Blowin' The Blues - Sonny Terry

Advantages: nice songs,well arranged
Disadvantages: voice isn't prominent enogh

...After the huge success of the Specials and Funboy 3 Terry Hall drifted away from chart success in both the colourfield and Vegas. One gets the impression that Terry has had enough of mainstream action and wants to now carry on making music that he enjoys himself. Laugh, released in 97, is his 1st solo work and shows the big influence Ian Broudie (Lightening Seeds) has had on him with instead of the more rythmnic music beats this time it's all lushly produced numbers. This is a shame in that Terry's caustic wit is still present, and his voice is as distinctive as ever but the production burys this in the mix. With the voice not standing out there are no big vocal hooks, and unfortunately no musical hooks either. Whilst there are no huge tracks, there's no rubbish either, and its pleasant listening once in a while Best tracks - "Sonny... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Good value for money
Disadvantages: None

...I got into this guy quite a few years ago by an ex; he was an avid listener and collector of Bob Dylan's work and since that time well I still can't seem to get enough of Dylan and his lyrics. In my opinion Dylan is a sheer genius very much along the same lines as Leonard Cohen now although Leonard Cohen has done some great work in his time, nothing in my mind compares to this legend. The album has a lot of the old favourites, like 'Blowin' In The Wind', 'Mr. Tambourine Man', 'Lay Lady Lay' and 'Shelter From The Storm' and the songs on the album have been digitally remastered for better sound quality and this has worked tremendously. Songs on this album: Blowin' In The Wind The Times They Are A Changin' Don't Think Twice, It's All Right Mr. Tambourine Man Like A Rolling Stone Just Like A Woman All Along The Watchtower Lay Lady Lay I... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Brilliant and Original Compositions
Disadvantages: A Bit Rough around the Edges For Modern Tastes

...in by that city’s large circle of artists, musicians and left-wing activists. He teamed up with some of the greatest folk-blues musicians of the day and recorded with the likes of Huddie Leadbetter, Sonnie Terry, Cisco Houston and Pete Seeger. In 1940 Alan Lomax recorded songs by, and conversations with, Guthrie for the Library of Congress but the singer still carried on recording with his old Texas band, The Almanac Singers (later to become The Weavers). New York proved to be too restrictive for Guthrie and he soon hit the road and headed down south where his performances were greatly welcomed. This was to end, temporarily, when he was drafted to the Merchant Marine and then the Army for the duration of World War II. His guitar at this time bore the legend ‘This Machine Kills Fascists’ – something later copied by 60s folk / pop singer Donovan... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful