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John Lee Hooker - Alone Audio CD

A fair review of the John Lee Hooker "Alone" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all John Lee Hooker reviews here, or go back to the John Lee Hooker tabs.

John Lee Hooker Band: John Lee Hooker
Title: Alone
Rating:
Release Date: 1991-11-19
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: I Miss You So 2: I'm Bad Like Jesse James 3: Dark Room 4: I'll Never Get Out of These Blues Alive 5: Boogie Chillen' 6: When My First Wife Left Me 7: Boom Boom 8: One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer 9: Feel Good 10: Some People 11: T.B. Blues 12: Baby Please Don't Go 13: Momma Killed a Chicken 14: Hobo Blues 15: Tired of Being Your Doggie 16: All Night Long 17: Crawlin' King Snake

Strong solo Hooker
Recorded live at New York's Hunter College in 1976, "Alone" is one of Hooker's last real solo statements. The two-disc "Alone" somehow manages to be folksy, menacing, spare and anarchic at the same time. It works. You may have noticed the above review by the Grove Press Guide to the Blues savages this album. That's ridiculous, but does make a couple good points. "Alone" is not for everyone. Those with very short attention spans beware. Hooker is in live, solo, folk mode, often hushed and unhurried, and there are many, many silences on this album between the vocals and the occasional guitar bursts. Folkish, yes, but, as I said, there is menace afoot here. "Dark Room", "Jesse James" and "Never Get Out of These Blues Alive" from the first disc and most of the second disc are slow, moody, haunting blues. Great stuff. CD #1, called "The First Show" is better and has more life to it. CD #2 seems to be in front of an even smaller crowd and a mysterious harmonica makes a late and ghostly (and not very competent) appearance on the last three tracks. One note: the previous reviews make it sound as though Hooker is not playing electric guitar; he is, and it sounds awesome. In fact, the sound is very good for a 1976 live recording, much better than the full-band "The Cream" released on Tomato shortly after this one. (It's a better album overall, too). "Alone" also is available on two separate discs on Blues Alliance, I believe, but get this.


An amazing album by an amazing artist!
He has revolutionized two types of blues: emotional 'blues from the heart," and fast paced electric boggies. John Lee Hooker has been bringing us his own style of delta blues for over forty years. Alone features the master signing from his heart. The lack of a band, or the lack electric boggie blues does not lesson the impact of this album. The listener experiences the heart-felt emotion of the singer on each song. Hooker has a special interplay with his small audience, even praising a fan who accompanies him on blues harp on one track. I highly recommend this double disk to all fans of John Lee Hooker!.


You can see a complete list of all John Lee Hooker discography, or go back to the John Lee Hooker tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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