Customer Reviews

Wolf That House Built

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

 

 

Little Axe is actually the core members of industrial-funk outfit Tack>>Head (who in turn play under a number of other guises; Strange Parcels, Videohead, and various On-U-Sound label appearances). They are also the original Sugarhill Rap labels house band and its members include Doug Wimbish (of Living Colour) and Keith LeBlanc (on the first NIN record). They are very ecelctic, and this is their dub-blues-asian subcontinental record. Mostly driven by fattened low end bass, slinky delta blues guitar parts and clean, crisp drum, it is augmented by a strong collage of sampled blues men along with original vocals as world beat flourishes, funk, and ambient electronica all thorwn into one coherent brew. A very low-key but sublime recording.

I bought this in 95 and still play it regularly, (and I have thousands of tunes at home to chose from!) this blend of blues and ambient is absolutely brilliant, with bass that will knock you over. I don't know anyone who I have played this CD for who didn't fall for it immediately. Obviously put together by people who both know their music and love what they are doing.

AS both a reggae lover and a blues lover I was immediatly drawn to this CD.My favorite track is"Out in the rain....". A great mix of dub and blues.I literally wore the cd out,(the top part where it gets gripped at wore down). If you like blues or even trip hop, you'll like this.

Since 1970, I've been a fan of the blues, and in the intervening years sought out early recordings of folk blues and followed the blues revival and its white off-shoots in the 1960s and 70s. Around 1990, I felt that the blues had pretty much been milked of any future directions. As roots music writer Peter Guralnick has noted, the blues is a fairly conservative and circumscribed musical form; it is the performers who have given it robust expression -- like Howlin' Wolf.

Shortly after the release of TWTHB, a rock writer in the LA Weekly mentioned this recording in passing -- not in an actual review of the recording. A couple of months later while in my local used tape/record/CD store I found a cassette version. Dimly recalling the LAW citation, I paid all of $3.50 for it.

"The Wolf that House Built" is a superb demonstration of how a traditional music form can gain new life with a fresh approach by musicians who revere their source and see how it can go to new levels. From the moment I popped the cassette into my player, I was mesmerized. If your sense of the blues is not encapsulated in "purism," you'll be up and on your feet within the first few bars. Great sound texture, too!

One of my favorite albums. Brilliant. Who are these talented guys and why is there only one album?

I first heard a track from this album featured on WTMD Towson-Baltimore a few years ago. The DJ said it was "Little Axe, from The Wolf That House Built", and that IF you were lucky enough to find it, you should get it if you like the sound. The cover of the disc describes it as the world's first "Ambient Dub Blues" project. Certainly more blues-y than any other other element, but if you're a fan of Mississippi or Louisiana-style blues music- go for it. It's very well-done.

Around 1997 a friend of mine (in his late 20's at the time) who knew I liked Blues suggested that I get this CD. I had never heard anyone refer to at that time or since. While it has been defined to as "Dub-Blues" and is clearly an homage to legendary bluesmen like Howlin' Wolf, it really defies categorization since it's influences are also Funk, R&B, Rock and Hip Hop even. It's no wonder I didn't hear it played much anywhere. There's no way I could describe this CD and do it justice, so I won't. I'll just say that anybody who appreciates the Bluse and has an open mind about music from every genre, will find something that appeals to them here. I might add that this is my second time buying this CD as a not-so-good "friend" made off with my first copy and I went for years without it. I purchased it again recently and realize that I like it even more.

It is hard to describe what I like about this CD. I borrowed it from the local library and after the first play though my reaction was 'what the ..'. I subsequentially played it eleven times on the same day and have never looked back. Blues is my love, and this album provides a view I have not seen before: dub blues with some great sounds and riffs.