I Want It All Back

Coco Montoya | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 23, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RUF RECORDS
• ASIN: B0030FUAGQ
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,208 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

"Coco Montoya is one of the reasons people mistakenly think blues is easy music to play. His fierce attack is so expert yet sounds so effortless that it makes you believe anyone armed with 12 bars and six strings can pull it off." -- Billboard "Few blues guitarists performing today can top the intensity of former John Mayall sideman Coco Montoya's torrid, Albert Collins-inspired attack. Shards of shivering, feedback-enhanced blue notes fly off the Southern California picker's ax and cut deep into the rhythm section's grooves." -- San Francisco Chronicle "Blistering contemporary blues ... piercing attack; funky, shivery guitar tones; and aggressive, soulful vocals." -- Blues Revue

* Catalog has scanned well over 200,000 units! * Over the course of his 30-year career, guitarist and vocalist Coco Montoya's explosive guitar playing and soul-driven voice have propelled him to the upper reaches of the blues-rock world. * From his early days as a drummer to his current status as one of the top-drawing guitarists and vocalists on the blues-rock scene, Montoya has forged his reputation through years of hard work and constant touring. * Averaging over 200 tour dates a year, Montoya packs clubs and theaters around the world. He has played major festivals, including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Chicago Blues Festival, San Francisco Blues Festival, and Canada's International Jazz Festival * Has received glowing praise from the Blues Revue, Living Blues, Village Voice, Billboard, San Francisco Chronicle, Philadelphia Daily News and much more--all of which have ranked him among the best guitarists and singers on the blues scene.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars SOUL MAN, March 23, 2010

By 

dickydo "Richie D" (Warwick, RI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Want It All Back (Audio CD)

For fans of Coco Montoya, this disc will come as a bit of a surprise. This is NOT a blues album. Let's face it, Montoya, as good as he is, has made the same guitar oriented blues/rock since the early 90's. This time around the guitar playing is terrific as always, but shall we say restrained. It's Montoya's underrated, superb vocals that are center stage. Backed by a crack band that includes Keb Mo playing tasty rhythm guitar as well as co-producing. This has much more of a soul/r & b vibe. Standout tracks include the cover of the Motown gem "The One Who Really Loves You". "Fannie Mae", featuring Rod and Honey Piazza offering their usual tasteful harp and piano work really pops. Also, the groove laden "Don't Go Makin' Plans" co-written by Little Feat's Paul Barrerre sounds both soulful and funky. It's about time Montoya gets his just due as a great vocalist. This is a nice change of pace, while it won't be for the blues purists, it sure does sound good.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Expanding the Musical Horizon, April 7, 2010

By 

Bob Dragich "Bob Dragich" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: I Want It All Back (Audio CD)

Every once in a while an artist who has a long, successful and highly-influential career suddenly does something that is a significant move in another direction and, ultimately, ends up defining a new era in the artist's career. Albert King's Blues at Sunrise and Etta James' Let's Roll are two examples. Coco Montoya's newest CD, I Want It All Back is definitely in this category. For the most part, I Want It All Back leans more toward soul than blues. Broadening the musical horizon can be either destructive, tearing the music apart at the center, or constructive, bringing the listener to new territories and experiences. It all depends on the strength of the emotional core. The emotion on I Want It All Back is rock solid and goes deeper than any of Coco's previous recordings. The vocals are clearer and more direct, the guitar solos are more closely aligned with the structure and movement of the song itself, and the songs are more cohesive and unique. It's significant that the CD begins and ends with new life breathed into two familiar numbers, The Penguin's 1954 hit, "Hey Senorita" and Jackson Brownes' "Somebody's Baby". Often when a musician treads new ground, there are some who see it as a threat to the past. These are usually the most ardent fans, and it's really a compliment to the artist that his audience would be so satisfied that going on in the same direction would constitute a success. But stasis is not what artists are about and, in many ways, we rely on them to take us to new places. Mission accomplished with this cd. For those who fear that this new venture will cancel what Montoya has done in the past, relax. It's no more likely that Montoya will completely change his set list than Bonnie Raitt finishing a concert without playing at least two songs from Nick of Time. Instead, the songs from I Want It All Back will most likely provide greater variety to an evening of live Coco Montoya music, and the inclusion of the hard-driving "Fannie Mae" on this CD confirms that blues-rock will be the mainstay of the event. A Coco Montoya gig has always been worth a two-hour drive in each direction, and with this new material added, if you can get there and back without getting fired or divorced, go. And listen to I Want It All Back on the way.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars DISAPPOINTING, September 6, 2011

By 

John T.C (Louisiana, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: I Want It All Back (Audio CD)

I have been a Coco fan from the beginning. Anything he released I would automatically buy, which is what I did with I Want It All Back. Boy was I disappointed with this one. Since purchasing this in 3/10, I have repeatedly listened to it, hoping to catch something I missed. So far, I got nothing. I enjoy Coco's voice, but I buy Coco for his intense, soulful, energetic guitar playing. The vocals are good, but the guitar is non existent on this one. Way too slick/commercial. What, pray tell, was he thinking?!? As bad as I hate to say this, I would strongly advise anyone considering purchasing this Montoya release to sample before purchasing it. I really hate to dog Coco, but this is NOT what I have come to expect from him. I HOPE that this is just a hiccup in a long line of very impressive releases, and that he will be back on his "A Game" for the next one.