Customer Reviews

Blue House

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Marcia is a fine singer who writes many of her own songs, though she is never afraid to record covers where they are suitable. Her albums can be almost relentlessly upbeat, as with Hot tamale baby, but this is generally a much sadder album - more like one would expect from a blues singer.

Marcia still demonstrates her Jerry Lee-ish piano playing here, on the opening Red beans, the third track Down the road and particularly on her cover of Joe Ely's Fingernails, but those are not typical of this particular album.

More typical is the title track, in which Marcia painted her house blue after her man left for good, or St Gabriel, about being sent to prison and later being released with nowhere to go.

This is a fine album that demonstrates Marcia's ability to sing a variety of different types of song.

I first heard Marcia Ball wailing out a song on the radio when I was traveling through Glenwood Springs Colorado several years ago. The beat and lyrics of 'I keep my fingernails long so they click when I play the piano' captivated me so much , I rushed to a phone and called the local radio station to find out who the artist was. That day I purchased this album and have been a fan since. Her unique cajun style and excellant intrumental accompaniment will have you tapping your foot to her music. Enjoy!

I found this one by accident, but it turned out to be a great find. I was in a used CD store and picked up a CD by Luther Allison. It had been repackaged and shrink wrapped. When I popped it into the CD player, out came this very vibrant female voice singing a song that I would later find out is called Red Beans. It caught my attention and in what seemed like no time at all, I was through the entire CD. I played it twice more before I finally managed to find out who this was and print out a list of tracks.

Every track is great and my favorite of the bunch is Fingernails. Since then, I have gotten more Marcia Ball CDs (on purpose!!) and can't say anything negative about her.

thought I'd would from hearing her interview and excerpts at the House of Blues. "St. Gabriel" still sings to me, but there is not one bad track on this CD, and will play them all over and over. Not all CDs past that test. Sometimes I'll buy a CD and only like one or two tracks.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

St. Gabriel should be the poster song for battered wives... and all the other songs are wonderful too. Heard her songs at the House of Blues website ... and craved some more. I shall buy this one here and also Gator too. Recommend her for anyone who loves the Blues!

From a very short piano-'demonstration'by Marcia Ball in a tv-documentary on the history of blues, I had hoped that she would be a blues-pianist, singing a little bit with her piano-performance.
However, she turns out to be a singer, also playing the piano, but no solo's, so her playing the piano is 'drowned' by the other more dominant instruments.
Stil a very nice CD though.
The other 2 CD's which I bought were recorded in later years, and show that she is gradually 'leaving'the blues in favor of 'country'.