17. Bobby "Blue" Bland - Two Steps From the Blues.
I had never heard of Bobby Bland prior to seeing this selection as the next up on my listening list. I put it on and was instantly pleased. The horns begin with a melancholy, somewhat Spanish feel. Then he starts to sing. His voice is captivating. The blues is there. Oh, most certainly, but the delivery is so smooth. The horns are not an afterthought, they are the mainstay, with some tasty guitar work adding the frills that give this album its allure.
The album is short; thirty minutes and change in length, but it delivers. I have listened to it several times and it gets better each time. The content varies, there is slow blues that is heartfelt without becoming saccharine, and some tunes with some pop to them which sound like a precursor to the Sam and Dave sound. The horns are everywhere, and very nicely arranged.
The track that has really caught my attention is "I Pity the Fool". I have been playing this one for anyone who will listen. It has it all. Above is a video of a fantastic performance of the tune, although I find that the original is a little more true to my ear. I prefer Mr. Bland's version, but they hit the ball out of the park.
This cat can wail with the best of them, "Little Boy Blue" has strong vocals, and "St. John's Infirmary" is another lament, with just the perfect amount of horns as punctuation. There is some organ in "I'll Take Care of You" that seems a little out of place, but it gives the tune some character to differentiate it from the rest of the downbeat songs on the album.
I have to say that while the guitar work is excellent, it is far better to play the right notes, as opposed to a lot of notes, the horns are what separates this work from the other blues albums we have listened to. They are tight and arranged superbly. The perfect backdrop for Mr. Bland's vocal performance. This is one of my favourite selections so far. Rolling Stone placed this album at 217 on the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
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The album is short; thirty minutes and change in length, but it delivers. I have listened to it several times and it gets better each time. The content varies, there is slow blues that is heartfelt without becoming saccharine, and some tunes with some pop to them which sound like a precursor to the Sam and Dave sound. The horns are everywhere, and very nicely arranged.
The track that has really caught my attention is "I Pity the Fool". I have been playing this one for anyone who will listen. It has it all. Above is a video of a fantastic performance of the tune, although I find that the original is a little more true to my ear. I prefer Mr. Bland's version, but they hit the ball out of the park.
This cat can wail with the best of them, "Little Boy Blue" has strong vocals, and "St. John's Infirmary" is another lament, with just the perfect amount of horns as punctuation. There is some organ in "I'll Take Care of You" that seems a little out of place, but it gives the tune some character to differentiate it from the rest of the downbeat songs on the album.
I have to say that while the guitar work is excellent, it is far better to play the right notes, as opposed to a lot of notes, the horns are what separates this work from the other blues albums we have listened to. They are tight and arranged superbly. The perfect backdrop for Mr. Bland's vocal performance. This is one of my favourite selections so far. Rolling Stone placed this album at 217 on the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Buy it here.
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