Tell 'Em What Your Name Is! [EXPLICIT LYRICS]

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 17, 2009)
• Original Release Date: March 17, 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Label: Lost Highway
• ASIN: B001SMC91M
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,010 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #10 in	Music > Blues > Electric Blues Guitar
  #47 in	Music > R&B > Soul
  #67 in	Music > Rock > Oldies & Retro

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Tell `Em What Your Name Is!, the debut album from Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears is set for release by Lost Highway on March 17. Formed in Austin, TX, Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears is an eight-piece, garage-soul ensemble featuring groove-laden guitars, penetrating brass and a fiery frontman who exudes power and attitude.

Experiencing the raw energy of Black Joe's performances, accompanied by The Honeybears' masterful backing is the equivalent of a kick to the stomach. Their gut-shot style, felt in such songs as "Gunpowder", "Master Sold My Baby" and "I'm Broke", draws directly from their classic soul, R&B and blues influences. Inspiration from artists such as Otis Redding and The Bar-Kays, James Brown and Lightning Hopkins are clearly present in their songs and live shows, but Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears inject a full-tilt, unabashedly brash element to this old-school style.

Tell `Em What Your Name Is! was produced by Jim Eno of Spoon, and recorded, mostly live in the studio, in Austin, TX.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars His Name is Black Joe Lewis, April 23, 2009

By	David Shadd "david_shadd" (Georgetown, Ky United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It is impossible to listen to this album and not want to dance around. There should be a warning on this album not to listen to it in the car, because I can't really contain myself. I haven't seen such energy and such a fun performer in many years. Black Joe and the Honeybears are a strange mix of funk, soul and rock and roll. I think the reviews call this "garage funk" or "garage soul" and that seems pretty accurate.

My favorite song from the album is "I'm Broke". I can't get the song out of my head, but it's not a bad thing. But "Sugarfoot" is a close second. I absolutely love the horns. There really isn't a bad song anywhere on the album.

It is ridiculous to think that this is the first record from this guy. The music is raw, high-energy and will absolutely make it impossible for you to stay in your seat.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Great Grandson of Soul, June 3, 2009

By	korova (Varosha) - See all my reviews

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Hehhhh! Something great has been brewing over the last couple of years. Funky, gutbucket soul music is back! Not the canned, overblown, and ersatz junk you hear on TV singing contests and sitcoms but true 60's style R&B. Sharon Jones, Amy Winehouse (yes, Amy Winehouse-she used Sharon Jones' backing band on Back to Black), and Raphael Saadiq are all doing their part to resurrect soul. And now Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears have stepped up to the plate.

Tell `Em What Your Name Is! is a gritty, storming, high energy debut album. Black Joe Lewis sings like James Brown and the Honeybears have that classic bass-and-horn driven Stax sound. That's right, it's like the Godfather of Soul fronting the Mar-Keys or Booker T. & the MGs. Talk about two great things that go great together--forget Reese's Peanut Butter Cups!

If that doesn't mean anything to you, just listen to the samples. You'll be up and on your feet dancing in no time. Then, check out some JB and Stax cuts and you'll see what I'm talkin' about.

Now then, back to the album. It's pretty much funky soul all the way through, with a few blues tunes, including a Yardbirds style rave up and a Fat Possum-like Mississippi hill country droner, tossed in for good measure. Black Joe and the band play loud and hard on every track...don't go looking for any slow jams on this platter. The only real flaws are that the running time is kind of short and the music seems to have been mixed for iPod and computer listening, with every element of the music placed way upfront. These are minor quibbles, however, and don't take much away from what is a fun and enjoyable record.

Bottom line: both old school and newer soul/R&B fans will dig this album. Strongly recommended.


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This disc made me think of these...
It's Great When You're Straight...Yeah: Happy Mondays + Stax = Memphchester
What It Is!: cool box set of obscure and rare soul cuts

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If You've Ever Tapped Your Feet to a Beat, You'll Love this Record, July 7, 2009

By	Danielle Lane (Horseshoe, North Carolina) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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The sticker that came on the front of my CD says that Black Joe Lewis has been inspired by James Brown, Otis Redding & Lightning Hopkins. Well, if you take the ghosts of those three, put them in a bottle, shake it without stirring, then pour it out you really do have Black Joe Lewis. If you like soul music, if you like the blues, if you liked James, Otis or Lightning, then you're gonna love Black Joe Lewis, because it's almost like those guys have come back to life. I love this record and if you've ever tapped your feet to a beat, you will too.