Black Rock

Joe Bonamassa | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 23, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Premier Artists
• ASIN: B0033XUHKY
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,414 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #63 in Music > Rock > Blues Rock
  • #80 in Music > Blues

Editorial Reviews

Just awarded the Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award at the UK's prestigious Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards, blues-rock guitar hero and singer-songwriter Joe Bonamassa is set to release his tenth full-length solo album, BLACK ROCK, on March 23, 2010. This album was recorded at, and named for, Black Rock Studios in Santorini, Greece. With this album, we wanted to explore a world feeling, and this was the inspiration behind going to record in Greece and using some of the best Greek musicians to add a little flavor to a couple of the tracks. But it s by no means a world album. We wanted Joe s usual youthful and energetic tones to play alongside the worldly vibes of the Greek bouzouki and clarino, said producer Kevin Shirley. Bonamassa says, It was the kind of record Kevin and I wanted to make. We needed to rock again a bit like on my first album. I wrote the whole thing there. Also Joe signed up Blues legend B.B. King for a duet on his new album. The song they perform together is a rendition of the Willie Nelson-penned song, Night Life, which appeared on King s 1967 album BLUES IS KING. Shirley says about the experience, This is a rollicking Stonesy-vibe version of the Willie Nelson song on which B.B. King duets with Joe, both vocally and on his famous Lucille guitar. What a joy and an honor to work with the legend who is possibly the pivot point and unifying musician between Blues and Rock. Other tracks appearing on BLACK ROCK include Jeff Beck s Spanish Boots, Leonard Cohen s poetic Bird On A Wire, Otis Rush's Three Times A Fool, Bobby Parker's Steal Your Heart Away, Blind Boy Fuller's Baby, You Gotta Change Your Mind, John Hiatt's I Know A Place, and James Clark's Look Over Yonders Wall, as well as the originals When The Fire Hits The Sea, Quarryman's Lament, Wandering Earth, Athens To Athens and Blue and Evil.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars BLUES AND BEYOND, March 23, 2010

By 

dickydo "Richie D" (Warwick, RI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Rock (Audio CD)

Admittedly, I didn't want to like this disc. The prevailing thought was that Kevin Shirley's previous productions have led Bonamassa in more of an arena rock sound and away from his blues roots. While the music has been quite good over the last several albums, it seemed the duo had run it's course. Happily, I was more than pleasantly surprised by this newest entry! A LOT of ground is covered. The opening cut "Steal Your Heart Away", and the original "Blue and Evil" rock full tilt with very familiar riffs, yet his smokin' leads save even the mundane. There are some tracks that can be considered in the traditional blues vein. B.B. King joins the former wunderkind on a duet of Willie Nelson's "Night Life", that and the Blind Boy Fuller tune "Baby You Gotta Change" are old school, with a modern feel. For lovers of heavy guitar oriented British Blues, Jeff Beck's "Spanish Boots" gets Joe B. in Beck and Robin Trower mode with heavy thunderous riffs. Covering Nelson, Beck, John Hiatt and Leonard Cohen show an eclectic musician at the height of his powers. Still, it's great to hear him play some mean slide on 'When The Fire Hits the Sea' and replicate pitch perfect Chicago Blues on Otis Rush's "Three times A Fool". Much has been written about Bonamassa's burgeoning interest in Global Music, the album was recorded in Greece and Greek Musicians were used. This only broadens the canvas for this remarkably gifted artist. It looks like the Bonamassa-Shirley combo can live to see another day. They've produced a very interesting and original work that cements Joe Bonamassa's maturity.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars On the brink of a classic!, April 22, 2010

By 

Eddie "tinman4444" (Peoria, IL) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Black Rock (Audio CD)

Many of the reviewers here seem to think that Joe is all about blues. He is more than that. I like Joe and what he has done so far, and I have seen him "live" in Peoria, Illinois. This album is good, very good. I would recommend it to anyone just on the song "Quarryman's Lament" alone. Joe is progressing to the point of becoming a great artist. He has a great album in him and it will come. It is more than blues, he has more to say than blues. He will never be the blues artist that all these people want him to be. I have listened to this album about six times and I like it more everytime I hear it. "Blue and Evil" is another great song on this album. It gives me chills everytime I hear it. This song could be on any Led Zeppelin album. He is bordering on becoming a great american artist, one that we will be talking about for all time. There are weak points to the album, but I can forgive the degressions. Why only 4 stars? I am waiting for the classic!

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Up to Snuff, April 7, 2010

By 

S. Smith - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Black Rock (Audio CD)

I had three of Bonamassa's CDs before I bought Black Rock.I was thrilled to hear him play cuts like So Many Roads, Blues Delux and Tea for One. Then I saw Joe at a concert and was blown away by how great a guitar player he really is. He doesn't just know how to play at a high level of energy, with solos that smack of what we used to call "acid rock" and "psychodelic", but he knows "what" to play: hard edged riffs of R & B. I came away from the concert thinking that he was right up there with Jeff Beck, Robin Trower and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

With that as I backdrop, I listened to Black Rock. Where is the Bonamassa that I enjoyed so much on his prior CDs? He does not show what he can do on this CD. Some of the cuts are tame and somewhat boring, and even for some of the Okay cuts seem uninspired. Some of the cuts were just not listenable for me, being slow, labored and utterly devoid of energy. I do not hear the emotion that Joe showed on his other works. I seen many great guitar virtuosos in my time beginning with the golden age for hard edge R & B at Fillmore in the 1960s and 1970s, Johnny Winter, Clapton, Led Zep, Stevie Ray to name a few. I know that in no way can you expect the fire of a live performance from a guy like Joe to be on a studio CD. But this CD does not come close to what I know Joe can do and did on his other CDs. A disappointment and generous 3 stars.