Listened to: MP3First off, Howlin’ Wolf is badass. The only songs I knew of his before this album were “Back Door Man” a la The Doors, and “Smokestack Lightning” a la Aerosmith. But today, in doing research, I learned that Howlin’ Wolf was 6’6” and 300 lbs. Why this intrigued me, I don’t know, but it made me highly excited for this album.
The opening track, “Moanin’ At Midnight” has this great, gravely force to it, and a harmonica part that’s just sublime. And this man’s voice, it’s like you took that shitty singing off of Trout Mask Replica and put it to good use. “How Many More Years” is a brilliant blues track, and Howlin’s voice is tailor made for it. “Smokestack Lightnin’” just goes to show how brillint a composer this man was. No complex chords changes, sweeping bridges, nothing. Just one riff played over and over again. With, of course, the vocal warbles and wails of the man himself, Howlin’ Wolf.
God, I can’t get over what a small-scale revelation this album is. I could go track by track, but it would just be ceaseless praise. Here is a man who WAS the blues. Everything about this album is genius. Every track is a sparkling example of blues mastery. I cannot recommend it enough.
-Mike
See you guys tomorrow for #443: Live At The Harlem Square Club (ooh, the first live album so far) by Sam Cooke.
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