Customer Reviews

Hell Or High Water

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I didn't really know what to expect with this latest Ellis effort, especially with this being on the Telarc music label, which isn't exactly known for carrying hard rockin' blues acts. As it turns out, this is 12 great tracks of blues rock with Tinsley's trademark powerhouse guitar playing stamped all over it. His six string has never been stronger, and his songs has never been better. Some of the highlights on here include the wonderful "Mystery To Me" which features a very cool wah wah pedal guitar sound which has both a psychedelic feel and a 70's style soul vibe thanks to the strong backing vocals of Atlanta singer Donna Hopkins. Really a unique slant on the modern blues sound. I also liked the 8 minute blues burner "Feelin' No Pain", one of his darkest songs about lost love, that also features some absolutely searing guitar work. I also liked "Ten Year Day", a song inspired by the events of September 11, which has a little bit of a ZZ Top mid-seventies sound to it. If you've followed his music for very long, you know that Ellis has always worked on the dark and dirty side of the blues. He still has his playful moments though, like on the infectious Texas blues shuffle "Hooked" and the fun "Love Come Knockin", which reminds me of the music Ellis did in the early 80's with his band the Heartfixers. If that's not enough of a mix, he also does a very nice southern rock tune "Stuck In Love", which sounds like a cross between the Allman Brothers and Derek And The Dominoes. This ones a beauty, and so is "Hell And High Water". How much you like this cd depends on your musical tastes. If your a blues purist this probably won't be your favorite listen. If your into straight rock, this maybe too bluesy for you. If your an in-betweener who likes their blues served on the rocks, you should give this one a try. From start to finish, this is a very entertaining listen. Turn it up loud and enjoy!

I'll make it short and sweet..... by far Tinsley Ellis' best effort to date. When I bought this CD I thought after the first two tracks, nothing special....... but the next nine tracks in a row from "Mystery To Me" to "Ten Year Day" is in my opinion, the finest material Tinsley has released in his career...so far. If you buy only one Tinsley Ellis CD, do yourself a favor, make it "Hell Or High Water" I guarantee.... there will be no disappointment!

Tinsley is an unbelievable live performer who absolutely plays and sings from the heart, but his albums don't always capture this energy. I was lucky enough to catch this set live before listening to the CD and while Hell Or High Water won't be mistaken for a live performance, it is the closest thing to the "real" Tinsley Ellis I have heard on disk. Over the years Tinsley has continued to hone his craft as both a guitarist and vocalist resulting in a CD that shows us a mature performer with great command of his instrument, who can tear it up without ever getting out of control. While this CD may fall into a niche market, for those who appreciate Tinsley's work, this is a great CD.

Saw this band perform in Key West, and knew I had to have the CD. And it is all it is hyped. great blues music and even better in person!

Coming off of his previous release to this "Kingpin," this is another fine recording. You get alittle of everything on here, but it's all blues. Of particular note to me was the instant classic "Feelin' No Pain," over 8 minutes of awesome blues and no-wasted-notes soloing by Ellis. "Stuck In Love" is over 6 minutes of the same, excellent soloing by Ellis. My other favorite was "All I Can Do", which borrows the guitar riff from Hendrix's "Spanish Castle Magic." This is blues done with style and I highly recommend it.

Tinsley still rocks! His first sortie with Telarc leaves nothing to be desired for Southern Blues/Rock fans - and Telarc brings the kind of warmth and directness of sound that one would expect of such an effort! I feel this album above his previous efforts, captures more of the "live" essence that sets him apart. Blues with alot of rock and a whole lot of soul! Simple vibes that ring true - genuine stuff from the heart. 'Hell or high water' sets the tone and 'Stuck in love', 'Real bad way' and 'Set love free' bing it home! Plenty of emotion and lots of soul. His best all-around effort yet!

Tinsley Ellis's debut CD on Telearc,"Hell or High Water",
is quite a change in that there are no covers. Tinsley wrote every song and puts every bit of his 20 plus years on the road into these songs. There are some great songs but the one that gets me is "Set Me Free". Its such a simple song after listening to the rest of the album that to me it stands tall!!!! The vocals hear are getting a little more tone in them as Tinsley get older as does his guitar playing. Go and hear him play this fine album on the road this year.

This is another great Tinsley Ellis CD. If you love blues guitar, you will love this CD.

I'm not a very good reviewer...so I'll just say I agree with the pros.

"Blistering, inspired roadhouse blues and passionate Southern rock... supercharged guitar and gritty, soulful vocals." -Relix

"Atlanta's Tinsley Ellis sings like a man possessed and wields a ferocious lead guitar...one of today's premier blues/rock players." -Billboard

"Ellis unleashes a torrent of dazzling musicianship...."

Highly recommended for any aficionado of blues rock.

Lo compré al azar porque no entiendo esto de Amazón y está fantástico. Tiene muy buenas guitarras.
Un saludo