Stories

John Mayall | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 27, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Eagle Records
• ASIN: B00006AAJG
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,038 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

John Mayall may be the hardest-working man in blues today. Stories is his 52nd release, and the first track, "Southside Story," shows he's working just as hard as ever. Mayall says that he didn't even receive the song until he was in the studio, but you'd never guess by listening. "Southside Story" establishes a mood within the first eight bars, setting the tone for the rest of Stories. The title is apt; for this release, Mayall focuses on the storytelling aspect of the music, and each song is a window into a larger world. In this respect, Mayall does best with the more straightforward material, such as "Dirty Water" and especially his own "Mists of Time," the anthemic blues ballad that closes the album. His paean to the younger generation, "Kids Got the Blues," is most welcome, as it recognizes that there is a younger generation of blues musicians and listeners keeping the music alive. Regrettably, "Pride and Faith" doesn't work quite as well, though Mayall's heart is definitely in the right place. Overall, though, Stories is a solid addition to Mayall's body of work, with a good selection of material and strong performances all around. --Genevieve Williams

Product Description

Features 14 tracks including "Southside Story", "Pride and Faith" and "Dirty Water".

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blues From The Master!, September 11, 2002

By 

deepbluereview "deepbluereview" (SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stories (Audio CD)

When Mayall and Friends was released last year I couldn't help but wonder how Mayall would do without his friends. Well, this release answers that question. Armed with his guitar, harp and his Bluesbreakers-Buddy Whittington, Tom Canning, Joe Yulee and Hank Van Sickle, Mayall releases one of his best recordings in years. It's all here, great guitar work, excellent rhythms, intelligent lyrics, nice organ work and Mayall's slightly worn but excellent vocals. One of the best blues releases this year.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Colossal Achievement, November 30, 2002

By 

Kurt Harding "bon vivant" (Boerne TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Stories (Audio CD)

First, allow me to put forth the proposition that despite the name of Mayall's band, that John Mayall has never been exclusively a blues musician. Therefore, it stands to reason that Mayall's albums will not contain blues songs exclusively. That Mayall is a blues master, there is no doubt, but he is so much more than that.
I am the owner of more than 40 Mayall recordings and buy each new CD before I hear a note. Rarely am I disappointed. The release of Stories is a testament to Mayall's prolific and enduring talent. Indeed, it is a colossal achievement.
Recently I had Stories in continuous rotation with a few other blues CDs while on a long road trip. My love for the CD grew with each listen. It is true that there is little straight blues here, but there is a lot of hard driving rock and blues rock and even a couple of the "message" songs that Mayall is fond of writing. Every song is good, but the real treat comes on the final cut which showcases another Mayall blues masterpiece. That song, The Mists of Time, is one I could listen to repeatedly for hours on end.
Other favorites are The Witching Hour, the magnificent Kokomo, and Demons In The Night.
Every John Mayall album has been different than its predecessor, sometimes radically so, and Stories is no exception. So its a mistake for the listener to come to the table with a preconceived notion of what the CD should sound like. I think Stories is Mayall's finest effort since Chicago Line and it deserves to be listened to enough times so that the listener can truly judge it on its considerable merits alone rather than by all that Mayall has done before.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great CD!, January 27, 2003

By 

Jan Mikkelsen (Denmark) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stories (Audio CD)

In some ways, this is a typical Mayall album. You have some straigth blues, a few rockers, a bit of jazz influence, a touch of "voodoo" blues, etc. On "Spinning Coin" (1995), Blues For The Lost Days (1997), "Padlock On The Blues" (1999) and "Along for the ride" (2001) we have seen a similar mix. These are all very good albums, but "Stories" is better in terms of song material and energy. The band sounds stronger than ever, and I think that compared to "Along for the ride", a more "raw" sound was applied here, which is great. The guitar playing of Buddy Whittington is a pleasure - this guy is one of the greatest! John Mayall's singing and playing is also still very strong.
I agree with the previous reviewers, except of course Bob Davies who is way off target, IMHO.
I went to see John Mayall & the Blues Breakers last year in Århus, Denmark where they mostly played songs from "Along for the ride". That was a great experience. They are playing again in march 2003 and I expect an even better show this time. Go see them!!!