Halfbreed

Keef Band Hartley | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 21, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: One Way Records Inc
• ASIN: B000002R64
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #473,999 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Sacked Introducing Hearts and Flowers/Confusion Theme/The Halfbreed

2. Born to Die

3. Sinnin' for You

4. Leavin' Trunk

5. Just to Cry

6. Too Much Thinking

7. Think It Over/Too Much to Take

8. Leave It 'Til the Morning [Single 'A' Side][*]

Editorial Reviews

Keef Hartley Band, Halfbreed --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best English blues album ever -- in my opinion, anyway :), August 17, 2004

By 

R. Lindeboom "theboomer" (Paso Robles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Halfbreed (Audio CD)

The Keef Hartley Band's ''Halfbreed'' is arguably the best English blues album ever recorded. Having just been fired from the drum kit in John Mayall's Bluebreakers -- Keef Hartley took with him seemingly the entire horn section of the Bluebreakers who had just recorded the great ''Crusade'' album. Joining them was Gary Thain on bass (who would later show up on Uriah Heep's best efforts like ''Demons & Wizards'' and ''Look At Yourself.''), along with Spit James and Miller Anderson on guitars. Two incredably talented guitarists whose work on cuts like ''Born To Die'' is as good as any work by better known guitarists, such as Clapton, Beck, Peter Green, etc. These guys were incredible. Miller Anderson also had a voice that was born to sing the blues -- it is an incredibly expressive voice that carries so much strength, emotion and tenderness (when needed) that few singers are his equal. To fill it all out, Peter Dines was on piano and the Hammond B3 organ to give that fat sound that only a B3 can bring to the blues. Gorgeous stuff. Brash stuff. Blistering stuff. It's all here. Their version of ''Leavin' Trunk'' will peel the paint off the walls and the aforementioned ''Born To Die'' would easily make any Best 10 Cuts of English Blues albums that were really worth their salt. This album was, for me, in 1969 when it was released, the high-water mark of English Blues. These guys were incredible. Today, my son listens to it and tells me that it's one of the best albums he's ever heard -- it is. If you can find a copy, don't pass it up.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keef Hartley-Halfbreed, February 15, 2003

By 

clif burnett (Shallowater,Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Halfbreed (Audio CD)

This is finest rock/blues lp on CD of all time. Contact me at [email] if u need a FREE CD-R of this CD. It is now out of print but I got a copy on CD several years ago.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keef's Got the Best Blues Of All!, December 14, 2007

By 

PHILIP S WOLF (SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA. USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Halfbreed (Audio CD)

The best British blues album of the late sixties, opens with bit of drama as John Mayall, gives Keef a little ring to inform him he was being sacked, from Mayall's band, {"Hearts & Flowers," included}. There were many great bands in England playing the blues, and Keef Hartley was ready to lead up his own band, and grab the brass ring. "Halfbreed" is his band's debut recording. This is one of the finest records of British blues ever served up, well...ever.

"Confusion Theme" {like a band on stage, warmin' up} melts right into the title track: "Halfbreed", and it's serious right from the begining, with smoldering organ at first and then The guitars, let's just mention that these guitars BURN all the way through this record, and never ever let up, slow or blinding fast, all the right notes are played.
"Born To Die", is a slow blues epic, the singing of Miller Anderson, is intense and the guitars on this one are full of emotion. Like Mick Taylor, in his prime, the guitars of Spit James & Miller Anderson are a 10++ on this one, and really bring this one home...world class playing here...
"Sinnin' For You", features the best hooks on this record, it's a catchy tune and I can't believe that nobody else has ever done a cover version, of this, it's another classic.

Side Two: This half of the record opens with: "Leavin' Trunk" and it's heavy and hard, with Miller singing a bunch, once more...Another keeper.
"Just To Cry", cools the mood down with bass & organ leading the way and lead guitars melting in with their cries of pain, this one is a slow burn of playing and it stays right in the pocket.
"Too Much Thinking", a slow one that builds and builds with the guitars ready to ignite, then a nice fiddle takes over in the middle section, and with Miller's help, the band finishes up, and it's into: "Leave It Til' The Morning" that sounds very close to a John Mayall track.
"Think It Over" is the closer, with it's Hendrix style, wah-wah. This is standard 1969 blues, all the way...Then, the phone, rings once more...".And, you're sacked" it's over for Keef, and this great record: "Halfbreed" comes to a close.
Classic, all the way. My favorite of the British blues bands, Keef Hartley has hit a home run here!
Five Stars !!!