Customer Reviews

Mourning in the Morning

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

 

 

One of my first blues records and my first Otis Rush record when I was a kid. I thought it was an awesome recording but have since matured with my blues, especially when I got more of Otis's recordings and found the real Otis. This is so different than any other of his recordings it is hard to reconcile. The production should have been better considering the work that went into this recording but sadly it suffers. The songs are great some a little dire, unlike one reviewer who did'nt like "My Old Lady", I beg to differ, it was a regular in my set list of songs we played and Jerold Jemmot was inspiring and was fun to play. Otis did stuff like Rainy Night in Georgia so he could step out. Not a good starting place but if you are a blues and Otis fan you should have this in your collection dispite its flaws because that guitar always overcomes.

Every time I listen to this album it gets me excited. It's one of my favorite blues records because it never gets dull. It really deserves five stars. The horn section is great and Mr. Rush's performance speaks for itself. Also for fans of Duane Allman, it's interesting to listen to him play rhythym guitar on this one. A great pick.

This looks like a fairly cynical ploy. Let's get a blues star who's had some sizeable hits on a small label, take him to Muscle Shoals with the best session musicians we can find, and...oh yeah get him to record some of our songs. Mike Bloomfield and Nick Gravenites gave him some fairly dire songs to record, but were unable to prevent Otis Rush shining through, and in places making some old chestnuts live again.The undoubted top tracks are "It takes time" (self written by the man) a great version of B.B.King's "Gamblers blues" and a belting version of Chuck Willis' "Feel so bad".You'd best programme out Tracks 2 & 7,they weren't good to start with and haven't lasted well. Two other points. Firstly the band when they get into their stride really swing, and Jerry Jemmott on bass holds it altogether terrifically well. Secondly the stereo separation is the kind of weird deal that recording engineers would never even attempt today.A triumph in spite of the material

There are some great moments on this album: Feel So Bad, Gambler's Blues, Reap What You Sow. There's also so cheese thanks to Bloomfield and Graventies saddling Otis with Me, My Old Lady, and Working Man. The better cuts are top shelf. Enjoy them and grit your teeth on the others.

You can't be telling me we have yet another classic we all forgot about. It goes from the sharp and tight "me" to the ever so wierd but incredibly menacing "reap what you so" (what exactly is Otis getting at w/ "You're going to be mourning in the morning, baby"? If that doesn't put fear into you - you're already dead.)to the euphoric upbeat "Can't wait no longer."

People should know this album.

I am a groove fan and nobody grooves better than Jerry Jemmott. Jerry provide the octane throughout this record and especially on 'Me','My Old Lady' and 'Baby I Love You'. If you like groove oriented blues then get this album.