Living in the Danger Zone

Son Seals | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 11, 1989)
• Original Release Date: 1991
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Alligator Records
• ASIN: B0000009ZZ
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #277,177 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

From Grove Press Guide to Blues on CD

REVIEW:Reconciled with Alligator's Bruce Iglauer, Seals makes his most carefully plotted album. While he's the focal point of the songs, the mix gives unbecoming prominence to the hyperactive bass and drums, and a wispy flute undermines his serious societal concern in "Danger Zone." There are frequent spells of inspiration, but often Seals's long lines, as in "My Time Now," seem lost in direction and achieve only an anticlimax. -- © Frank John Hadley 1993

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Can't Lose the Blues..., March 20, 2009

By 

Docendo Discimus (Vita scholae) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Living in the Danger Zone (Audio CD)

This 1991 album was Son Seals' sixth for Alligator records, and his first in seven years. And "Living in the Danger Zone" is pretty standart fare for the gruff-voiced guitarist; a solid collection of mostly mid-tempo blues grinds with plenty of Seals' characteristic staccato lead guitar.

About half the tracks are Seals' own compositions, but he also delivers strong renditions of "Tell it to Another Fool", "I Can't Lose the Blues", and Tim Matson's "Frigidaire Woman", as well as the tough, no-nonsense title track.
Some more variation in tempo and style would have been nice, though...this is a perfectly good record, but it lacks the excellence of Seals' best work ("Midnight Son", "Nothing but the Truth"). The material is good, but generally not quite great, and while fans will definitely want to pick up "Living in the Danger Zone", newcomers ought to start with one of the above-mentioned albums, or Seals' fine 1973 debut, "The Son Seals Blues Band".
3 1/2 stars. This one is good, but Son Seals has made great albums.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Music and Clever Lyrics!, August 15, 2002

By 

deepbluereview "deepbluereview" (SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Living in the Danger Zone (Audio CD)

Son Seals 1991 Alligator release "Living In The Danger Zone" is arguably one of Seal's finest studio releases to date. His best live performances being "Live and Burning" and "Spontaneous Combustion". Like the live disc's, Danger Zone features and abundance of gritty vocals and piercing guitar solo's in the style of Albert King. The songs on the disc range from the humorous "Frigidaire Woman" to the slow blues number "Danger Zone" to the funky "Bad Axe" to a ballad like "My Life". Seal's is a natural for the blues. He was born in Osceola Arkansas and, as a child, spent much of his time in his dad's juke joint surrounded by the likes of Albert King, Sonny Boy Williamson and Robert Nighthawk. About four years after recording this CD his wife shot him in the face. He would survive that trauma only to later have his leg amputated due to complications from diabetes. As the saying goes, you got to live the blues to play the blues.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent - Real Blues, February 28, 2005

By 

M. Allen "Books/Music Missy" (Louisville, KY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Living in the Danger Zone (Audio CD)

This CD is excellent!! It inspired me to purchase 2 additional Son Seals CDs and to see him in concert.