Customer Reviews

Red Dog Speaks

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

 

 

When a musician sees his instrument as a life-long companion, you know you're in for something good. Such is the case with Elvin Bishop and Red Dog, his faithful Gibson ES-345, cherry-red, 1959.

Red Dog Speaks is a journey of a man and his guitar down a long, storied road that is his career, never aptly given its due, but nonetheless filled with vague joys and no regrets.

Red Dog Speaks is the soul of Elvin Bishop. Yes, the Elvin Bishop who played in the towering shadow of Michael Bloomfield in the Paul Butterfield Blues Band days.

Yes, the Elvin Bishop whose brush with commercial success came in the mid'70s' "Fooled Around and Fell in Love," which was catapulted up the charts on -- let's face it -- the vocal prowess of Mickey Thomas.

Yes. That Elvin Bishop. The Elvin Bishop who in decades hasn't changed his hair or shirt style, and who stands curiously devoid of pomposity.

To appreciate Red Dog Speaks, one must first listen to the opening title cut, where Elvin introduces Red Dog, faithful through busted strings, blown amps and beer spills seeping deep into the pickup coils. Here, you hear Red Dog speak, get to know his bark, bite and whimpers.

The songs are well-crafted, catchy and varied. You'll hear foot-stompin' boogie, doo-wop, jazz, blues, country, ballads and a guitar icon truly enjoying himself.

The songs:

RED DOG SPEAKS: Juicy slide, jazzy piano and a laid-back intro to Red Dog.

NEIGHBOR NEIGHBOR: An anthem to the nosy neighbor. Toe-tapping boogie; lots of slide guitar and sax.

FAT & SASSY: A good rollicking piece trumpeting the pleasures of gluttony; the tune is mighty tasty as well.

BARBECUE BOOGIE: A quick-paced instrumental dripping blue.

MANY RIVERS TO CROSS: A pretty ballad; Red Dog slides along.

BLUES CRUISE: Tommy Castro, Buckwheat Zydeco, John Nemeth and others join in on this one.

DOO-WOP MEDLEY: '50s instrumental; slow and pleasantly greasy.

GET YOUR HAND OUT OF MY POCKET: Red Dog unleashed; great mouth harp.

HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW: Red Dog makes a great statement on this instrumental.

CLEAN LIVIN': Elvin waxes nostalgic on the vices he's survived; Red Dog agrees.

MIDNIGHT HOUR BLUES: Sultry blues; a great closer.

There you have it. Elvin Bishop, unblinkingly true to the stuff that matters most, has reached a new height.

Red Dog tells you so.

This is not typical of what sells these days. This is real downhome, gutbucket, country blues by a master. It's enheartening to see folks from Mr. Bishop's generation become the elder bluesmen of today just like the previous generation was for them. If you want to get a sense of authentic music that can actually sound the same or better live without an studio gimmickry, buy this album. And he's funny, too: Fat and Sassy is hilarious.

Yes Red Dog Does Speak on this new Elivin Bishop disc. I have been a fan of Elvin Bishop for many years and it's exciting and refreshing to hear this wonderful CD. More artists should include some of the Doo Wop as Elvin let's Red Dog do here. The track "Clean Living" will apply to a whole bunch of us for sure. This disc is getting extended play time with me and friends. If you love Elvin Bishop and Red Dog then get this CD asap.

I love Elvin and I don't need his bio with a review. If you love his work you probably already have this CD. If you don't know who he is and you'd like to hear what he's all about there are several other CDs to consider first. By the way, he plays blues guitar and he's been know to wear some expensive shirts for other album cover photos.

Several recent albums are better than this one; try any of his 3 Alligator releases, Getting My Groove Back from 2005 or The Blues Rolls On from 2008. Rolls On and Red Dog are both from Delta Groove Music. They created the 2008 album with better song choices, stronger guest artists and it even seems to be recorded clearer. All of these seem to be a better showcase for Elvin's unique talents and would be a better starting place if you're curious-blue. Having said all that, any Bishop fan is required to own this disc but it will instantly make you want to play the others.

Saw Elvin in SFO at Biscuits and Blues. Loved the show, bought the new CD. Dissapointed in many songs not what Elvin performed that night. Loved what he did sing in his show, and was hoping to hear them again. Alas, not on the new CD. Prefer Elvin's great lyrics with his songs than the instrumentals presented in Red Dog Speaks. Didn't seem to fit with the rest of the selections. Sound quality overall was not the best. Still a great live performer after all these years.

Bishop rocks. One of his best albums, if not his best ever ! Guitar playing is unbelievable. And his singing is crisp as ever.

ELVIN BISHOP,I love his voice, his guitar and how to interpret the Blues, boxed in the Modern Electric Blues, Blues-Rock, Southern Rock, Modern Electric Chicago Blues, Regional Blues, Album Rock, Contemporary Pop / Rock,in other words its particular way of understanding the Blues, sensational.
In this CD RED DOG SPEAKS is an example of his Blues, but it's great, funny, very active and a interpretation of the song that gives name to the CD,superb.
From time to time "lost the concept of the Blues" and includes on his CDs songs as MANY RIVERS TO CROSS or DOO-WOP MEDLEY I do not understand they mean in a good Blues CD like this.

All in all a great blues album, but for the silly songs I named above, I would rated 4 stars.

Blues fans will NOT be dissapointed with this newest CD. Mr. Bishop & his bluesin' allstar band deliver all the sassiest blues you can handle.Great tunes, good players,soulful singing, and some serious searing slide guitar work by E.B.-the man!.The band is smokin' hot with a tough steady groove, and the choice guest players give it that extra texture to make this CD a real treat.Chicago blues,hardcore boogie, rhythmn & blues, zydeco and soulful songs abound here.Elvin is a very underrated guitarist writer & performer- he wrote 5 of the 11 tracks and he floored me with his surprise covers of two doo wop classics- A beautiful medley that brings tears to my eyes when I hear his "Red Dog" speak.I play it every day and all I can say is this CD is worth all your time and money,This is a smashing blues CD.Come Git Some! Richard Jackson

The first time I put this collection of tunes on, I thought "Here's a guy having a lot of fun playing music" and "Why don't more people know about him?"

Most of us remember Elvin Bishop as the pop penner of the top 40 tune "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" and let it go at that. This collection demonstrates that he's capable of much more.

This CD includes styles ranging from shuffles to bayou-influenced slide. There are even 3 instrumentals on the disk (a rarity nowadays). Elvin's slide style evokes Lowell George more than Sonny Landreth...tasty single note leads. The band is tight, sounding as though many of the tracks were live-to-tape.

This is new blues played right, with a tip of the hat to the masters. Highly enjoyable effort. I hope he keeps "Red Dog" for many more years.