Customer Reviews

Rich Man

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

 

 

7 years before Luther started his American comeback with his debut on Alligator he released this album in Europe recorded in 1987 in Germany. It is almost unfair to judge this album due to the use of electric keys popular at the time,Sure, there is some of the dreaded 80's synthesizer agreed, but most of the keys sound fine. There is so much passion in his singing and playing his voice is possibly better than at any time. You get the sense he is really putting his heart on the line here, trying to reach across the Atlantic. Granted it isn't his best but considering the period it was recorded it probably would have done really well on his home turf. Luther however was living in somewhat Exile in Europe and had yet to perform at the 1995 Chicago Blues festival to roaring reception. As a big fan of Luther, I feel there is something here to love. I saw him live in 1972 when he burned down the 3 Day Ann Arbor Blues festival, and I saw him just before he passed at one of his last performances. This is the middle period and there is a roaring version of "Freedom", and "Mistake" alone is worth the price of admission.The big clunker here is "Get Down" a sort of heavy metal disco funk tune, which if left off this album would have made a more cohesive effort, but hey, it was the 80s! I have never seen the Ruf version shown here so I am putting up the original cover of the 1989 Charly release which I assume was a re-release of the German 1987 album. For Luther fans this is not a bad release at all and has some real gems, by any other artist it would be a 5 star album since it is not his best I reluctantly give it 4, fine indeed, with some really incendiary guitar work- man he is missed!

I have no more respect for any other recording artist than I do for the late, great Luther Allison. Not sure if this was a post-life cash-grab by Ruf Records, or if Luther had hit rock bottom at the time of these recordings. None the less, there is nothing (very little anyway) on this disc that resembles the early West-Side blues of Luther or his massive return to the USA, popularity & Alligator Label in the 1980s. There is one and a half decent blues cuts on here. A lot of style-jumping from funk, to bad-Living in America-James Brown to teppid ballads. The lyrics are cliche-ridden and the sound (cheesy keyboards) is outdated. It is a major bummer as I have many great Luther CDs in my collection. This is not the way a Blues legend wants to be remembered. Save your money and start with his trio of 1980s Alligator releases, or a couple of his Live CDs. Luther was a major live act, who put every ounce of his heart and soul into every note he played on guitar, and every word he sang on stage. Check out his lastest CD-DVD from Montreal, recorded just weeks prior to his passing from cancer. RIP Luther, you deserve beter than this.

Song Listing: 1. Chicago 2. Rich Man 3. Love is a Tree 4. Cold as Ice 5. Freedom 6. Fight 7. Mistake 8. Get Down 9. Cry

This CD is from 1996 Ruff Records GmbH (Germany). Luther Allison - Vocals/Guitar, Fast Frank Rabaste - Guitars, Zox - Bass, Vincent Daune - Drums, Michel Carras - Keyboards.

I ordered this because I had never heard of it.
well guess what it's not real. It's a typo.