Eat at Joe's

Blue Rags | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 4, 1999)
• Original Release Date: May 4, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sub Pop
• ASIN: B00000I8RJ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #499,034 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

When this North Carolina quintet went into the studio to make their gloriously rambunctious 1997 debut Rag-N-Roll, they were enthusiastic youngsters who knew nothing about the studio process. The result was an irresistible, rollicking blend of ragtime, old-time, blues, and bluegrass delivered with reckless abandon. Unfortunately, much of that loose and wild spontaneity is lost on this 1999 follow-up. Whereas Rag-N-Roll mixed in a variety of supercharged covers (ranging from Leadbelly to Professor Longhair to Jelly Roll Morton) with delightfully offhanded originals, Eat at Joe's contains 12 originals, mostly clichéd reflections about the road, the girl, and "the biz." (The one cover is a blistering but "hidden" version of Jimmy Martin's "Freeborn Man," ironically the record's most compelling cut.) The record does grow on you with repeated listens, but then again, the beauty of Rag-N-Roll was its immediacy--its ability to grab hold of you from the get-go. The Rags deserve credit for trying to mature and develop their sound and their songwriting, but in doing so, they've played away from their strengths. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good on its own, but different from first, June 18, 1999

By 

[e-mail] , Zoe Perry (Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eat at Joe's (Audio CD)

While "Eat at Joe's" stands on its own as an excellent album, those fans of "Rag-N-Roll" may be in for a surprise. "Eat at Joe's" is markedly slower in tempo and when I first listened to it I found myself skipping from song to song trying to find a tune that matches "Sister Kate" or "Be My Salty Dog." Also, the amazing piano of Jake Hollifield is not showcased at all on this release as it was on the first. This album is almost entirely original material for the Blue Rags, whereas "Rag-N-Roll" featured arrangements of classic, old songs. The only cover comes in the form of a secret song after the last track. "Eat at Joe's" definitely has more of a clean, perfected, studio sound. It doesn't sound like sub-pop let the guys go loose in a room and record it live. While I like the laid-back, country feel of this album, I miss the "get up and dance" ragtime sound of "Rag-N-Roll."

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic!, July 13, 2011

By 

pigwolfer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eat at Joe's (Audio CD)

I love these guys. Too bad The Blue Rags aren't still around though! Woody Wood (Aaron Wood) just released an excellent self-titled album and Bill Reynolds is playing with Band of Horses these days. Awesome! This album really rocks. My favorite track is Jet Set. It's a loose and fun song about life on the road in a band. These guys were so much fun live. I love this album and will always be prone to return to it and relive the good times that I experienced listening to these great tunes. Highly reccommended!

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential., November 17, 2003

By 

Christopher Sroka "saltydoggy" (Boston, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eat at Joe's (Audio CD)

This cd really cooks .... After reading reviews of this album I thought it was going to be horrible compared to Rag-n-roll. The truth is that this album is as good or better than Rag-n-roll. This album is definitely not all slow songs. The music is produced very well and I'm glad the band did all originals this time around. I think the tunes are great. Very Americana sounding which I really dig. I'm curious to know what the status of the band is right now. I almost saw them live a couple years back but they got stuck in a snowstorm unfortunately. I would like for them to release another album and go back on tour!