Customer Reviews

Gettin My Groove Back

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

 

 

One of Elvin's better efforts. It's great to see him still at it and continuing to display the same soulful groove mixed in with his own unique humor. I did not think he would ever top what I though was his best effort in recent years (Don't Let the Bossman Get You Down), but except for a couple of tracks this one is there. Only Elvin can sing a song about drinking and partying (Blues Train) and slip in a line about not being a drinker anymore. What a classic Bishop song. Being a Tulsa boy myself, I'm proud that Elvin's beginnings were in the red dirt of Oklahoma!

I'm so sorry to hear about Elvin's recent misfortune, I was not aware of that. I had the opportunity to meet him when he was playing during the early 80s and one could not meet a more gracious performer. I saw this disk last week and, based on his playing in the Butterfield band (I know it was 40 years ago, but...it was East/West for cryin' out loud)I immediately picked it up. Its been playing constantly on my car CD machine ever since. He managed to achieve, on some songs, the vocal and gritty guitar sound of those early recordings reminicent of Guitar Slim and John Lee Hooker. A particular standout is "Blues Train". Wonderful jazzy riffs and nasty backup vocals. He's back with a strong album and its great to see!! Good one, Elvin!

If you have any reservations about buying this cd,don't.Relax and purchase in confidence. This is an excellent and fun set of songs from Elvin and friends.Outstanding

Elvin Bishop has always been one of my favorite artists. His great guitar riffs and good humour always have given his albums a certain edge. This time, some songs on the album show a more reflective Bishop than usual. And he's got a very good reason to be reflective: His daughter and ex-wife were murdered. The blues has helped him ("Come on blues") to deal with this gruesome fact and after five years he sings "I'll be glad when I get my groove back again". The fun side of Elvin has not disappeared though. Songs like "That's my thing" and "He's a dog" can really make your day!

The music is great, he has invited a couple of really good musicians to support him on this album, like Henry Butler on piano.

The only reason I don't give five stars, but only four, is the short running time of the album (about 40 minutes). But I sure do hit the 'Repeat'-button a lot!

The latest release by an American Blues Icon- Elvin is the real thing, not a remade, re-mixed, re-hashed blues wanna-be. His original style of singing, guitar playing, and song writing are a refreshing change of pace from so much of the "Blues" released nowadays. Helluva sense of humor which is rare these days, plus some introspective songs. Elvin always has a great band and some great friends drop by to sit in!!
Do yourself a favor and buy this CD- then, unless you've got a hole in your soul, you WILL buy more!!!

Amazingly, perhaps, Elvin Bishop continues to get better as a musician and as a songwriter as he gets older. Bishop's guitar never sounded better, and his vocals are soulful and refreshing. As a further treat, the backup musicians are probably the best band that Bishop has ever assembled. Overall, this is an album not to be missed.

BACK TO HIS BEST HE IS. Great guitar sound throughout. Some very personal songs, reflecting his recent traumatic history but with a renewed joy of life. "I'll be glad" is one of those tracks the Repeat button on your CD player was invented for. Must be a Grammy or Handy Award song of the year contender.
Probably his best CD ever. Can't wait for the next one.

Periodically, Elvin Bishop is involved in a discussion about blues. Well on this CD, there is no blues discussion, with or without Elvin. His voice, which was never top notch to begin with, hasn't aged well. He has fallen so far from "Fooled Around And Fell In Love", (Even though he didn't do the singing.) it's ridiculous. I had earlier, bought a CD of Elvin's, with his mentor, Little Smokey Smothers, where they talk about Elvin's early blues lessons, and though neither of them had a voice to write home about, they had some fun with the crowd. (I would write a review for "Shaq's, The King Of The World Blues Reviewer's" loyal fans, but I can't find it on Amazon.) This CD is a total, dismal, disappointment, for anyone looking for an electric blues CD.

I remember the recordings that Elvin Bishop made with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band very well,where he proved to us that he really knew how to play the guitar.After many years Bishop has returned with more proof,where you can breath the blues,and where he confirms all his talent.The pieces are all very good,with ''What the Hell is going on'' and ''Come on Blues'',Elvin Bishop has produced a solid and pleasant sound all at the same time.
''Gettin' my groove back'' is a recording that to me considered ''listen to believe''.In conclusion,it is a recording realized with lots of passion an sentiment,something very rare today.

I am an Elvin Bishop fan--yep, I loved Pigboy Crabshaw and In My Own Dream, and a ton of his bootleg live albums out of California and the Fillmore West. They are blues oriented good time music. This CD stinks.

Lets take "He's a Dog" by way of example, a complete waste of several mega bites of ones and zeros on this CD, a song about a dog that rolls around in the dirt.

Now maybe I should have been drunk to understand the concept of this song, and having listened to it sober, I feel I am the worse for the experience.

If you like good Elvin Bishop blues and a really good time, buy "Rasin' Hell", a terrific CD and a really good time, and stay clear of this, unless of course, you are drunk.