This is one blues CD that has a happy ending; after all it ain't easy havin the Blues.
John Lee Hooker Jr. is the son of The Legend and was performing with his dad from an early age. For a long time, John Lee has seen, heard, and lived with the blues in more ways than one.
The Jr. really has a very clear voice and great lyrics. You can really listen to the stories he is telling in his songs. He is a great storyteller that is for sure. He weaves his words with the music so well, and its all 21-century stuff.
It starts out letting you know to stand back because his blues are gonna burn you up. The first song is "Suspicious" about his woman cheating with another woman, gentlemen it ain't all that great. In "Check Yourself" he adds horns and tells his woman to get a check up from the neck up.
"Blues Ain't Nothin' But A Pimp" is what his daddy told him because 'every time you get them they make you do something or get something to get rid of them'. Song #5 is a blues cha cha, "She Was Nothing But A Devil". John Lee's woman calls him 'Steve' and then it was on. "Boom Boom" follows it up from his daddy's collection with John Lee's shot at it. John Lee also does "Dimples" and One Coke, One Sprite And Root Beer, I mean "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" from his fathers collection.
"I'm Leavin'", slows things down with a very blue tune. John Lee is gonna take his Vengeance on Saddam Hussein in "Goin' Down To Baghdad". He left his woman, broke his restraining order and now his gonna get some weapons of mass destruction. This man is very cleaver, and that is only song #9.
It is no wonder that John Lee Hooker Jr.'s "Blues With A Vengeance" is a 2005 W.C. Handy Nominee for "Best New Artist Debut" and a 2005 Grammy Nominee for "Traditional Blues Album". The band is fantastic. Lets all wish John Lee good luck and more blues. I could go on about this Cd but I'd just be delaying you from listening to it. Go and get it today.
Check out their web sites : www.johnleehookerjr.com and www.onthehook.com
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