Customer Reviews

House of the Blues

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

 

 

John Lee Hooker is in my opinion the first true Detroit rock and roll artist that follows in a fine tradition of the Stooges, The MC5, and Motown. The music on this album is probably the heaviest type of blues of ever heard. A little more ferocius, and darker than most stuff I've heard. If you like your blues squeeky clean like something Eric Clapton would record these days then you'll probably feel like the reviewer below that only gave this album two stars. But if you're like me and can just appreciate an individual with a lot of soul then this album will shake the foundation.

I didn't know any other white kids in Lakewood, California who listened to John Lee Hooker back in 1959, but I did. Don't get me wrong, I was a real fan of the new white rock stuff, you know, Ricky Nelson, Dion, Cliff Richard. And I liked country, Johnny Horton, Johnny Cash, others. But the blues, I loved the blues. It spoke to me. Still does. Don't know why. But I know this, this music moves me and John Lee Hooker is one of the best there is at it.

I must've played "Love Blues" a million and a half times. I've worn out several copies of this record. Thank the Lord for CDs. Thank him for iTunes too. Thank him for J.L.H. as well. This man can make you feel. He chills you. Don't believe me, give a listen to "Sugar Mama". If Mr. Hooker's praying for her to come back to him doesn't get to you, you have no emotions.

In "Down at the Landing" J.L.H. is wondering where his baby can be and it just about tears your heart out the way he sings it. "Louise" is the sweetest girl Mr. Hooker knows, the song's sweet too. This record ends with a couple songs about women and money. Got money, you get the women. Ain't that the truth.

This Record is Number 11 on my list of the Best Thirteen Records of 1959.

This album is awesome! Listen to the music not the recording quality! Probably half of the greatest music was recorded poorly. Buy this and feel the music. John Lee rules.

I don't know why 'music fan' 's review below me takes such offense to this fine album.. it's funky , it's dirty, just the way I like my blues. I kinda dig the doubletracking done on his voice, it gives the recording very much kind of a creepy quality . you may dig it too. this is the first album from JL Hooker that I 've listened too, so my discoveries are just beginning. check it out

John Lee Hooker/House of the Blues: I am a big fan of John Lee Hooker but this is not one of his better efforts. The songs on this album were all recorded in the early 1950's and some of the sides lean a little too hard on reverb (and echo tricks) which will certainly irritate a few listeners. No, this is not his best album but it remains an interesting piece of his development.

This album is awesome! Listen to the music not the recording quality! Probably half of the greatest music was recorded poorly. Buy this and feel the music. John Lee rules.

John Lee Hooker is, of course, The Man, but you'd never know it from listening to this collection. The Man's performances are good as ever, but the engineering and production are appaling.

Some damned fool got the bright idea to somehow double Hooker's vocals so he seems to be dueting with himself. Stupid! Some other damned fool (or maybe the same one?) got the equally bright idea to overdub a sped up guitar on a few tracks so it sounds like some sort of half-***ed mandolin. Stupid! Stupid! The vocals in some tracks are so distorted by overloading that they are unintelligable. Bad, bad, bad!

Skip this one. Get the much superior "John Lee Hooker Plays And Sings The Blues".

Two stars instead of one only because it's The Man.