Better Days

Paul Butterfield, ??????? | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 26, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rhino
• ASIN: B0000032PM
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #65,278 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #89 in Music > Blues > Harmonica Blues

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The Butterfield Blues Band may have maintained an eight-year reign atop the American blues-revival pecking order, but the ensemble's focus was clearly waning by the time Paul Butterfield--by then the last remaining founder--closed down the operation in the early '70s. He resurfaced in 1973 with the more versatile and democratic Better Days. Their self-titled debut displays Better Days' strengths, which include three strong singers (Butterfield, Geoff Muldaur, and Ronnie Barron) and a more pastoral sensibility that's reflective of the setting of the recording--Woodstock, New York. When Butterfield's old band tackled "Walkin' Blues" on their groundbreaking sophomore release, East-West, they attacked it with Chicago-style aggression; Better Days' version of the same song is more relaxed and easy-flowing. It says a lot about Butterfield's shifting perspective that one of the nine-song collection's highlights is a tender ballad, "Done a Lot of Wrong Things." --Steven Stolder

Product Description

Limited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve. 2008. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The lesser known Butterfield Band, but no less talented, March 6, 2003

By 

. (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Better Days (Audio CD)

Most of those who will read this are already aware of the late Paul Butterfield's ability on harp,vocals,and band-leading, but perhaps some don't know as much about the other band members: Amos Garrett is a true wizard-guitarist, bending and sliding multiple strings into perfectly in-tune moving chords ,(usually only playable by two guitarists together), without devices. . Some readers will better remember him as the solist on 'Midnight At The Oasis' by Maria Muldaur,(formerly married to Jeff).The late Ronnie Barron, on piano and vocals, was a contemporary of Mac Rebenak,(Dr.John). There's a legend that Mac originally was going produce Ronnie as Doctor John,before deciding to do it himself. The truth of this rumor doesn't matter, what does is how believable it is after hearing Ronnie Barron. Chris Parker has been a major session drummer ever since this recording, perhaps best known from the 'Saturday Night Live' band. With all of their individual talent, they play as a cohesive unit, musically, more so than the original band, (which depended more on hot solos).

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless and innovative, July 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Better Days (Audio CD)

This album sounds as good today as when it came out 25 yrs ago.I always thought Paul was a step ahead of everyone else, perhaps a musician's musician. Better Days stands out for me as one of his better works; it's still movin' and groovin'

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It'll do!, May 23, 2000

By 

Russ Jones (Wichita, KS USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Better Days (Audio CD)

This is one of my most favorite non-acoustic blues albums ever. The cover of Walkin' Blues is such a rocker! Amos Garret's guitar playing is unique. But the real treat is Butterfield's harp playing. I've always thought he belonged to the Count Basie school of playing: you don't need to play so many notes if you know exactly the right notes to play. I just wish that the CD came with that big harmonica poster that came in the album. An ex-girlfriend got that years ago.