Customer Reviews

Hallelujah/Cook Book

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New York had Paul Butterfield
LA had Canned Heat

In the mid 60's, there was an explosion of blues based bands. Paul Butterfield, John Mayall,etc. and Canned Heat. The big difference was that Canned Heat hit the top 40.

Canned Heat was started by blues collector Bob "Bear" Hite and "Blind" Al Wilson. Both had spent their youth searching out old blues 78s and foraging through the American past to collect the music that would tell who were we were and who we could be. Canned Heat both shouted Past and Future blues.

The first album had mostly blues covers but with Bob Hites commanding vocals and Henry Vestine's guitar + Al Wilson's off center vocals made it well nearly obscure. The second album, "Boogie With Canned Heat" had a top 10 hit with "On The Road Again" and they played a date almost every night from SF to Germany.

"Hallejah" is the fourth album released by the Heat. After "Boogie", they released "Living the Blues", that had another top 10 hit, " Going Up the Country", again an Al Wilson vocal. But mostly, "Living the Blues" captilized on the long jam "Fried Hockey Boogie" that was a favorite concert piece that was an FM favorite.

But! "Hallelujah" is a fine stand alone album with such Heat favorites as " Time Was", "Same All Over" and the great '60's anthem "Sic' Em Pigs". By this time, though, Canned Heat seemed to be obligated to do an extented "Boogie". Only lovers of retread will be happy with that kicked tire.
This CD`has also the first greatest hits complipation released on LP, " Cookbook". It does not have later songs like, "Work Together", etc.. but it does have the advantage of not sucking out loud like every other Canned Heat CD. + the quality is so much better that no other release compares.

With two records combined on One CD; "Halleujah/Cook Book" brings back Canned Heat's, 3rd & 4th records for today's digital age. I used to own: "Hallalujah", on an old vinyl LP was back in the dark ages, and it got many plays on my stereo. Canned Heat was very radio-friendly, and both AM & FM bandwaves were playing this wild boogie music all the day and night.

As: "Boogie", is just amped-up blues. I was sucked right into this great music as a teenager, and today it still sounds pretty darn great. Rock music, at it's core is the baby of the blues, {with lot's of country influence as well}, and Canned Heat were the masters of this wild driving force of music.
With: "Same All Over", "Big Fat" and {My Favorite} "Sic 'Em Pigs" present in all their glory on: "Hallelujah" & the hits of "Cookbook" that include: "Going Up The Country","Rollin' and Tumblin" and "On The Road Again" you are covering a lot of ground on this CD. There is a lot of magic to be found here, from the wonderful voice of: Al "Blind Owl" Wilson, who is also featured on slide guitar {rare to a rock album of 1968} and also that great big bear: Bob Hite, who used to block the sun just by standing on an outdoor concert stage. Both Al & Bob, were historians of early blues music from the 1920's through the 1950's, and what they bring to the rock audience is the real deal. For me and my friends in the sixties; "Canned Heat" WAS the blues.

If you did own these LP's way back decade's ago, here is your chance to up-grade to a great CD, that brings it all back home again. For you guys & ladies, that only have heard the hit singles, there is much more here that is just as good that needs to be heard.

For listeners of blues and rock, Canned Heat were one of the greatest bands of the 1960's & 1970's. It's all good here, and the blues can make you smile.
This is the proof of that.
Four Stars!!! {Unless you ARE a Los Angeles County Sheriff!}

This vendor is perhaps THE best vendor on the internet. I have ordered from them many times and they have always been honest, swift, reasonably priced. A great vendor to deal with.

I would not have bougt this if it wasn't one of the best albums of the late 60's early 70's. This is what I listened to when I was a teenager and now in my mid-life crisis I wanted to get nostalgic.