25/06/26 - At Newport 1960 - Muddy Waters - 1960 - Chess
Some are syrup and some are sherbet. At this moment, I am 100% sherbert- fizzing, zipping, a bit too acidic, too much, too soon dissolved. A dash of sherbert could be sharp, fun, but this feels like a pinprick deluge. 1001 days seems enough time to simmer some syrup into the system.
My anxiety dreams aside - this is all to say this album was not sherbet. No, it was pure, unadulterated, opaque and amber ooze. It was rich, and smooth and self-assured.
It was cool as hell. It almost made me forget that I walking to Sainsbury's with low battery, sunstroke and a report to write up instead I could have been on a white-washed porch by a lake with a beer in one hand and a pack of cards in the other.
The album made me want to learn how to shuffle with one hand, throw a bullseye, toss a cocktail shaker around, dust off my grandad's piano stool, become an expert in the blues and dance. 1000 days to go seems enough time to learn a few tricks. A classic sherbet response I am sure.
Muddy Waters at Newport, just felt powerful and proud and unapologetically unvarnished.
Muddy Waters aka McKinley Morganfield - what a voice, what an artist. No wonder he is called "the father of modern blues". The album felt like a family - each clearly related, jostling and melding with each other.
My fave tracks were: 'I'm your hoochie, coochie man'-a classic for a reason, 'I've got my mojo working pt.2' - for the love of the game, meanest woman - any song about a curly-haired baddie gotta be on there, 'soon forgotten' - if I'm pulling the Deniro grimace of approval another straight track to the list, Goodbye Newport blues - my favourite, just beautiful. Ironically, at the actual festival, this was apparently spontaneously written by leader of the Harlem Renaissance - James Mercer Langston Hughes - and performed by blues pianist Otis Spann.
A fantastic first entry, what next?
From 1960 Newport to 1970 LA - this was a step from Muddy Waters, yet with the clear bluesy feel throughout I’m sure he was an influence.
It took me awhile to get into the album - but also seemed like the album took awhile to get into self bouncing from the hyper peace frog to moody blue Sunday to a swashbuckling ship of fools and land ho.
I did enjoy it but I’m not sure it exactly cleansed the doors of my perception. I am keen to explore more of their work though.
Peace frog, Queen of the highway, Indian summer, blue Sunday and the spy were my favourites.
I’m deficient in angst right now which I feel is a necessary supplement to fully enjoy this album.
Many of the songs felt like the could be the backing track to a ‘gritty’, supernatural, young-adult film or series from the mid 2000’s - which I intend as a compliment.
I just couldn’t get into it - will give it another listen when next suitably stroppy.
Fave songs - aluminium, I can’t wait, this protector, fell in love with a girl
Incredible album - having just moved to London, it was great to hear a real tribute to London for all its glitz, gore and glory.
When listening to it, I couldn’t help hear others artists throughout - Spanish bomba felt like the predecessor to so many British indie bands or the huns of Brixton seemed an echo to the fontaines. It’s clear what an influence this had.
Anywhere keeping short and sweet as took me far too long to get through but fave tracks of the moment
Jimmy Jazz
Lost in the supermarket
Lovers rock
Wrong em Boyo
Revolution rock
Train in vain
The right profile
Death or glory
Need to come back and edit this later
Ok so got slightly behind
Going quick but fantastic album
‘The sun isn’t yellow it’s chicken’ great line
Ballad of a thin man my favourite need to properly relisten
Bring back yearning - for a band of 5 guys, the lyrics were far more sapphic tragedy. Gorg harmonies, ever so slightly samey but beautiful none the less.
Mr tambourine man
You don’t have to cry
It’s no use !! My no.1
She has a way
Here without you
We’ll meet again
All I really want to do is
Only after listening to it did I realise that they were covering bob dylan
Favourite album of the series so far !
Cannot choose favourites from the songs - will be listening to them all on repeat for the foreseeable
Extremely theatric
Liked it more than I thought I would
007 reference in unfinished sweet was a sherbety suprise
Billion dollar babies
Elected
Generational landslide
Also deserve a call out
Another one need to go back through
