Customer Reviews

The Very Best of Canned Heat

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is some New Orleans/Mississippi blues at its best with a bit of southern rock thrown in!!! Canned Heat is one of the most underrated groups of all time. They are great. They were improperly labeled a group of 60s hippies, but they were much more than that. Yes, they did appear at Woodstock and maybe that is why they were never recognized as what they truly were. This CD will show you the real Canned Heat. No doubt, "On The Road Again" and "Going Up The Country" are very classic songs and actually are the songs that made me buy the CD. They have always been two of my favorite songs of all time. These should always be in everyone's top list of classic songs, but wait until you hear what else is here. This is spectacular. If you love blues, southern rock and some great music, do not miss out on Canned Heat. They got it!!!!!! Get this!!!! Now!!!!! There ain't no bad songs here............

THE VERY BEST OF CANNED HEAT is the best anthology of Canned Heat assembled up to this point. At 19 songs, it's more economical than the double-disc UNCANNED!, yet more complete than the EMI BEST OF or COOKBOOK. Sadly Bob Hite, Al Wilson, and Henry Vestine died in 1970, 1981, and 1997, respectively, so they will never be able to capitalize on this anthology's release.

This CD is great! It contains the very best and most comprehensive collection of Canned Heat singles. And, the recorded sound is extraordinary...much better than the original releases in most cases. If you like Canned Heat, whose legend continues to grow, then you will LOVE this CD.

This album is by far the best compilation out there, if you wish a good solid concise overview of one of maybe a half-dozen bands who could make po bedevilled blues lovers like me and my friends git down on our knees and cry! real tears! because they were (and remain, dead or alive) one of the absolute best blues bands ever. The respect these guys had for their material is evident in every song, and they practiced long and hard, obviously, to get the sound they wanted. Buy this, at any price between ten and fifteen bucks, I'd say, it's worth it. You might want to pick up "Future Blues" as well. Contrary to what some revisionists now say, that was the LP we decided was the ultimate blues album, back in the day. Noone would never top that. (After awhile on our knees, weeping again)...I've haven't heard any better since.

I am a Chicago Electric Blues man and was brought up on that kind of music. When the white bands decided to start covering black muscic I was some what dubious. I remember when Canned Heat first came out. I was immediately impressed with their style it was almost like listening to some of the better blues artists at the time. This compilation has assembled a ton of good ear stuff. I particulary liked .......... "Dust My Broom," (almost an Elmore James sound)" Bullfrog Blues," (that cooks)" Rollin and Tumblin" (a traditional black blues song also). They have one of their John Lee Hooker tracts "Whiskey and Women" which is awesome. This sucker even has a Little Richard combo on it.....what more can you ask! Well you can ask for the two songs they are most noted for "On The Road Again," and "Goin Up To Country" ...awesome baby..but the icing on the cake to me was "Let's Work Together." Buy it, try it and you will like it. Joliet Jayke the Bluze Brother would not steer you wrong...now go order it so you can gettin some "Heat" in your soul.

In addition to all the great things the other reviewers have to say about the disc, I'll add that the sound quality is excellent too. For whatever reason, this band's albums have been overlooked by Capitol. If you want one of their studio albums on CD, you have overpriced poor sounding imports made by budget reissue companies to choose from - not a good situation. It's obvious from the sound of this compilation that Capital has access to some first generation tapes. Let's just hope that someday they'll properly reissue them with the dignity this band's catalog deserves.

I've had several "best of" CDs by Canned Heat, including the 2-CD "Uncanned," which I thought was probably going to set the standard for Canned Heat's legacy. Sadly, the awesome 11-minute version of Fried Hockey Boogie remained elusive, even on "Uncanned," which has a similar version, but not the original that I grew up listening to in 1970.

This download was on sale for $5 and when I saw it had the 11-minute "Fried Hockey Boogie," I downloaded it without hesitation. Just the one song was $1.99 if downloaded alone, so, hey, for $3 more I'd get copies of songs I already had. Boy, was I wrong! This 2005 24-bit remastered CD has the most amazing sound I've ever heard come from Canned Heat. The Bear's vocals just roar at me from the speakers which, I must admit, I have cranked as loud as they'll go.

From the opening single sitar-like notes of On the Road again until the final notes of this CD, every song sounds just awesome. Thank you to whoever it was had the love and intelligence to give Canned Heat the full, deep sound they deserve!

After listening to this, I took the four versions of On the Road Again and put them on my iPod and listened to them. The other three (from an off-label best of, from EMI's best-of, and from Uncanned) all sounded OK, but slightly "flat." This version was last and just blew the other versions away, the audio quality was just so amazing. I just can't emphasize how awesome the sound is. Even if you own a lot of Canned Heat, I'll wager that you don't own anything that sounds as good as this release!

I'd love to see the classic "Hooker and Heat" two-CD collection get the same audio remastering. That classic sounds good and is a "keeper," but I'd love for it to get the same treatment as this compilation. I'd buy it again, just for the improved audio!

So, even if you have other "best of" Canned Heat collections, I highly recommend you get this solely for the audio quality. You will have 1.2 hours of listening bliss. Play it LOUD! Play it often. And don't forget to boogie! Boogie...

It had been over 30 years since I listened to a song by Canned Heat. I liked them somewhat in the 60's and early 70's but they were by no means one of Wow, I forgot how great they were. These guys could play some music. Maybe my tastes in music have matured as I have, I am now 54 yrs. old but I just really appreciate the talent that was Canned Heat. Kick back, and flash back, you will be glad you did.

This is a great collection of tunes by a truly fun and in their day unique band. They always had tunes that translated well into long jams with an infectious groove reminicient of the DEAD. One of the best things about this particular collection is that it includes "LETS WORK TOGETHER",a really foot thumping,head boobin beat song that is often left off of other CANNED HEAT collections. A must for any sixties collection or for anyone who just loves to BOOGIE!!!

I will try to be brief. If you have read the other excellent reviews of this bands work on this 2CD set, and the EMI "The Very Best of Canned Heat"---You will know already that this is one of the best Boogie Bands ever that never compromised its not only wanting, but needing to not give in to more current commerical styes. That alone says a lot
This really showed on "Going up the Country-a re-wording of an old blues song that was impossible to find until you heard that it came from the blues of old- the main example is "Going Up The Country"
"Let's Work Together" was a great version of a Wilbert Harrison who had his hit on the radio at close to the same time and both di very well.
One reason that this band really rocks and lives on every song that they recorded and play is that at least Alan Wilson and Bob Hite were fanatical (sp) Record Collectors- they lived and breathed this music
It is said that Bob Hite had one of the best record collections in the world

So, enough about the band- This 2 CD Comp compiles the best of Canned Heat that you will ever get-Period, with NO filler- The sound is fantastic--and stands up well to the single CD mentioned above
The real difference is if you are a fan at all - you need to have this CD now- and if you like this style of Boogie, Rockin' Blues- you just need more of it.
It is out of print so get it at a good price right here
The Single CD is an excellent compiliation of songs for those who want to get a little taste of their "Canned Heat" (no pun intended) or like their excellent compiled 1 CD version

Either way, as all of the reviewers have stated better than I- I just wanted to let you know that I agree with all of them that gave this 5 stars
Billy Boy.