Shine Eyed Mister Zen

Kelly Joe Phelps | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 13, 1999)
• Original Release Date: July 13, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rykodisc
• Run Time: 57 minutes
• ASIN: B00000JLJ2
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #85,787 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #48 in Music > Indie Music > Blues > Contemporary Blues

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com's Best of 1999

With a gently self-assured voice and a guitar style like quiet water, Kelly Joe Phelps does imbue his music with a certain Zen-like quality. There's something quite meditative about Shine Eyed Mister Zen, especially on the song "River Rat Jimmy," which evokes a contemplative mood. --Genevieve Williams

Amazon.com

It's great--Kelly Joe Phelps has all of the earnestness of a singer-songwriter without the overbearing holier-than-thou-ness that infests so many of them. It's a testament to his skill as a musician that he lets the music speak for itself; sure, there are message lyrics on Shine Eyed Mister Zen, but one needn't spend hours perusing them to appreciate Phelps's deft guitar work or strong but unassuming vocals. His cover of the Leadbelly classic "Goodnight Irene" is as bittersweet as one could hope for, and he infuses his own arrangements of traditional numbers like "The House Carpenter" and "Dock Boggs Country Blues" with his distinctive touch without in any way disrespecting the songs themselves. His own songs stand up well to the covers, too; "River Rat Jimmy" is a ballad in the traditional sense, with a tense moodiness that draws the listener in, and the slow shuffle of "Piece by Piece" (with harmonica from Dave Mathis) is equally evocative. True, it's not straight blues--there are elements of folk, country, and bluegrass here as well. But those genres share a great deal in terms of origin, and Phelps explores these connections superbly. --Genevieve Williams

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Phelps has restored my faith in blues, January 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Shine Eyed Mister Zen (Audio CD)

Compliments of my parents, I grew up listening to delta and country blues-- Robert Johnson, Son House, Charley Patton, Bukka White, well, you get the point. As the years went by, I found myself less and less interested in pure blues. Look at the greats-- half of Blind Willie Johnson's songs have exactly the same melody, and he wasn't even the worst offender. Formulaic lyrics and repetitive song structures just didn't do it for me anymore. I turned to jazz, blues-influenced folk such as John Fahey, and the occasional blues-based rock of modern geniuses like Chris Whitley and Ben Harper, and jam bands like Widespread Panic and the Allman Brothers. Until a few days ago, the only pure blues that held my attention came from the odd-balls like Mississippi John Hurt and Skip James. Then I heard Kelly Joe Phelps-- this album in particular. OK, so he's only one man, but he writes and plays with such soul and technical skill, and more importantly, originality that I no longer believe the form to be a lost cause. Unlike Corey Harris or Ben Harper (mentioned by another reviewer), Phelps does not attempt to simply infuse his blues with cajun and occasionally carribean sounds (like Harris), or infuse rock with folk, blues and reggae (like Harper, one of my personal favorites) in order to revamp the blues. Phelps just plays the blues. However, the difference between Phelps and someone like Dave Van Ronk (part of the 60's blues revival) is that Phelps writes songs with complex structure, melodies and rhythms rather than just rehashing Robert Johnson. Like Chris Whitley on 'Dirt Floor,' Phelps shows that the form is not a lost cause. There is still room for creativity in the blues.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For fans of Leo Kottke and John Fahey, June 11, 2000

By 

Rob Damm - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shine Eyed Mister Zen (Audio CD)

Phelps' guitar work is unspeakably lyrical. He mixes a primitive-American finger-style with fierce blues scales and burbling folk passages. He is one of the few contemporary folk musicians who doesn't seem to dwell in the shadow of his influences; instead, he seems to have entirely digested and mastered them. A testament to this is the way the covers and originals on this lovely record flow into each other. His take on the Dock Boggs' favorite "Country Blues" is alive, fresh and completely Phelps' own. The major addition to this record is the strong presence of original songs, which are, without exception accomplished, plain-spoken and very effective. The music is the star of the show here, not just an excuse for Phelps to show off his awe-inspiring guitar chops. The recording is very immediate, detailed and natural. Phelps' warm and weary voice sounds very intimate and you can appreciate every nuance of his phrasing. Easily one of the best of 1999, and maybe Phelps' best record yet.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A true master, March 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Shine Eyed Mister Zen (Audio CD)

Kelly Joe Phelps seems now to be getting the recognition he deserves. When you first hear this music, you will be convinced that Phelps is either accompanied or the music overdubbed. Not so. His technical ability is truly remarkable, picking and sliding at the same time, but this is not at the core of his work. The technical brilliance is overshadowed by this being one of the most emotionally intense albums I have heard. Songs like "The House Carpenter" and "River Rat Jimmy" are chilling - this is the perfect music to listen to when you are alone at 3am. One thing that you cannot understand about KJP from his recordings is quite how great an improviser he is. Neverplays the same song the same way twice, and has even been known to improvise new songs on the spur of the moment. DO NOT let that put you off buying the album - I think that only "The Soft Bulletin" by The Flaming Lips can equal it as best album of 1999. But do make sure that next time KJP is near you you make sure to see him live; it is almost a life-changing experience as his six strings and his superb, somewhat slide-like voice make you realise that true originals and innovative, fresh music can still come out of "traditional" genres. For now, just order this album, and if you can, his others too. I would start here though; "Shine Eyed Mister Zen" is just extraordinary.