Customer Reviews

So Many Roads

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

 

 

This is one of my favorite blues CD's and much of the reason is Robbie Robertson's incredible edgy guitar playing, which I don't think he ever equaled in his work with The Band or elsewhere. Other members of The Band are also on this CD -- Garth Hudson, Levon Helm -- as well as the already mentioned Mike Bloomfield (inexplicably on piano, but I don't think even he could have surpassed Robertson on guitar in this set) and Charlie Musselwhite. John Hammond's dramatic vocals are great as is his choice of some of the best blues tunes in existence. Highly recommended for all fans of blues, and blues-guitar.

John Hammond's strength is not songwriting. Rather, his strength is effectively covering and interpreting old blues songs into a more contemporary setting. This is John Hammond's best early album from 1965. The record features ace players such as Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica as well as future Band members Levon Helm and Garth Hudson. The playing is strong and Hammond gives his best white boy blues growl. The record is pure electric blues, none of the acoustic wimpy stuff. Hammond's vocals may seem a bit parodical because it sounds like he is trying too hard, but it is good music nonetheless. Check out his version of Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love?"

Check out "Who Do You Love"! It's got Charlie Musselwhite at his best, and Mike Bloomfield on piano (Bloomfield seemed to be a victim of excess, but as a sideman or with Butterfield, he came through as a tremendous student of the blues and quite a talent in his own right!). And it just doesn't get any better than "So Many Roads." John Hammond really hit his groove with this record/CD.

This album should properly be considered the first super-group, since it contains half of The Band plus Jimmy Lewis, Charley Musselwhite and Mike Bloomfield from Chicago. It may also be the origin of Dylan's employment of the Band, since he and Hammond knew one another well (Hammond's father, the legendary John Hammond of Columbia Records, hired Dylan for Columbia). A little rough in places and therefore much more faithful to the Chicago blues sound, it is a stand out album. Hammond is one of the few able to slide easily between acoustic and electric blues, and is still performing 45 years later. Hammond plays primarily slide electric and leads are taken by Bloomfield and Robbie Robertson with Charley Musselwhite on harp. I've owned various iterations of this album since it was released and am glad to have the CD.

Rob Boyter

Recently picked up two copies of this CD from Amazon. The sound is awful on both copies- lots of crackling in the background. It almost sounds as if it were mastered from an poor quality record. This ain't exactly a hot seller- perhaps this is an old pressing that is a number of years old. Stay away from Amazon's inventory. Another retailer's inventory or an import pressing might be better.

Unfortunately, I can't yet comment on the quality of the music on this 1993 reissue--there is so much crackling and distortion throughout EVERY SINGLE song that the entire CD is totally unlistenable. And I bought it new! I'm not someone who nitpicks a whole lot about quiet or flat or "old" remasters, but the faults with this edition are overwhelming. I couldn't even make it through, the distortion was too overbearing and distracting. What were they thinking allowing this to reach the shelves of stores? I immediately returned my copy to Amazon.com, and luckily received my money back.

Now, as to a reissue that is actually listenable, I sampled a few of the songs on iTunes and they sounded fine; it's still the same label (Vanguard) but the release date is 2005. I haven't yet purchased the 2005 reissue from Amazon yet, but will be sure to comment when I do. Unfortunately this review will probably show on both due to Amazon's dim-witted review system AI. Whatever you do, don't buy the slightly cheaper 1993 issue!