Crucial

Editorial Reviews
Entertainment Weekly
This Brit soulster masterfully replicates [Al] Green's raspy burr, yet has missed his gritty, transcendent soul.... This overproduced, cliché-ridden debut proves to be anything but crucial.

Crucial,Ali,Polygram Records,Contemporary R&B,Pop,R&B,Soul/Reggae/Rhythm & Blues,Urban

Crucial

Crucial
Crucial Rockin' Blues
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • great artist mix
  • RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "A SMORGASBORD OF ELECTRIC BLUES!"
 Crucial Rockin' Blues
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Alligator Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. More Crucial Guitar Blues
  2. Crucial Acoustic Blues
  3. Crucial Guitar Blues
  4. In the Palace of the King
  5. Crucial Texas Blues

ASIN: B000P46Q90
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

  1. Last Dirty Deal - Coco Montoya
  2. Route 90 - Johnny Winter
  3. Golden Rule - Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials
  4. Hound Dog Man - Lonnie Mack
  5. Phone Line - Dave Hole
  6. I'm Gonna Leave You - Guitar Shorty
  7. The Next Miss Wrong (Live) - Tinsley Ellis
  8. Run Myself Out Of Town - The Holmes Brothers
  9. It's 2 A.M. - Shemekia Copeland
  10. Rockin' Harder - Lee Rocker
  11. 25 Miles - Roy Buchanan
  12. Follow Your Heart - The Paladins

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars great artist mix.......2007-06-27

Crucial Rockin Blues has several of the current blues greats performing an assortment of straight rocking blues and rocking r&b. It is a great CD to broaden straight rock enthusiasts', or straight blues enthusiasts' tastes.

4 out of 5 stars RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "A SMORGASBORD OF ELECTRIC BLUES!".......2007-06-23

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT SELECTION OF MULTI-ARTIST ELECTRIC BLUES. SUPRISINGLY A NUMBER OF THE SONGS ARE VERY RECENT, SUCH AS COCO MONTOYA'S "LAST DIRTY DEAL" ONE OF THE BEST FROM HIS RECENT RELEASE. TINSLEY ELLIS' "THE NEXT MISS WRONG" IS TINSLEY AT HIS ABSOLUTE BEST. PERFORMING A FOOT STOMPING, ROADHOUSE COOKER! DAVE HOLE IS HIS USUAL MAGICAL, WHIMISICAL, AUSTRALIAN, SLIDE MASTER, WITH HIS GUITAR JUMPING AROUND, LIKE AN UNATTENDED WATER HOSE TURNED ON FULL THROTTLE! GUITAR SHORTY'S SONG "i'M GONNA LEAVE YOU" IS PROBABLY HIS BEST COMBINATION OF STRING BENDING AND VOICE YET RELEASED. THE ONLY NEGATIVE IS THE ATTEMPT OF ROY BUCHANAN, REDOING THE ALL-TIME ROCK CLASSIC BY EDWIN STARR, "25 MILES"! IF YOU'RE GOING TO REBUILD THE STATUE OF LIBERTY, DON'T USE POPSICLE STICKS, USE GOLD! (ANOTHER BAD EXAMPLE IS OCEANS ELEVEN) IN SUMMARY, THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE STEAL AT $8.00! SHAQ "THE KING OF THE WORLD BLUES REVIEWER'S" SAYS BUY IT! P.S. SONG #2 "ROUTE 90" BY JOHNNY WINTER IS ROLLICKING GOOD FUN, BUT IT SURE SOUNDS LIKE "SURFIN U.S.A. BY THE BEACH BOYS!
Crucial Acoustic Blues
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Alligator says it all!
 Crucial Acoustic Blues
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Alligator Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000P46Q9A
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

  1. High Heel Sneakers - Junior Wells
  2. Oreo Cookie Blues - Lonnie Mack
  3. Stop Running 'Round - Carey Bell
  4. Down In The Alley - Bob Margolin
  5. Sloppy Drunk - Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women
  6. The Man Next Door - Koko Taylor
  7. Railroad Bill - John Jackson
  8. Evil On My Mind - Johnny Winter
  9. Trouble On My Mind - Cephas & Wiggins
  10. So Tough With Me - Sonny Terry
  11. Baby Bee - Kenny Neal
  12. God Don't Ever Change - Corey Harris
  13. The Dirty Dozens - Johnny Jones

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Alligator says it all!.......2007-06-27

I love the Alligator label and their compilation albums are always a treat! Kudo's to Bruce Iglauer his taste is excellent!
More Crucial Guitar Blues
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Alligator says it all!
  • RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "STEP RIGHT UP TO A BLUES BUFFET! I'VE TASTED THE SONGS AND THEY'RE FINE!"
 More Crucial Guitar Blues
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Alligator Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Crucial Rockin' Blues
  2. Crucial Acoustic Blues
  3. Crucial Guitar Blues
  4. Crucial Slide Guitar Blues
  5. Crucial Texas Blues

ASIN: B0000300KQ
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

  1. Will It Ever Change? - Luther Allison
  2. One More Chance - Michael Burks
  3. The Love You Lost On The Way - Roomful Of Blues
  4. Get To Gettin' - Albert Collins
  5. No, No Baby - Son Seals
  6. You Got Your Hooks In Me - Little Charlie & The Nightcats
  7. Don't Cloud Up On Me - Lucky Peterson
  8. You Know What My Body Needs (Live) - Lonnie Brooks
  9. Stop What You're Doing - Long John Hunter
  10. Lightning's Gonna Strike - Kenny Neal
  11. Shady Lane - Elvin Bishop
  12. Okie Dokie Stomp - W.C. Clark

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Alligator says it all!.......2007-06-27

I love the Alligator label and their compilation albums are always a treat! Kudo's to Bruce Iglauer his taste is excellent!

4 out of 5 stars RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "STEP RIGHT UP TO A BLUES BUFFET! I'VE TASTED THE SONGS AND THEY'RE FINE!".......2007-06-22

This type of release from Alligator records, is good for two types of electric blues fans. The first type, is for the novice, just getting into electric blues. You can get an assortment of blues artists, with one small investment, and get to hear 12 "full" blues tunes. That's much better than hearing countless 30-second samplers. 30 seconds, at the start of an electric blues song, could just be some basic notes on a guitar, that may not even be, the actual beat and rhythm, that is the heart of the song. The second type, is for someone like Shaq, "The King Of The World Blues Reviewer". Good, new, electric blues, is very hard to find. And I spend, an enormous amount of time researching, new, and old electric blues. I bought this CD, with the same goal, that I bought, previous Alligator CD's of this genre. I felt, if I could find one artist, that I hadn't known about, or that I had heard about, but never got to hear much of, the ridiculously low purchase price was well spent. It's from CD's like this, that I "discovered", Luther Allison, Dave Hole, and Koko Taylor, among others. This CD, has a great song from Luther Allison (Will It Ever Change). A great one, from one of my six all-time favorite electric blues guitarist's, Albert Collins, (Get To Getting). It has one of the rockiness' songs, I've ever heard from Little Charlie & The Nightcats, (You Got Your Hooks In Me), it includes, a great Lonnie Brooks cut, (You Know What My Body Needs (Live)), and a guy I have never heard of Lucky Peterson, who has a song "Don't Cloud Up On Me", that is good enough, for me to practice, what I just preached to you, and investigate him further. All this for under $8.00! How can you not take a chance and buy this? Isn't your time, worth more than $8.00, to try and find new and unknown (to you) electric blues artists, in one swoop? Instead of listening to countless 30-second sound bites? Plus, Shaq just lessened your risk, by sharing this review with you! You can thank me, by rating this a helpful review. I've made this purchase, for you and me. I'll let you know, in future reviews, how my investigating turns out. P.S. I wish I had someone to help me like this.
Crucial Guitar Blues
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Great Blues Sampler from Alligator Records
  • Wondering What Blues Guitar Is All About. This Is The Place
 Crucial Guitar Blues
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Alligator Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  2. Crucial Slide Guitar Blues
  3. Crucial Chicago Blues
  4. Crucial Rockin' Blues
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ASIN: B00007JGQX
Release Date: 2003-01-21

Tracks:

  1. All The King's Horses - Luther Allison
  2. Heartless - Michael Burks
  3. Same Old Thing - Coco Montoya
  4. Lights Are On But Nobody's Home - Albert Collins
  5. Percolatin' - Little Charlie & The Nightcats
  6. To The Devil For A Dime - Tinsley Ellis
  7. Country Boogie - Roy Buchanan
  8. I Can't Hear Nothing But The Blues - Son Seals
  9. Phone Line - Dave Hole
  10. Double Whammy - Lonnie Mack
  11. I Smell Trouble - Johnny Winter
  12. Pressure Cooker - Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great Blues Sampler from Alligator Records.......2006-11-15

Calling a CD 'Crucial Guitar Blues' is a good marketing technique rather than just calling it an Alligator Records sampler. Having said that, the good people from Alligator have picked some of the hottest guitar work from their library of artists. The gem is a scintillating version of 'Double Whammy' with Lonnie Mack and Stevie Ray Vaughn. (Essentially Lonnie's classic 'Wham' times two). The only problem is the 3.5 minute tune ends way too quick and leaves you wanting for more. As you listen to the CD, you soon realize that a lot of the great electric blues guitarists that are featured here are no longer with us: besides SRV, Roy Buchanan (who plays a smokin' instrumental on this CD), the great iceman Albert Collins, the Arkansas-raised-Chicago-based bluesman Son Seals who delivers a soulful blues tune here, fellow Chicago bluesman Luther Allison and his raw frenzied style, and Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown who was a master of blending jazz & blues and plays one of his classics here. You also get a biting blues tune by Johnny Winter from his Guitar Slinger days and a cookin' tune from Little Charlie & The Nightcats. Bottom line is the CD is a bargain for the price and includes a broad plethora of electric blues styles along with some incandescent guitar work.

4 out of 5 stars Wondering What Blues Guitar Is All About. This Is The Place.......2006-03-16

Various Artists
"Crucial Guitar Blues"
Alligator Records ALCD 114

Contemporary Chicago blues guitar master Luther Allison plays with angst on "All The King's Horses". New messiah, Coco Montoya, proves he is at the top of the blues-rock heap by erupting on "Same Old Thing". The often imitated but never duplicated Albert Collins ferociously delivers "Lights Are On But Nobody's Home". "I Can't Hear Nothing But The Blues" comes from blues guitar deity Son Seal's most under-rated release while "Double Whammy" combines a blues-rock master (Lonnie Mack) and a protégé (Stevie Ray Vaughan).

If you are wondering what blues guitar and/or what Alligator Records is all about, this is the place to start.

-- Tim Holek
Crucial Country
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The Music of Heartland America
  • Inspired to say the least!!
 Crucial Country
Peter Rowan
Manufacturer: There Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000FMHCH2
Release Date: 2006-06-06

Tracks:

  1. Deal With the Devil
  2. Howlin' At the Moon
  3. The Walls of Time
  4. Tumbleweed
  5. Panama Red
  6. Rainmaker
  7. Wings of Horses
  8. No Woman No Cry
  9. Land of the Navajo
  10. Ancient Tones

Product Description

Recorded live at the Telluride Festival in 1994, Crucial Country captures live an incredible band of stars in one of their greatest moments. From bluegrass standard “The Walls of Time”, co-written with Bill Monroe, to “Panama Red”, one of Rowan’s signature classics, and an inspirational version of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry”, this record makes country crucial.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Music of Heartland America.......2007-07-29

After every Sunday lunch - all afternoon - at my grandparents, grandmother played classical music and opera. Her musical training, their generation. By the mid-60's it was the soul music, Dick Clark / Shindig TV shows and AM radio "hits" after school. Summers @ my NC camp it was all manner of folk music, counselors with guitars and Indian chants. Segue to Jr & Sr Hi School & College it was all manner of soul music, rock, blues & R&B. Yes this included Poco, Seatrain and other country rock oriented albums. It was not until I picked up MuleSkinner Blues in 1973, that I really came to embrace "the Rowan style" of American bluegrass music.

From his influence on all genres of music to his evocative writing style, Peter Rowan IS HEARTLAND AMERICA history making music!! Yes, on this CD he is surrounded by phenomenal talent / great musicians all (Larry Atamanuik is THE BEST Slap/Travellin' drummer in the biz). One can put all the talent one wants to on a stage, yet if the the experience of the central leader / the ultimate metronome is not fully realized, the power behind that sound will not come through as pure. This never happens when Peter Rowan is in the studio or on the stage here, blowin' the crowd away in Telluride, CO. If your body is not reverberating and your mind not humming the lyric line for 30 minutes to a day after hearing "Howlin' @ the Moon" and "The Walls of Time," .....then your mind will have to be re-programmed on music in general. Your children and grandchildren will sing your praises for passing on this CD and any other Peter Rowan CD to them, long after you are gone. Buy it!

The Connector in Colorado

5 out of 5 stars Inspired to say the least!!.......2006-07-26

When I first listened to Rowan back when he and Garcia were in "Old and in the Way" he was good, I thought. Now that he's old enough to be "in the way" he's just better than ever! Every number on this is very, very good but let me just list a few plain out stunners... No Woman no Cry would've got Marley's blessing for sure. This is a hair raising performance! Panama Red is just as good as it has ever been done..yep it even leaves the New Riders behind in the dust...imagine that! Land of the Navajo is just fantastic. Finally, "Ancient Tones" nails it down for a superb last cut for a superb collection herein... and all the others are far from slouch recordings. This, my friends, is what good music is all about. It's so infectious that it's very much an experience rather than a mere listen!
Crucial Texas Blues
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Must Have Series From Alligator
 Crucial Texas Blues
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Alligator Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0001CCYAQ
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Tracks:

  1. She Walks Right In - Clarence Gatemouth Brown
  2. Lion's Den - Albert Collins
  3. Both Ends Of The Road - Long John Hunter
  4. Midnight Hour Blues - W.C. Clark
  5. Those Lonely, Lonely Nights - Katie Webster
  6. Street Walkin' Woman - Phillip Walker
  7. Tin Pan Alley - Johnny Winter
  8. 450 Pound Woman - Floyd Dixon
  9. Richest Man - C.J. Chenier
  10. Standing On Shaky Ground - Delbert McClinton
  11. I'm Coming Down With The Blues - Marcia Ball
  12. Too Many Dirty Dishes - Albert Collins

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Must Have Series From Alligator.......2004-03-23

Alligator Records hit it right on the head when they named this series, "crucial". Yes this series is a crucial must have for any Blues fan, especially if you're a new comer to the Blues sound. I myself had a limited knowledge when I purchased this CD, but this CD changed that quickly. This CD starts off with a cornball version of a swing tune called "She Walks Right In", but about half way through the tune Clarence Gatemouth Brown throws in an awesome guitar solo that foretells the rest of the CD. This CD introduces the listener to one great Blues artist after another and most have that awesome brass section that makes great blues performances seem even better. Notables on this CD include Albert Collins, Robert Cray, and Johnny Copeland, whom all perform together, Long John Hunter, W.C. Clark, Floyd Dixon and Delbert McClinton. I strongly recommend this CD and all the Crucial Blues CDs not only to new comers but all blues fans.
Crucial Harmonica Blues
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Blues Harp Doesn't Get Any Better Than This
  • Crucial?
  • Great for harp lovers and harp lovers to-be.
  • Must Have Series From Alligator
  • Budget-friendly collection of good blues harp
 Crucial Harmonica Blues
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Alligator Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Blues Masters, Vol. 4: Harmonica Classics
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  5. Crucial Texas Blues

ASIN: B00007JGPB
Release Date: 2003-01-21

Tracks:

  1. Make My Getaway - Charlie Musselwhite
  2. Have Mercy - Big Walter Horton
  3. Shake The Boogie - Billy Boy Arnold
  4. Sonny's Whoopin' The Doop - Sonny Terry
  5. Broke And Hungry - Junior Wells
  6. Thank You Baby - Delbert McClinton
  7. Burn Your Bridges - Cephas & Wiggins
  8. Coastin' Hank - Little Charlie & The Nightcats
  9. Superharp - James Cotton
  10. Lonesome Stranger - Carey Bell
  11. One More Mile To Go - Sugar Blue
  12. Blowin' Like Hell - William Clarke

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Blues Harp Doesn't Get Any Better Than This.......2006-03-16

Various Artists
"Crucial Harmonica Blues"
Alligator Records ALCD 115

Big Walter Horton and Carey Bell continue the protégé and mentor tradition on "Have Mercy". Blues harp doesn't get any better than that. Under-rated Bell appropriately adorns the disc's cover. With one `whew', you will recognize the brown jug, country blues of Sonny Terry on "Sonny's Whoopin' The Doop". Junior Wells could combine funk, grease and sweat like no other. Experience it on "Broke and Hungry". James Cotton's "Superharp" remains one of the best harp-blowin' tunes ever, while fiery Carey Bell shows why he now reigns as best harpist/vocalist on "Lonesome Stranger".

Do these artists and songs qualify as Crucial Harmonica Blues? You're damn right they do.

-- Tim Holek

3 out of 5 stars Crucial?.......2005-06-15

Don't get me wrong, it's a pretty good collection, but crucial? I don't think so. It should be re-named "A pretty good collection of blues harmonica from a diverse group of cats, ancient and modern", but of course, the name's too long.

5 out of 5 stars Great for harp lovers and harp lovers to-be........2005-06-04

It is a great collection, that harmonica lovers will enjoy - BUT it's also a great CD to give someone not all that familiar with harmonica playing. There is enough variety on here for everone to find a style they love.

5 out of 5 stars Must Have Series From Alligator.......2004-03-23

Alligator Records hit it right on the head when they named this series, "Crucial". As in this is a crucial series that every Blues fan should add to their CD collection. I bought this CD because I'm new to the Blues and wanted to find a few new artists to add to my collection. This CD introduced me to several artists that I have now added to my collection buy purchasing several other CDs. This CD starts out with an up tempo and rousing romp with Charlie Musselwhite's "Make My Getaway" and then moves on to a Harmonica Duet by Big Walter Horton and Carey Bell. The Gems just seem to roll out one after another from there. Among the notables on the CD are Legends like Billy Boy Arnold, Sonny Terry, Junior Wells, Delbert McClinton and James Cotton. I not only recommend this CD from the Crucial Blues series but all of them, especially for new comers to blues material.

5 out of 5 stars Budget-friendly collection of good blues harp.......2003-10-22

The tracks with Cephas and Wiggins, the harmonica champ Sonny Terry, and Billy Boy Arnold (best known for his work with Bo Diddley) are the standouts here. Among the many good collections of Harmonica music (particularly of the blues variety), this is highly recommended budget-friendly stuff that is for the casual fan of good music as well as the practicing harmonicist.
Crucial Chicago Blues
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Let The Blues Bug Bite You
  • Good compilation
 Crucial Chicago Blues
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Alligator Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Chicago BluesChicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Blues | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Compilations | Blues | Styles | Music
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  2. Crucial Guitar Blues
  3. Crucial Slide Guitar Blues
  4. Crucial Live Blues
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ASIN: B00007JGPA
Release Date: 2003-01-21

Tracks:

  1. Low Down And Dirty - Luther Allison
  2. Ernestine - Koko Taylor
  3. Somebody Changed The Lock - Junior Wells
  4. Take Five - Hound Dog Taylor & The Houserockers
  5. Cotton Picking Blues - Son Seals
  6. Let Me Stir In Your Pot - Carey Bell
  7. Mama, Talk To Your Daughter - Magic Slim & The Teardrops
  8. Cold Lonely Nights - Lonnie Brooks
  9. Take It Easy, Baby - Pinetop Perkins
  10. My Mind Is Gone - Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials
  11. 23 Hours Too Long - James Cotton
  12. I Hear Some Blues Downstairs - Fenton Robinson

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Let The Blues Bug Bite You.......2006-03-16

Various Artists
"Crucial Chicago Blues"
Alligator Records ALCD 116

Each disc in Alligator's Crucial series comes with an attractive price tag and 50-60 minutes of music. This Chicago disc encompasses the label's 30 plus years. There are too many musicians/songs on the disc to mention. However, a few deserve attention. The Queen of the Blues, Koko Taylor, graces the cover and dishes out traditional, electric blues with commanding sass on "Ernestine". Alligator would not exist if it wasn't for Hound Dog Taylor. The long deceased legend performs with spark and enthusiasm on "Take Five". If you want to know what pure Chicago Blues sounds like then listen to Son Seals' aggressive and piercing "Cotton Picking Blues". Eloquent boogie woogie and bone-rattling piano is heard on "Take It Easy, Baby" by one of the last surviving emigrants, Pinetop Perkins. "23 Hours Too Long" is another one of those definitive Chicago Blues tunes as performed by James Cotton. The shrill and striking notes of guitar avatar Fenton Robinson ring forth on `I Hear Some Blues Downstairs".

Buddy Guy is mysteriously absent from this disc. However, that is a mere observation when you consider the price of the disc, the national acts that appear on it, and the musical content. I fell in love with the blues by experiencing it in Chicago blues clubs and listening to releases on Alligator Records. Pick up this CD and let the blues bug bite you too.

-- Tim Holek

4 out of 5 stars Good compilation.......2003-03-05

This is one of a 3 part compilation set produced by Alligator Records. I you like their artists you'll generally like this. Some cuts are much better than others but on the whole a good CD.

But you gotta like Chicago Blues.
Crucial Live Blues
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Crucial Live! Blues is not to be missed
  • Great, GREAT album
 Crucial Live Blues
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Alligator Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Crucial Slide Guitar Blues
  2. Crucial Chicago Blues
  3. Crucial Guitar Blues
  4. Crucial Texas Blues
  5. More Crucial Guitar Blues

ASIN: B0001CCYAG
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Tracks:

  1. Riding The Blinds - Lonnie Mack
  2. Tired Man - Albert Collins
  3. Cherry Red Wine - Luther Allison
  4. Going Back To Iuka - Koko Taylor
  5. My Dog - Elvin Bishop
  6. Eyes Like A Cat - Little Charlie & The Nightcats
  7. Dump That Chump - Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women
  8. Born With The Blues - Lonnie Brooks
  9. Born In Chicago - James Cotton
  10. Call My Job - Son Seals
  11. Going Back To Louisiana - Delbert McClinton
  12. Short Fuse Blues - Dave Hole
  13. Dust My Broom - Hound Dog Taylor & The Houserockers

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Crucial Live! Blues is not to be missed.......2005-11-23

VARIOUS
Crucial Live! Blues
Alligator ALCD 119

Alligator has converted more fans to the blues than they will ever know. Now another generation's ears will be called to the blues due to the Crucial Blues series. In addition to the authoritative music, Crucial Live! Blues comes with an attractive and tempting low-cost price tag, 60 minutes of music, 13 cuts (mostly covers), tracks recorded in the U.S., Australia, and Japan and originally released between 1974 and 2002, simple yet expressive cover art, and liner info extracted from Alligator's mail order catalog. The greatest differences between this sampler and other Alligator compilations include not being as long in duration and un-detailed credits.

The vital CD features the label's finest musicians. Most of them are guitar slingers. You will encounter nine of them at this concert while the rest of the gig consists of two prized vocalists, one harp phenomenon, and one acoustic act. Lonnie Mack performs alive and kicking blues-rock with a rolling rhythm on "Riding The Blinds". The track will have you wondering why he didn't become as big a star as Stevie Ray Vaughan given the fact that Vaughan was his most devoted disciple. "Tired Man" features the unmistakable piercing guitar of Albert Collins along with impressive sax and bass that drives the definitive rhythm. More than one song will have you longing to be relaxing in a smoky Chicago blues bar. One example is "Going Back To Iuka", which showcases two hot guitarists on a rolling shuffle led by Koko Taylor's roaring throat. With classy guitar, Little Charlie & The Nightcats have the innate ability to make the blues fun. As do the acoustic and folky Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women. Ironically, their hilarious song contains lyrics written by Charlie's Rick Estrin. Lonnie Brooks' booming voice, sassy guitar, and enthusiastic rhythms are as fulfilling as a bowl of gumbo. His masterful band supports Elvin Bishop during "My Dog" and makes him vibrant. Sporting an ultra, funky, big, eight-member band, James Cotton slightly personalizes the lyrics of "Born In Chicago". Like a spontaneous, wild party thrown by your roommate, Hound Dog Taylor creates a welcome racket that you can't resist joining. Son Seals' music is raw, tough, and unpolished - just like the side of town you were told to avoid. "Cherry Red Wine" is taken from Live In Chicago, which is quite possibly, the finest live, electric, Chicago blues recording ever made. Here, Luther Allison's tantalizing live guitar work is a testimony to his brilliance.

In having to bypass other great live Alligator recordings by Elvin Bishop and Little Smokey Smothers, Big Twist, and Siegel-Schwall, it must have been a struggle for the producers to narrow their selections. Since blues is such an in-the-moment music, which is best experienced live, Crucial Live! Blues is not to be missed. The only thing that could have made this a better compilation was a previously unreleased track or two thrown in for good measure. Let's hope the crucial keyboard, vocalist and horn collections aren't far behind.

-- Tim Holek

5 out of 5 stars Great, GREAT album.......2005-08-17

I have probably 50 or more blues CD's. I got this one maybe a month ago, and it immediately became one of my favorites. The only dud is "Dump That Chump." Whatever your thoughts on Saffire, this particular song is a clunking boogie that just doesn't fit with the other songs. Otherwise, every song on the album is a ton of fun to listen to. I play guitar myself, and it's also a great album to jam along with. This CD would be worth a lot more than they're charging for it! And that comes from a person who thinks that most CD's are worth maybe $4.
The Final Tic
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • no clones
  • pioneered the sound we hear and love now
  • great stuff!
  • That's how we do it in th CHi
  • The Final Conflict
 The Final Tic
Crucial Conflict
Manufacturer: Umvd Labels
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000005AXT
Release Date: 1996-07-02

Tracks:

  1. Intro-Don't Let It
  2. Final Tic
  3. Showdown
  4. Desperado
  5. Life Ain't The Same
  6. Hay
  7. Trigger Happy
  8. 1-900-OFF-Your Square
  9. Lil Advice
  10. Tell It To The Judge
  11. Ride The Rodeo
  12. To The Left
  13. Just Getting My Money
  14. Get Up
  15. Hay (Remix)

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars no clones.......2006-04-11

that is true, twista and the underground chi bangin' have been around much longer than Bone, im a fan of both, but still, twista was on guiness in 92', while bone release faces of death in 93',,,,,, crucial is definitely the chi style, people in cleveland don't kno about the chi, Snypaz, do or die, crucial conflict, twista, other underground artists share a distinct personality, one that bone does not have

4 out of 5 stars pioneered the sound we hear and love now.......2006-01-24

They repped the wild wild Westside Chi to the fullest. I lived in Chicago for many years and when this song came out it made me homesick for Texas. It reminded me of some Ghetto Boys and other southern rappers that wasn't big yet. For those who said they copied Bone knew nothing of Twista or the rest of the underground. Being that a lot of Chicago folks have Southern roots there was bound to be a sound develop from that. Why did they fall off? Nappy Roots and other groups that came later have to thank CC for putting the sound out there. Their sound established the sound we know as Midwest/ Southern rap. Keep your eye out for Chi to explode. There's way more bubblin' than Kanye and Common. They're Chicago but they are not fully reppin' Chicago sound.

5 out of 5 stars great stuff!.......2005-08-28

These guys deserve respect! I saw them on TV on "The Box" channel in St Louis in 1996 - their music video for "Hay". It was original and tight, I loved everything I saw and heard right away. These guys definitely have their own signature, so don't go comparing them to The Bone. I think they got some old-school type classics on this disc, but listen to them with an open mind and listen to their lyrics. These guys are smart and funny and definitely got the flow and deserve some airtime!

5 out of 5 stars That's how we do it in th CHi.......2005-08-23

These Folks are straight from the hood. One of the vatos in this group is from Maywood. CHi love to the fullest. If you've ever heard "Thats how we do it in the chi, on the west side" thats these cd. This cd is old and now a classic. Cop dis cd and bump it. Chi Love to Fullest.

5 out of 5 stars The Final Conflict.......2005-08-10

Chicago's Crucial Conflict drops a classic debut, The Final Tic, with fast wild West, country shoot 'em up lyrics that originated by these four individuals. As most that have an identity all their own, critics usually take hits at the awkwardness rather than the music. All production was held down by member Wildstyle that captured the group's style to a science. This album of 15 tracks of which six directly deals with their signature flows of boot kicking out the saloon music. Even on the mainstream, "Just Getting My Money", the rugged tones still have a street feel and credibility. "Get Up" is a good example of the group's chemistry as the Flict flow over a galloping track with a whip as the snare and bounce. The patterns of "Life Ain't The Same" and "To The Left" strays from the direction, yet it fills the album where left incomplete. Cold Hard, Wildstyle, Kilo & Never may be conflicting to that repetitious sound that's recycled, but this is a breath of fresh air from the Windy City.

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