Reviews (page 10 of 13)
Good. If this was on the radio then I wouldn’t change the station. I have to confess, my favorite album of his is Electric Mud, a bonkers fun album that is riding the coattails of psychedelic rock. It’s kind of like if Bob Dylan released a techno album. … Unrelated question: how much money would it take for Bob Dylan to release a techno album? Answer: you contribution to this Kickstarter will help determine what that amount is.
Groovy. Harp, piano, drums just right. Growly and swingy as necessary, the voice holding it all together.
I did love these blues and the harmonica although they did all meld into one song by the end.
This form of blues is always a little lost on me, and while I recognize this is first-generation bad-ass groundbreaking music from 1960, musically it's only going to take me so far. I admire and appreciate it more than I enjoy it. I was struck by three things. First, damn but Muddy Waters is polite. He's a gentleman, reserved even, and then launches into singing about his mojo and being a hoochie coochie man. It's fantastic. Second, I was surprised at the difference between his singing and speaking voice. That gruff power when he sings was not there when he addressed the crowd. Third, no one says the word "work" like Muddy Waters. I was trying to emulate him, singing in my kitchen... it just don't woryk on you. I'm 95% sure I wasn't going to fool anyone. So, I listened closely and admire everything about this. But I'm still going with a less-than-deserved 3-star because I just don't have the blues.
Good blues album - not my usual stuff, but enjoyed it nevertheless.
Loved this. Excellent recording and the band are as tight as a chicken's lips.
No more blues please
The blues of this era was always simplistic, but that doesn't mean bad. I enjoyed it, especially Baby Please Don't Go, which has had so many covers. Was this the original version? I honestly don't know but it was certainly an excellent one. He's got a great voice for the blues, and yes I probably would buy an album by Muddy, but not necessarily this one. But a good solid 3 from me.
I usually find this type of album too generic, but this one is superbly done. I now understand why he is credited as being so influential.
Great Album, but not the Music I would listen to regularly.
Any individual track I enjoyed a fair amount, but by the end they mostly just sounded the same. Which I suppose is more an issue with the genre than anything else, but all the same it limited my enjoyment.
now this is some mf blues... i still have the same gripe as a lot of the albums from this time period which is that a lot of the songs just sound so damn similar and it's hard to differentiate. however, real easy, delicious listening -- i found myself preferring the studio tracks that were tacked onto the end the most.
A fine blues album. Not the biggest fan of live albums as they can have recording issues like this one did. In spite of this the vocals were top notch, though the band was just ok.
3.5
I prefer the more electrifying, rockin’ blues tunes over the slower ones. I’m not a blues guy so I might get less out of it but it’s a pleasant one overall. I don’t need the harmonica though. 3.5 stars.
3.5
I guess that’s why they call it the blues... because is this pretty good blues. Good band. Good live recording. Good to check out but nothing I love too much. I Got My Mojo Working parts 1 and 2 is probably best segment. 3.5 stars.
Well written and compelling since it is live which is exciting. But altogether a little boring.
i love the live recording presentation for a 60s record, so crisp and open and dynamic.
Muddy is indeed your Hoochie Coochie Man, ladies.
good album, was a great musical background but nothing was AMAZING
1st time listening 6/10
Great blues!
i understand this was very influential but early blues is boring... 2.5 rounded up for respect
### 1. **Blues Form and Structure** - **12-Bar Blues Foundation**: The majority of the songs on this album utilize the 12-bar blues form, which is a cornerstone of the blues genre. The predictable I-IV-V chord progression gives the music its traditional feel, allowing both the band and Muddy Waters to comfortably explore vocal improvisation and soloing. - **Production and Writing Insight**: As a writer, understanding the 12-bar blues structure helps in crafting lyrics and melodies that fit naturally within the form, using lyrical repetition and variation to build a story. For a producer, leaning into the repetitive form while still creating dynamics is key—adding slight instrumental shifts or emphasis in different places to keep the listener engaged across multiple tracks using the same structure. ### 2. **Call and Response** - **Vocal and Instrumental Interaction**: A significant element of the blues, and especially evident in "At Newport 1960," is the call-and-response structure between Muddy Waters' vocals and the band. This interaction provides a sense of conversation within the music, a dialogue between Muddy's vocal lines and instruments like harmonica or guitar. - **Production Perspective**: Capturing this live requires a careful balance of levels. The interplay should sound natural and dynamic, and the response sections (often guitar or harmonica) need to be mixed so that they answer the vocal but do not overshadow it. The call-and-response approach also provides cues for dynamic mixing moves, such as bringing up a solo or harmonica just as the vocal ends to make the response feel alive and spontaneous. ### 3. **Pentatonic and Blues Scales** - **Soloing and Melodic Content**: The lead guitar and harmonica solos predominantly use the **minor pentatonic** and **blues scales**, adding the characteristic flat 5th (the "blue note") to create tension. This tension-release feel gives the solos their emotional weight, a hallmark of Muddy Waters' music. - **Writing and Performance Insight**: For a songwriter, the use of the minor pentatonic and blues scales provides a template for emotional expression. The repeated phrases and bends, which emphasize the "blue notes," create a feeling of longing or raw emotion that is essential to blues storytelling. For a producer, focusing on the tonal quality of these notes is crucial, as the attack and decay of bends, especially in the flat 5th, define the emotional color of the blues. ### 4. **Rhythmic Grooves and Syncopation** - **Shuffles and Swing Feel**: The album features classic blues shuffle rhythms that are driven by the rhythm section, primarily the drums and bass. The shuffle rhythm gives the music a distinctive swing, characterized by a **triplet feel** where each beat is divided into three parts, with emphasis on the backbeat. - **Engineering Focus**: To make the swing feel impactful in a live recording, it’s essential to capture the rhythmic subtleties of the shuffle. This includes paying attention to the relationship between the kick drum, snare, and upright bass. Mic'ing needs to be done to highlight both the percussive attack of the drums and the natural sustain of the bass to let the groove drive the music forward without getting muddy. - **Production Approach**: Accentuating syncopation during key moments helps maintain the energy and keeps the swing alive. When a track like "Hoochie Coochie Man" comes in with that tight shuffle, subtle volume automation on the snare or cymbals during fills can elevate the energy of those syncopated moments, emphasizing the interplay between the instruments. ### 5. **Live Energy and Dynamics** - **Dynamics and Crowd Interaction**: The live element of the Newport concert is what makes it so iconic. Muddy Waters’ use of dynamics—ranging from quieter, conversational verses to explosive, loud choruses—is captured beautifully in this recording. The audience's response also plays a huge role in building the energy of the performance. - **Production Insight**: Capturing a live audience’s reaction and integrating it with the performance is a key production consideration. During more intense guitar solos or vocal shouts, the mic'ing should pick up audience reactions, but not drown out the music itself. Strategic use of reverb can also help place the listener in the environment, blending the instruments and crowd to give a sense of immersion. - **Arrangement and Writing**: Understanding how dynamics are used in the live context offers valuable lessons for songwriters about pacing. Muddy Waters varies the intensity of his performance, allowing songs to breathe and giving space for emotional highs and lows, which keeps the audience engaged throughout. ### 6. **Use of Riffs** - **Signature Guitar Riffs**: Many tracks feature a repeating riff that forms the backbone of the song, such as in "Got My Mojo Working." These riffs are both rhythmic and melodic, often functioning like a second vocalist, providing a hook that listeners can latch onto. - **Writing Insight**: The power of a strong, memorable riff is clear here. Writing a riff that repeats but also evolves slightly each time can help in maintaining a listener's interest throughout a repetitive blues progression. It’s also a critical tool for setting the song’s tone—aggressive, playful, or haunting. - **Production Application**: Making sure that the guitar riffs cut through the mix involves thoughtful EQ. Typically, a boost in the mid-range and careful reduction of frequencies that clash with the vocals ensures that the riff remains a distinct feature, while the addition of subtle compression can keep the dynamics consistent, especially in a live setting where guitarists might adjust their playing levels. ### 7. **Instrumentation and Band Chemistry** - **Band Arrangement**: Muddy Waters was accompanied by harmonica (Little Walter), piano, bass, drums, and a rhythm guitar, which created a thick, layered texture typical of Chicago blues. Each instrument occupies a distinct frequency range, preventing clashes and maintaining a full sound. - **Production Techniques**: The placement of the piano on the left, guitar on the right, and harmonica and vocals in the center helps create a stereo image that feels like you're right in front of the band on stage. Panning decisions are key to ensuring each instrument has its space while giving the recording a lively, dynamic feeling. ### 8. **Emotional Content and Storytelling** - **Lyrical Themes and Vocal Delivery**: Blues is inherently about storytelling, and Muddy Waters' vocal style is deeply expressive, emphasizing certain words with grit and force while allowing others to be laid-back. The lyrics are simple but impactful, often dealing with themes of love, hardship, and resilience. - **Writing and Performance**: Understanding how Muddy delivers these lyrics—sometimes almost speaking, other times belting with raw power—can inform a writer about using vocal dynamics to convey different emotional depths. Repetition in the lyrics (like "I'm gonna get my mojo working...") is both hypnotic and a key feature of blues storytelling, which also aligns with the repetitive musical structure. ### 9. **Live Recording Challenges** - **Balancing Instruments in a Live Setting**: The challenges of capturing a live performance in 1960, without the advanced technology of today's live rigs, meant relying heavily on mic placement, bleed, and natural room acoustics. Each musician had to balance their dynamics well so they would be heard correctly in the mix. - **Engineering Insights**: For an engineer today, this is a reminder of the importance of working with musicians to achieve a natural balance on stage before considering microphone and outboard processing. The rawness of the "At Newport" recording reflects careful consideration of mic'ing distance, ensuring that the room's reverb contributes to the sense of space without overwhelming the performance. ### Conclusion Muddy Waters' "At Newport 1960" is a masterclass in live blues performance, combining the fundamentals of blues theory—12-bar structure, call-and-response, pentatonic scales, and rhythmic grooves—with the intricacies of live recording and production techniques. The album’s raw energy, dynamic band chemistry, and ability to use limited harmonic material to create powerful, emotionally charged music provide invaluable lessons for producers, engineers, and writers alike.
Admittedly, I wasn’t giving this album my full attention as I should’ve; I was listening while on a short road trip and may have dozed off once or twice. It was pretty good, though a bit homogenous. I might’ve preferred a studio album to a live one. Even though I’m giving this a 3, I liked it better than yesterday’s Elvis album.
Feels a bit harsh giving it 3* but can't quite justify 4. 72/100
Musically, this is a masterpiece of blues. Waters is a legend in that regard. The lyrics are, as is often the case for music from several decades ago, in some tracks strange or even cringy.
The more I listen to Muddy, the more I can understand how good and soulful he truly is. This album from 1960, talked about a full generation after The Great Depression, and I feel like that’s the roots of Blues. People struggling, singing about their problems and trying to connect with others.
171/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
Bluesy rocking blues
hoochie coochie man made a mid ass album
This was alright
Classic blues.
Solid blues
Solid blues
Not the biggest blues aficionado so half the tracks didn’t really do it for me, but g-damn do some of these jams go! “Tiger in Your Tank” won me over especially. I was like that crowd going wild by the end of it. It’s truly offensive how many mega-rich British rockstars are in total debt to Muddy and your boomer dad will never have a clue :/
Un blues en finesse et en retenue
It’s definitely the blues. Pretty dated, but a sharp and well-executed set from one of the kings of the genre. Best song: Got My Mojo Working
Chilled jazz
Albumi #13, 09.08.2024 Muddy Waters ei ollut entuudestaan kovinkaan tuttu johtuen varmaankin siitä, että blues ei ole lempigenrejäni. Blues-livealbumi, joka on nauhoitettu Newportin jazz-festivaaleilla Rhode Islandissa 3.7.1960. Takuuvarmaa bluesmeininkiä kelvollisena tallenteena.
I really enjoyed this album. I got a brand on you is one hell of a tune! its a good album and will be listened to again Favourite song:I got a brand on you Least favourite: All good Album artwork: Cool cover
It’s great to hear this concert and experience how real blues sounds like.
There goes ol' man Waters, singing about his libido again. Although he was still only 47 at the time, so it wasn't really the flex it would become later on in his career. 3 blue pills out of 5
Enjoyable - and not what I would call a live album in terms of audio quality and crowd noise
I'm not sure I'll ever really get into the blues, this was well played and sounded good but even after only half an hour I was bored of it.
It's not something I would go out of my way to listen to on my own, but I can appreciate that there was a lot of vocal and piano talent, especially considering that most of the album was live. It was cool jazzy vibes, very old style.
Weird what was considered indispensable only 19 years ago. I hadn't even heard of this.
I don't mind live recordings in this list (it's almost necessary), and this one is a raw, unpolished charming addition. Imagine being transported to a smoky, intimate venue. It has the gritty, heartfelt vibe similar to early Howlin' Wolf recordings. It's a great snapshot of a moment in music history. Docking stars for repeat songs.
Je suis sûr qu’avoir vu ça en live, j’aurais donné un 4, mais là la hype est rendu vieille et mal enregistrée
Was honestly expecting to like this album more than I did. I though it was decent, but the album was far too short to really digest. This was also exacerbated by every song sounding nearly identical on a first listen, which unfortunately made everything very forgettable. Will definitely revisit, but not a compelling first listen. Top tracks: Got My Mojo Working (pts1/2), Goodbye Newport Blues
1. brand - 1.5 2. hoochie coochie - 1.5 3. dont go - 1 4. forgotten - 1.5 5. tiger - 1 6. good - 1.5 7. mojo - 2 8. mojo 2 - 1.5 9. bluez - 2 10. brand - 1.5 11. forgotten - 1 12. tiger - 1.5 13. meanezt - 1.5
Recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival, At Newport 1960 captures the blues legend in a live setting where his talent is undeniable. Muddy's gritty vocals and guitar work are impressive, but the performance can feel a bit repetitive. The songs tend to blend into one another, making it difficult to distinguish when one track ends and another begins. While the band's musicianship is strong, the set lacks dynamic shifts that might keep listeners on their toes. Despite these issues, the album remains an important document of Muddy Waters' live performances. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 4 STAND OUT TRACK - Tiger in Your Tank
I love jazz! Favourite track: Soon Forgotten.
I recognize he’s very talented but this just isn’t my favorite genre of music
I like Muddy fine enough (the Rolling Stones took their name from one of his songs), but this was just so-so. A lot sounded the same. The bonus 4 studio tracks were decent enough.
This was fine
✅✅This is cool. Clearly foundational to the blues, and the guitar times are iconic. The harmonica player is really good, as well. Blues doesn't generally draw me in too deeply, but I'm glad to know this.
Really cool to hear the origins of that sound - but listening felt a little more like archeology than genuine enjoyment
Ain't got no belt
Amazing to think this was recorded in 1960. Couple of belters and high energy tunes but I'm knocking points off for Muddy dialing it in on some tracks, like 'Soon Forgotten'.
I thought I would like it much more. I wanted to be a “blues guy” but it just never hit for me the way it fires for others.
A good blues album. Not my favorite genre, but still good.
Good blues album if a bit repetitive.
i mean… it’s alright
This was fine. I'm happy there is Blues on the list because it is such a huge and impactful genre, but I don't know how important this specific album is. Best Songs: Baby, Please Don't Go, Tiger In Your Tank, I Feel So Good, I've Got My Mojo Working Worst Songs: I Got My Brand On You, I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man
Perfectly good. Some nice tunes, though not my cup of tea.
Solid blues album, don't care much for the live albums though
progenitor
#33 - I can hear where The Doors (a revelation from this project) we're coming from! Nice album
It’s good. Not listened to much if at all any blues but I’m enjoying it. Simple beats with some wacky pianos. Love me some ragtime. Good album. Nothing really stuck out to me but fav has to be baby pleas don’t go, a classic blues/country/rock n roll sounding name. 7/10
Me ha aturdido un poco 3. Blues.
Mmmmmmm ÄLSKAR blues men är jävligt ambivalent till Live albums. Saknar tiden då grabbar djurade på munspel.
alltså nice men inte så jättemycket mer Bästa låt: i put in your tank wow texten😔
Just a bunch a blues. I appreciate listening to music that was the foundation of a genre but I'm not sure how often I'll return.
Lovely album for a nice long drive up the coast
Lindo blues clásico
Fun but funky
About expected. Good blues album. Another one that would be good for the right time and place.
solid blues album.
3 1/2 Bluesia isolla beellä, ei kantrin vatkausta, eikä muusia.
Starts slow but builds up - Tiger in your Tank and I've Got My Mojo Working are definitely the highlights.
Base sólida e fundação do blues. Influenciou muita coisa do que gosto e escuto. Sobre o show em si e a razão de ter sido indicado esse álbum específico, ao vivo, desconheço, e acredito que preferiria um album de estúdio.
god blooze!
Altid godt at vide hvem der skrev Hoochie Coochie man! God live optagelse (af sin tid?)
Wow this guy was influential to many artists who followed him. Theres too much Mojo here. you will see what i mean......
This was ok. I had quite high hopes. Maybe I wasn’t in the right mood but it didn’t really ignite anything for me. If I wasn’t a 40 year old dad who starts to fall asleep after 9pm and hasn’t been on a ‘late night session’ in living memory, id be tempted to say that this would be a perfect post-pub record to listen to into the early hours of the morning while my heads spinning from drinking too much whiskey. Unfortunately, 10am on a Wednesday with a ton of work to do - it didn’t really resonate with me that well. Very pleased to have listened to it though. 3.1
Alright background music, nice vibe.
it was nice and pleasant to listen to
I wanted to like it more. It was good but not amazing, maybe it’s just not aged well for me
Pleasant enough, but a bit slow for my liking. Most songs also sounded repetitive 3 ⭐️
Pretty good!
This was fine. Good energy but not that interesting to me.
Not something I would normally listen to, but really enjoyed this live album.
solid entry
"I feel like Mick and Richards, I feel like Muddy Waters". All I could think about during "Tiger In Your Tank" was playing this song while pouring sugar into someone's gas tank. These old albums are good but super repetitive tbh.
Muddy Waters is brilliant, no doubt about that ! Blues is a genre with which I have a difficult relationship, for I get bored very fast. Fortunately the album was not too long, and Muddy really captures happiness, joy, and simplicity in this live recording. Great experience still, though not my cup of tea ;)
Blues.... It's all so samey... Might be because I'm Illiterate in the genre. Nice that it picks up the pace towards the end
I'm sure this is historically important, but at the end of the day, it's a blues album. Not really my groove, but not bad.
semi banger
Easy background listening. I know that’s probably blasphemous to all music to say that about THE founding father of modern music. But, with the passing of time and shifting of mindsets, this just doesn’t resonate with me in any way. I enjoyed my time spent with it, I acknowledge the tremendous influence Muddy Waters had on all the rock n roll I’ve loved in my life, and that’s that. I don’t care for live albums, but I do respect this one.
This seems like a really good blues album. Although I'm not very knowledgeable in blues music, this one just has a nice vibe to it that I like. The live recording is nice, I like hearing the crowds reactions to his music back in the day.
"now this is blues. clapton can fuck off." indeed
quite alright.
Bien
I’m sort of ambivalent about blues music. Talent is obvious, but it has never landed on me the same as other genres. Good background music. 3.5/5
Blues albums continue to take me back to recent Memphis trip. Got a little bored with this one by the end but classic blues and worth listening to.
Probably a lot of fun to see this in a live concert.
Better audio quality than most of the live albums on this list, but still suffers from the same issues of datedness - it's simply impossible to compete with today's live experience. That being said, you can hear the modern roots of "remixes" in some of these tracks that elevate the live format. Listened to: at home. Favorite track: Got My Mojo Working
A really strong live blues album from one of the best to ever do it - just didn’t quite hit with me
Good old blues…
hmmm what AN mojo going
Wenn mich ein Alien fragen würde: "Wie klingt Blues?" würde ich ihm vielleicht diese Platte in die Hand drücken.
B- I Got My Brand On You 3 I'm Your Hoochie Koochie Man 3 Baby, Please Don't Go 3 Soon Forgotten 3 Tiger In Your Tank 3 I Feel So Good 3 Got My Mojo Working 3 Got My Mojo Working, Part 2 3 Goodbye Newport Blues 3 This was nice, Muddy. Got me clogged up in all my holes.
Muddy has a good voice. I just can't get past how similar all the songs sound.
I do usually have a cut off point when it comes to how far back I’m willing to go with my music. But every once in a while, something predating that point will actually surprise me. It’s very rare though. This is simply one of the true to the name blues albums I’ve ever heard. The people playing on this just live and breathe blues. They have that stuff coursing through their veins. And I mean, when the guys name is Muddy Waters, what did you really expect? Anybody with the name Muddy means fucking business. This man is considered the father of Chicago blues, and I’m inclined to believe that. Disagreeing would be like saying James Brown isn’t the reason why funk music turned out the way it did. These genres would never be the same without these figures. He may not have the commanding power of James Brown. But this man sure has a voice to match. It’s like the precursor to the Hendrix style of singing. And the gravel adds a whole other layer of coolness to this recording. I could probably listen to people who sound like this sing on just about anything. Also shoutout to James Cotton, who is going absolutely ham on the harmonica the entire time. He really cares many parts of this. But most of the band is pretty great. Rating: 6/10
It's perfectly nice blues. Competent, really lively at times, easy listening, not massively varied. I had a nice enough time with it.
This went by pretty smoothly and I listened to it while I was walking and it was nice and peaceful. I feel like there isn’t that much to say about it and that is good and bad but all in all pretty much average.
Love Muddy Waters - his voice is perfect classic-blues-about-to-birth-rock. How many Zeppelin and Stones songs ripped him off from this collection almost directly? My only issue here - and it's not insignificant - is that the sound drives me a little nuts - I almost didn't believe there was even a bass on these tracks, it's tough-to-impossible to hear and the overall effect is one that sounds incomplete. It's a great document tho because a lot of these versions are better than the originals. Classic songs to be sure, I'd listen again but prefer the more balanced studio versions. 7/10 3 stars
Solid blues
I liked it, just something left me wanting more. Can't really describe what it is. 3.5
If it wasnt so repetitive, it would get 4 stars. It's a solid 3.5
Average set of songs
I enjoyed this one
Rating: 6/10 Good but not my thing.
Quite nice, even for a live album.
I could listen to this kind of stuff all day, very enjoyable easy listening.
Good Old Muddy - to play some real soulful blues!
It’s fine.
With the opening track being old school slow blues, I thought this just wasn't going to be for me. But by the third track the pace had picked up and I found myself enjoying this album. It's not something I would listen to again, but I'm glad that I listened to it.
This was really good for a genre I struggle with. Everything was clear and tight very fun.
forica
I wasn’t particularly moved by this recording, idk. I like the blues, and Muddy Waters, but this performance just felt a bit off to me, like there wasn’t enough energy from Muddy or the crowd until Mojo hit. Nonetheless it had pretty great sound fidelity for 1960 and the voice was clear.
ahhh yeeees perfekts album zum echli chille und hii und daa "aaaaahhh" mache I'M YOUR HOOCHIE COOCHIE MAN WAS .-. bin bi tiger on your tank und ja es isch sehr nice und agnehmi musig aber meh machts momentan nöd sini stimm hani sehr gern und s klavier findi recht cool find no cool isches mal chli schneller, jz bi goodbye newport blues wieder mega langsam und entspannt aber ja schlussendlich, au wenn ich eig nüt chan ussetze, hets für mich nöd megamega vill gmacht
I’m conflicted what to give this one. If you’re a fan of the blues, this is top notch early blues. But I feel like on this recording specifically, a lot of what made Muddy Waters so influential is buried by the rest of the band. What I love about Muddy Waters is equally his voice and his guitar work - yet on this album, his guitar work takes a back seat to the other instruments for a lot of it. This is a cool performance if you already know Muddy Waters, but if you don’t, it might not stand out. Ultimately, 3 stars - because I like it, but I would listen to his other work over this almost every time. I’m not sure if Folk Singer is on this list - maybe it is - but that would have been my choice.
Slower-paced blues music. Impressive quality for a live performance. Most of the songs sounded very similar to one another.
Hm kinda fun lil not bad 3 very jazz blues cool stuff
Enjoyable listen, but kind of boring. I guess there's a reason that certain things become cliche.
Rock before rock, edgy and soulful, great crowd as well, just the recording was a bit higher quality or remastered. 3.2
Not really my taste, but it's amazing hearing a lot of style that exists in modern music already in his.
This is what I think of when I think of the blues. The repetition lets you settle in and not worry about where you’re heading. He’s cool, sounds great, and is backed by some folks that really know how to do it.
Live albums are not my taste, but muddy waters is always excellent
Best song: I've got my mojo working Vibes: Classic smokey room jazz Themes: Good times with darling
New listen: noice blues!
Fun listen, good intro to post war blues
Great blues. I know Muddy Waters is one of the biggest names in blues but I don't think I've ever listened to him before today. It's an excellent performance. To my ears, it sounds pretty straightforward but I also don't know the history of the genre well and I'm probably not hearing what was 'modern' about this at the time. “I’ve Got My Mojo Working” is a clear standout. Really fun. I like the studio recordings at the end of the album. They're bonus tracks but they sound fantastic.
I'm not usually a fan of live albums, but this sounds really great. Muddy Waters is a great artist, I'm not as familiar with his work as some of his peers, but will definitely be revisiting this and listening to more of his stuff. I thought it was interesting that in an album that's only 9 tracks long he does "Got My Mojo Workin'" twice. That takes this down a peg. 3/5
Definitely a legendary blues artist. This stuff always sounds great on live records. I don't know if I'll ever find a blues record as a whole that I can listen to front to back without ever getting bored but it is good music overall. A nice dive bar or the south come to immediate mind with this.
I got my mojo working baby! Great blues/jazz and the live feel elevated this for sure.
Classic bluesy album
Blind album, know the artist from another album on here. I pretty much feel the same way as the last album of his I rated. Pretty middle of the road. Intriguing but not my thing.
Listened Before? N Good stuff. A master in his prime. The subject matter hasn't aged very well in some cases, but still a good listen. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: I Feel So Good
Suena bien, pero se repite un poco
Lives are always good.
Classic Muddy, classic blues. Very good intro Muddy album.
01) I Got My Brand On You - 6,5 02) I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man - 6,0 03) Baby, Please Don't Go - 6,5 04) Soon Forgotten - 6,0 05) Tiger in Your Tank - 6,5 06) I Feel So Good - 7,0 07) Got My Mojo Working - 7,0 08) Got My Mojo Working, Part 2 - 7,0 09) Goodbye Newport Blues - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,56 (66/100) Second live album in a row. Somehow I wish it was "Queen Live at Wembley", but it's not... So, blues. I can't help it, but to me it sounds like they are playing the same song for 35 minutes. Which they could, there's been a few albums like that... The music and the singing are great, the vibe is good, everything is perfect if you like blues. Yep.
I liked this fine.
Ok. Not my style
I think this album is good but it's not the music I prefer to listen to.
This album gave me the blues.
Muddy Waters was a prolific blues artist who had an incredible impact on modern music. With his vocal skills, stage performances, and electric musicianship, he inspired the hard rock sound which developed over the next few decades. This live album showcased some of the artist's top hits from the 1950s.
This guy's got mojo
Classic blues vibes Great work on the mouthy
As the first “Live Blues Album” as Wikipedia mentions, I guess it’s important. It’s a solid performance with a lot of energy, and apparently influential in its “electric blues” sound to have a notable impact on Led Zeppelin and Jimmy Hendrix. I just don’t like most live albums, but overall this was a decent listen and didn’t have too much annoying crowd noise.
I have found that I more prefer musics that have grown out of the blues than the blues itself. So much so that often when material from these other genres "get too bluesy" I am uninterested. That all said, I think this is an okay Muddy Waters album but I much prefer his Electric Mud.
I enjoyed it, and it was great to listen to an album by someone whose name I've heard for years but never listened to. I don't anticipate listening to it often, which is why I ultimately went "3" instead of "4", but it was close!
Cool to see where sounds originate.
It’s like listening to a treasured piece of history… but alas, I am not the pirate meant for this treasure chest. I can, however, appreciate what Muddy Waters did for music. Fav Songs: I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man, Baby, Please Don’t Go Least: hmmm
Of course it's good. (Not something I'd listen to that often day, though.)
Favourite Song: Soon Forgotten This is the kind of music that you know is amazing live or hearing in a bar. I think that is a lot of the energy, as without it, it can feel a little backgroundy.
what a nice album!
Good!
Great sound for a live album from the era. Fantastic band. Hoochie Coochie Man is the highlight, but I Got My Brand on You and I Feel So Good aren’t far behind. You can hear the influence on bands like The Stones and Them.
Jazz with hints of soul and big band. OK for jazz.
Good but bluesy
Some really old school Blues this time. Definitely feels like the blueprint of great Blues. Nice listening experience even more than 60 years later. The sound is great especially for a live album. It's really cool but not really one of my favourites. I feel like I wouldn't necessarily come back to it.
Sounds good, but just ain't what I tend to dig. Would never deliberately listen to it in my spare time, but also wouldn't fuss if I heard it playing for whatever reason. An average of 3 stars.
Helvíti fínn hann muddy og þétt plata
Skemmtilegur Chicago blues, mojoinn að virka fínt. Bein lína frá þessu í Rolling Stones og Jimi Hendrix.
5/10 Not a Jazz guy but it was an enjoyable listen. highklights were Tiger in your Tank for me
I was like ??? And then I was like dayuuummm okaayyyyy Mr muddy waters Didn’t make it all the way thru every song tho it got too redundant for me
Sound quality is really great considering it’s live from the 60s. Classic blues! Love Muddy’s voice!
I don't know much about blues music, but I thought this was a pretty good album. I enjoyed the piano playing, and Muddy Waters's vocals are great as well. The songs were a great mixture of different tempos, and the audience noise added an additional layer to the energy of the performance. Both parts of "I've Got My Mojo Working" were the high point of the album for me, and I liked the ebb and flow of the tempo and energy throughout both parts of the song. The other songs were fine, but not knowing blues music very well, they just kind of all ran together for me.
Like the live recording. Not something I'd listen to often, but has a great vibe
Though it seems that this Album / Artist / Performance was a genre-defining one - it us Not my Kind of music. In my opinion it lacks musical direction and dramaturgy and is a little to repetitive in a kind of boring way.
An ok live album. It got a bit boring halfway through but was still serviceable. Feeling a light to decent 3 on this one
had high expectations, but i don't think i vibe with this style of blues as much as others
1. 3.5/5 2. 3.5/5 3. 3/5 4. 4/5 5. 3/5 6. 3/5 7. 3.5/5 8. 3.5/5 9. 3.5/5 = 3.38
Too classy and traditional
It's Muddy. If you love Delta Blues, this is a good album.
Sonzao blues classico e pa
It's Muddy doing what Muddy does. Overall a good listen and I enjoyed it but it's nothing special... although "...Mojo working" always gets me up and dancing.
This was enjoyable, and I might come back to it again. I'd have loved to hear a little bit more of the energy from the audience, it didn't feel intimate... but that's not an easy feat, so I'm not going to hold it against anyone from the recording team.
Jazz I like. Songs on album sound very similar.
EZ listening
истоки всего и вся, хули
Not really my type of music but it sounded great, especially for a live album
pretty hard to mess up blues
I don’t love this style of music, but he does it well! It did not drag at all.
This is great background music for working, nothing offensive about it at all, just easy to listen to
Hyvää kamaa, hyvässä suhteessa eli tarpeeksi vähän huvittavia yllärihuutoja jne. huumorikikkoja. Blues voi mennä viihdyttävänmäksi, mutta tää näyttää, ettei tarvi.
Livelevyn valinta merkitsee tässä tapauksessa artistin museointia, mitä tietenkin vierastan. Bändin esiintyminen ja musiikki on kuitenkin vain niin vetävää, että tämä ansaitsee tunnustuksensa.
Muddy Waters, Grandfather of Modern Music, on a lovely July night. It's the first live Blues album AND they had to convince the cops to let them have the show because drunk people got too rowdy and were teargassed at the site before at Ray Charles. Legendary
Okie
Bluesy
blues with the vibes of jazz and vox that kinda sound like jimi hendrix. goddamn these mfs like their trills. harmonica and horn sound like they're being played really loudly in the room next door, shit's muffled as hell. godDAMN they REALLY LIKE DOING TRILLS. i really love the way the piano and drums sound. currently on track 4 and this is a pretty fun listen but i'm gonna be real wit u this isn't all that interesting compositionally. i had to check the album credits on RYM to see if there were multiple harmonicas and whether or not the harmonica in the right channel was actually a very "honky" sounding guitar.
This is probably as good as electric blues gets for me. But it's also basically a live, greatest hits type album, so unfair to compare straight up to a regular album. -1
Sad and horny music 7/10
I prefer the muddy waters.. I like the second half of this album more than the first. It is upbeat and accessible. I'm glad to hear some crowd noise in the back half of the album... I was wondering if he was playing to an empty theatre. The mix is good for live in 1960. Though now in 2023, to me, t's sorta stuck as a period piece and the blues you put on when you're teaching someone about the blues. A true progenitor of rock music that percolated through the next 20 years. I don't know if I would go b ack and listen to this through again, though I can appreciate the artistry. Pretty cool to learn that the last track is completely improv. Review of Reviews: people recognize significance and generally dig this more than some of the other stuff I've already reviewed. (37/1001). Best Track: I've Got my Mojo Working.
Enjoyed listening to this album
i love the blues, but perhaps today i’m too blue to even feel what muddy is trying to tell me. enjoyed this but didn’t feel the heart. 3/5. muddy u still rock and you have the best name in the biz.
Very cool, new listen
Das ist astreiner Blues. Wer Blues mag, wird das hier lieben.
normal. i wasnt really in the mood to listen to jazz
difficult choosing between a 2 and a 3. There are some excellent tracks on here, but they go on too long and there are (in typical blues style) plenty of 'JUST GET ON WITH IT' tracks
While i do like my blues. I think i didn't give it enough time and peasce to really be enjoyed, so i will give it a 3 for now. Might revisit it later.
Pretty good Blues Album. I respect his influence on Blues in general. Favorite: I've Got My Mojo Working 3.4
3 just not my type of music.. listened to it in the night, and in the end fell aslpeel sadly :(
Schönes Blues Album! 6.3/10
Easy listening, man
bluesy
cool blues but kinda got boring
I was hoping I would like this. It wasn’t horrible, it was just ok. There was no song that really stood out to me. But it was nice to listen to while working.
Great - legend!
Do you like the blues, kid? This is the gosh darn blues!
Great energy, I can see how this helped lay the groundwork for rock music to come
Live blues is my favorite kind of blues, and Waters sounds great here. I'm unsure if I'll listen again.
No extra stars for historical importance. What counts is how it sounds today.
Cool blues, fell asleep on the train to it.
Highlights: Tiger In Your Tank, I Feel So Good, I've Got My Mojo Working. My first blues album of the generated list. Waters and the backing band are on fire! Felt a lull with tracks 1-4, but maybe my ears are more accustomed to upbeat blues? Reckon it's time to listen to Muddy Waters' studio albums. Overall: 6/10
Nice to listen to in the background. Not too loud. Not a fan of the crowd.
- 6/10
Nice but just not my thing.
Pretty solid album from one of the OGs. If ya like Blues, listen.
Fine, wanted to like it but nothing to come back to. Mojo songs were the best ones.
Pretty fun overall, but no songs really stood out. It seemed more like a fluid blend of old blues and soul.
du jazz pur et simple. indifférent au tout, mais pas mauvais 6.5/10
Not my favorite. I like the blues; I don't love it. Still - some of the music goes hard.
Nice feel and voice, need to play again
Aika perus blues soundia ja sit live keikka. Ei mitenkään erikoista, mutta hyvää niin ei voi 3 tähteä vähempää antaa
I've Got My Mojo Working was a real standout due to the lipwork. Rest of the record was decent 👍
Old School Blues album, apparently Muddy Waters is one of the most influential Blues musicians in the world?
I don't doubt that there should be a Muddy Waters album on here, but is this the best one? Serious question. The poor sound quality was distracting.
Blues 101 -mai füllel, ennyi évvel később helyenként klisésnek tűnhet, annyira erősen ezekből a blues alapokból indultak ki az ezt követő évek dalai, abszolút meghatározó blues elemek 3,5
Þetta er sem það er, strangheiðarlegur (þoli ekki þessa orðnotkun, en hún á við hér) blús og góður. Blús talar bara ekki mikið til mín lengur.
7.5/10 This is Muddy Waters live, and it delivers. It feels like a band that never has a bad night. Like can't have a bad night just how much they know what they are doing. Muddy Water's singing is just so, I don't know, "on". Like I can't imagine him ever singing a bum note, because it doesn't sound like he's every reaching for anything other than what comes to him at the moment. I'm not rating this one higher because of the repeats. It's just not good for an "album" experience for me
It's probably blasphemy but I was bored
A good sound but get pretty repetitive after a while. A few good tracks but I definitely couldn't remember them distinctly
Solid blues review
👍
Fun blues. Nice for easy listening
Good, but not likely to make it's way into my rotation.
Nice blues record; not completely my vibe though.
it's quite nice, soothing. probably won't listen again
3/9, 33%
got my mojo workin
Yup, that's blues alright.
The blues.
I feel a bit bad giving a legend like Muddy Waters three stars, and individually, the songs are great. It just all gets a bit samey for the duration of an entire album.
inoffensive jazz stuff but not great. good to do menial tasks to, but not good listening.
Good blues album
Relaxing and chill album
Pretty decent blues album, reminds me quite a bit of Ray Charles
Blues blues blues
Leppoisaa ja letkeetä
Pretty alright really, jazzy but not too jazzy
we had a problem with muddy waters in our downstairs toilet lmao
Nothing crazy here, pretty inoffensive
The recording is not very high quality. I'm sure this was influential because it sounds almost cliché at this point. Good music, but has been redone better in the following years
Soulful!
Ik hou dus stiekem best een beetje van blues. I'm your hoochie coochie man maakt wel gebruik van het meest gebruikte riffje ooit haha. Baby Please don't go is wel een persoonlijk favorietje van dit album. Maar als ik het vergelijk met Depeche Mode zou ik dit minder snel nog een keer luisteren. Ik zou dit 3,5 geven als het kon.... EDIT: Misschien toch maar een 3... Het album begint me toch een beetje te vervelen na een tijdje en merk dat ik het best lastig vind om aandachtig te blijven luisteren
It’s definitely a defining blues album. Very memorable licks, but at the end of the day, it’s still the blues. There’s o nly so much you can do with a I IV I V IV I chord progression.
tiger in your tank, mojo working pt 1 + 2 are fuego the rest are inoffensive to the ear but not a huge blues fan
As a zoomer born in 2000, this is a very slow listen. I'm not a blues fan and seeing the impact this album has had is hard due to it's major impact being on the next generation of artists in the late 60's / early 70's. With that the energy that this album brings is very much alive with many of the performers giving it there all. I think for me the album really shows this at got my mojo working pt 1 and 2. Where I think the album becomes a hard listen is when the traditional blues come out in songs such as soon forgotten, I'm your hoochie coochie man, and I got my brand on you. I wouldn't say these songs are bad just more not my taste, the hardship sound that comes from these songs aren't up my alley and I much prefer the more energetic songs. Overall in a personal rating considering all factors I would give the album a 6.5/10. Not something I would regularly listen to, but for the time of this album the performance is the best I've heard. I could see this review changing with the more music I listen to that is from this generation, but for now my appreciation for these early blues sounds aren't there.
I don't know any of Muddy Waters songs, it was new to me, also this is live album so 3 stars is all I can give.
I liked the pace - great music for cleaning my room. But would I listen to it again? Probably not.
ok
This has to be one of if not the best blues live album my ears have had the pleasure of guiding through. Muddy Waters not only sounds amazing but his guitar is simply fantastic. Lyrically there are two or three tracks that make up the engine here.
Meh. Guet. Nöd mis. 3 Stern.
Classic Muddy.
I can hear the inspiration for a lot of rock and roll, but my god the harmonica guy needs to relax.
Waters churns out a pretty damn good live performance here. He's got nothing to prove, already being one of the greatest blues legends of all time, but this record is especially notable with how he managed to pull off this set with the entire city of Newport, Rhode Island burning the fuck down around him. A perfectly serviceable live album, although I think there's some better representations of Muddy's catalogue that don't require the extraordinarily violent context. A riotous 3.5/5.
3 Classic blues. Nothing mind-blowing, but a nice reminder of how much rock music owes to the genre. The numerous covers of Baby, Please Don’t Go being case in point, but the inklings of a musical movement yet to come are felt on every song here. Muddy sounds great, with my two favorites here probably being the mentioned Baby, Please Don’t Go and I Feel So Good (I’m convinced Stevie Ray Vaughn ripped off the latter for Pride and Joy), but for the most part this kind of ran together for me. The reprise of I’ve Got My Mojo Working was a fun surprise, but I didn’t find the song necessarily overly interesting enough to warrant it. But then again, I’m not sure I would consider anything here quite interesting enough to warrant a reprise. I know Muddy was majorly influential on blues and rock as a whole, but my only real takeaway after listening to this album three times is “that was enjoyable enough”. Would maybe give a re-listen if I’m feeling in a particularly bluesy mood.
Very upbeat, very catchy, a bit samey but I guess that's to be expected. All good songs not much I can really say other than got my Mojo Working is infectiously catchy.
I went through a blues curious phase once. I remember cd shops having 400 compilations of blues artists for cheap and buying a few CDs, nothing really landing. Nowadays I associate blues with blues lawyers on YouTube playing the same three blues licks to sell a 500 dollar drive pedal. As far removed from blues origins as you could possibly get. But in between there's the joy of playing blues riffs, the influence of blues on a thousand artists I like. Listening to muddy waters triggered both impulses in me- the music is satisfying, but not something I really want to listen to. It sounds "blues by the numbers" and that just doesn't appeal to my ears anymore. This album predates any studio album and having a live blues album from this era on this list seems sensible. I thought the fidelity was pretty good, but the blues music itself was fairly plodding, and of course predictable, which is what blues is all about really. But I'd hoped for some more vibe from a live album. Objectively it probably deserves a higher rating than my subjective one, which is a 6/10, based on influence and legacy, but musically I think 3 stars is fair
It's a solid blues album.
Absolut blues record but by far not the best I’ve ever heard.
One of those things I enjoy in the moment but don't really revisit without prompting.
Classic blues right here. Though not my preferred genre, gotta acknowledge that Muddy delivers live with the striking baritone vocals coupled with the smooth instrumentals. I know all the aunties were grooving to This back in the day. Also I love the energy he puts into some of the tracks like “I’ve got my mojo working. Also hoochie coochie man is a wild name for a track 😂
Likes: the smoothest blues, harmonica softened in the live recordings, tasty vocals, a slow heat up to an electric good time Dislikes: the remastered bonus studio tracks sound more harsh than the live ones, I could leave all four tbh Favorite Tracks: Got My Mojo Working (great time), Goodbye Newport Blues (that piano tho), Favorite Lyrics: "I got $700, don't you mess with me", "got my mojo working, but it just won't work on you", "I got some red hot tips I got to keep on ice"
Another 3*
Good.
I'm not a jazz fan but damn, Muddy Waters is amazing!
No doubt an iconic blues album, I just don't feel as though I have an adequate enough pallete to fully appreciate it. I love the vocals, though.
Great album, I liked the live aspect to the whole thing, just not my favorite sound.
solid, i know it’s old but the production brings it down a bit for me
AJ: Legend
a bit short but nice listen 3/5
Fun blues. As expected, a bit rambly
Nothing I can really say that others haven’t already.