’t think it needs to. Muddy Waters’ music here feels like “bread and butter”—reliable and satisfying. It’s the kind of album you can put on and instantly settle into, knowing you’re in the hands of a master. The production, overseen by Johnny Winter, gives the album a raw, live-in-the-room energy that adds to its charm. Muddy’s voice is rich and commanding, while the band behind him, including standout performances from Pinetop Perkins on piano and James Cotton on harmonica, keeps the groove steady and engaging throughout. The familiarity of the style might make some tracks blur together for listeners looking for something groundbreaking, but the comfort lies in its timelessness. “Jealous Hearted Man” was a particular highlight for me, with its raw emotion and infectious energy, perfectly capturing the essence of Muddy’s sound. Overall, Hard Again might not surprise you, but it doesn’t need to—it’s the blues at its purest, and that’s enough. Standout Song: Jealous Hearted Man Score: 3/5

Great album, great blues, it just works!

Muddy Waters' posture on the cover of an album named Hard Again was giving me cause for concern. Thankfully, that doesn't translate to the music, for it (the majority of which existed for the better part of twenty plus years) had been infused with a newfound energy that is guaranteed to further electrify the speakers. This is the kind of music that can never stay flaccid. Favorites: Mannish Boy, Bus Driver, Jealous Hearted Man, The Blues Had a Baby & They Named It Rock 'N Roll (Pt. 2), Deep Down in Florida, Crosseyed Cat.

Wát een album opener. 1 van de meest bekende gitaarriffjes allertijden. Start dus heel erg lekker, maar ik ga het toch zeggen; Ik vind Blues niet zo'n prettig muziekgenre. Het voelt vrijwel allemaal als precies hetzelfde qua muziek en de zang is niet spannend genoeg. Het is voor mij de matige voorloper van rock en daar ben ik al niet echt wild van. Soul leunt veel zwaarder op muziek en op zang, maar blues is vooral hele lange ingewikkelde gitaarsolos. En dan veel call & response qua zang. Ik ben geen fan. Muddy zelf ziet er echt geweldig uit, man ziet er uit als je gezellige oom op verjaardagen, das natuurlijk een groot pluspunt! Echt een lastig album om te reviewen, ik ga het nooit meer aanzetten, maar heb me zeker niet geirriteerd aan de muziek ofzo. Ik denk dat ik uitkom op 3 sterren, prima maar dat ligt meer aan dat ik niet van Blues houd FAVO: Mannish Boy

Chill ash

This all sounds the same to me.

Not a huge fan of blues but this is great.

Can’t deny the man has talent; but I think the blues aren’t for me

Despite being one of the building blocks of rock & roll, blues is forever tarnished by middle-aged men telling me 'if you can play blues, you can play anything'. I can play blues, Bill; doesn't mean I can play Animals as Leaders. I can feel the joy in the room, but it doesn't result in a affecting record for me. I know this is a me thing.

Pretty great. Mannish Boy is a stone cold classic that feels timeless. The rest of the album is solid blues but not boring. The combination of Muddy’s voice and guitar along with the background singers are just perfect. The album title is a little “hard” to get past but the rest is 100% classic.

Blues masterpiece. All of your iconic Chicago blues licks can be found here, played to perfection. The guitars are ripping, harmonicas are swinging, and Muddy brings a lot to the mic as well. Definitely a lot more polished than his live album that predates this by 20 years, and that studio shine does take away some ues magic, but I can't deny that there are aeveral amazing songs here. My favorite is probably Crosseyed Cat and Bus Driver.

solo por mannish boy este disco ya se justifica

Excellent blues, fantastic voice. My second Muddy Waters album on this, I prefer live at Newport 1960 as it was more varied and lively.

Of course, the iconic song opening the proceedings -- here in a later, pristine version whose timeless production values slap... hard (again and again) -- is worth the detour, absolutely. The thing is, everything after sounds a little too predictable, repetitive and middle-of-the-road for me. I readily recognize that the recordings and the energy of the performances are top-notch. And I admit I don't have much of an ear for original blues, generally speaking, so maybe my own tastes and sensibilities prevent me from estimating this record for what it's objectively worth. Also, I already have this later version of "Mannish Boy" in my CD collection, as it's part of the first soundtrack of The Sopranos TV series, that I must have listened to dozens and dozens of times. So I don't really see why I should add the album it's from to my collection now. I'm leaving the door open for *Hard Again* for my own list, though. Maybe one day, I'll truly "get" the blues, lol. 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 4, a good chunk of that grade owing to the cultural importance of the opener. 8.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 3.5) Number of albums left to review: around a hundred, as I've gone over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 438 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 260 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 319

First album I really couldn’t vibe with. Felt repetitive and boring to me.

General impression: he’s one of the best blues men ever Detailed review: Like the last album, this one strikes me as basically a picture-perfect version of what it’s meant to be. God damn, that harmonica! And the guitar obviously, and Mr. Muddy’s perfectly bluesy voice. Why do white people even attempt the blues? It just doesn’t hit as deep. I dunno. Anyway, again, this isn’t really my preferred style, but damn if it doesn’t rock. Deeper thoughts (context): Score: 3 Number of albums left to review: 934 Number of albums from the list I’d consider “must-listens”: 39 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 28

loved it. surprisingly upbeat and fun for "the blues"

Very strong guitar, harmonica, percussion and vocals. The lyrics are good enough too and fit the songs. Master of simple yet very effective guitar. 8.5/10.

Interesting jazzy album. Cool for rainy days.

The best version of "woke up this morning" blues.

Raw blues

He says something, says it again, says some thing else, then rhymes something new with the first thing. A standard that seems at least as old as recorded music. All in service of getting the real point, some ripping blues guitar. It’s got attitude, it’s not talent, it’s a real vibe. Does anyone represent he blues better than Muddy Waters?

Good blues album. Standouts: Mannish Boy, Can’t Be Satisfied, Little Girl, Walkin’ Thru the Park.

Du bon blues, mais très "blues blues". Ça n'aide pas que je ne suis pas le plus grand fan de ce style, mais justement c'est tellement "meat & potatoes" comme blues que ça me laisse un peu indifférent. 4.5/10

proper old school blues.

Bardzo dobra płyta. Co najmniej 4/5. Dwie czy trzy piosenki warte zapisania. Jedna z nich to taki klasyczny blusowy rytm (wg mojego ucha które słyszało z 2 piosenki blusowe).

first listen chi town classic

Not normally up for a whole album off Blues but this goes hard

Loved the first song, but not sure I can do a whole album

Love the raw sound of this album. “Mannish Boy” is fantastic. I haven’t really listened to it as closely before. I particularly loved the “yeahs” screamed off mic by someone in the band. Overall love the sound and the feel of this album, although it feels a bit samey after awhile.

An absolute corker of an album and one I’ll go back to again and again

Good old time blues

Fun blues album

OK - Muddy Waters is one of my favourite bluesmen, and Mannish Boy is a stonker of a song. And this is a great blues album. BUT apart from a few songs, it's all very same'ish 12-bar blues with the same harmonica howl running throughout. I know that's what blues is supposed to be like (and I love the sound esp. live) but doing that in the 1970's is hardly innovative and I think I can't give this album more than a 3 for those reasons. Muddy Water's voice is perfect though, and the album has a nice rough edge, it's very well (not over) produced IMO.

Mannish Boy to start an album? It's easy to imagine that everything is a disappointment after that opener. Every song could be great an just pale in comparison to the quintessential Muddy Waters/blues song. Bus Driver is a good song. Do I like the blues more than I thought or just Muddy Waters? This album is great and Muddy Waters is an underappreciated genius. I Can't Be Satisfied is another great song. There's an old-timey element to it that is really fun. Maybe it's just because I had it as the album before, but you can hear the influence of this record on the White Stripes' Get Behind Me Satan, both in terms of the music itself and the playful tone of the album. I am loving this, every song is good to great. The back half of the album is less impressive than the front half, but not bad at all.

What a great blues album! Absolutely perfect in my view. Will get this on vinyl.

Mannish Boy onvervalste klassieker Nummers klinken als bijna allemaal t zelfde maar als ze goed klinken is t prima Im your hoochie coochie man

Sounds like they had a lot of fun recording this album

Nice one.

Boring again

There can’t be any list without including muddy waters. I couldn’t listen to this regularly, but if Icould have seen this live, it would have been awesome.

If I had a nickel.

Every blues song sounds the same.