Lettin Go

Son Seals | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 25, 2000)
• Original Release Date: April 25, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B00004SUFA
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #293,592 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Bad Blood

2. Let It Go

3. Give the Devil His Due

4. Doc's Blues

5. Hair on a Frog

6. Jelly, Jelly

7. Osceola Rcok

8. Dear Son

9. I Got Some of My Money

10. Rockin' and a Rollin' Tonight

11. Bad Luck Child

12. Blues Holy Ghost

13. Love Had a Breakdown

14. Funky Bitch

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

When Son Seals' self-titled debut was released in 1973, his tutelage under blues greats like Sonny Boy Williamson and Albert King gave way to an identity as a new master of modern electric blues. Seals's maiden 21st-century release, Lettin' Go, once again encapsulates all the things that have cemented that identity for an international following: painfully jagged guitar riffs, uncompromising, emotional vocals, and chops cut on a lifetime of jook joints and hard livin'. The record represents something of a departure for this notorious traditionalist. An acoustic guitar opens the record, which in Seals's repertoire is a rare sound indeed. Tracks like "Blues Holy Ghost" incorporate gospel stylings and sentiments. There's even a more-or-less straight-up rock track here, "Osceola Rock," and a guest appearance from Trey Anastasio from the rock band Phish. Still, when you hear Seals going to work on dirty, soulful workouts like "Bad Blood," there's no doubt where this man's true talents lie. --Matthew Cooke

From Jazziz

'My father taught me everything from the start,' says bluesman son seals, 'tuning the guitar, fingering. Where I wanted to be riffing around all up and down the neck right away, he'd keep me on one chord for hours, until I could feel it in my sleep. I'd get up the next morning, grab the guitar, and I'd be right on that chord.' Seals' new CD, Lettin' Go, finds the Chicago resident revamping his classic 'Funky Bitch' alongside the jam-rock band Phish. 'Bad Blood,' was co-written with attorney and crime novelist Andrew Vachss. 'He did the lyrics, and I put the music to it,' says Seals. 'I'm pleased with it.' - JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Living Proof, May 20, 2000

By 

zak mucha (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lettin Go (Audio CD)

The blues has always suffered academic purists with limited parameters who have to define what true 'blues' are. (They know eveything about the music except how to enjoy it.) Son Seals continues to leap over the experts with his new album, Lettin' Go. Blues experts can concern themselves with where Sonny Boy Williamson bought strings and they miss the point that the blues is about emotions and carrying them over to the audience. (I just saw Son Seals play to a packed house and the room was charged... Standing ovations, calls from the crowd, and women dancing like they were getting paid good money. Like we hear it used to be back in the day.) So, this is the problem with reviewing a true bluesman. It's hard to describe how someone takes you with them by playing guitar and singing. No equivalent catalyst can be described here. Buy the album and listen to Son Seals prove it himself.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How did Son get into my brain?, October 11, 2000

By 

Rebekah Sue Harris (West Haven, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lettin Go (Audio CD)

I ordered this CD to be delivered with the new Burke book ("Dead and Gone" by Andrew Vachss). Little did I know that the CD would be delivered after my boyfriend/almost fiancé/the first guy in 30 years who was ever nice to me/etc. would be caught cheating on me.

I threw myself into the Blues.

Son spoke from MY heart.

THIS was my introduction to Son Seals.

"Let It Go" I played over and over. Sometimes, you just gotta let it go! It's upbeat beat pulled me out of my doldrums and its message got through to my brain. You listen to this CD enough, and if you've been lied to and cheated upon, you will embrace "Love Had A Breakdown" as you learn to love your freedom instead of hating it. (Does that make sense? I went from crying, to being able to welcome Son's "I no longer want you." That's a far cry from my earlier, "I can forgive you" -- and MUCH healthier.)

I could pick through each song for you, but I think that each person who listens to it will get something different out of it, based on his/her own life experiences. I can honestly tell you that it made me feel better.

I am not a blues connoisseur and indeed have only been listening to the blues for a few years (finding my choices based on amazon.com's recommendations to me, a registered user who buys Andrew Vachss books) -- so I can't critique this as a professional reviewer might. However, I'm a music fan going back as far as I can remember, and I can tell you that this is GREAT. The music wraps itself around the lyrics and the listener is given a package worth opening. Son's voice is the rich, deep green of a forest; it's cool and inviting and you can hear the wild animals in the underbrush even when you can't see them.

Everyone whose heart has been broken should listen to this CD.

Everyone who has a FRIEND whose heart has been broken should listen to this CD.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars last but NOT least!!, March 16, 2008

By 

Kenneth A. Knowles - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lettin Go (Audio CD)

i have been a fan of son seals since i saw him live in chicago at the wise fools pub in the late 70s and this is one of his best recordings. its too bad he didnt receive the acclaim he deserved but anyone who digs the blues will like this album. dont "burn it" BUY IT, son deserves at least that much. ken