New Sounds in Country and Western Music, Howlin' Wolf and Bob Dylan

Ich bin ein Berliner. 1962 saw a great many social changes in both America and the rest of the world. First, and most importantly, the Beatles recorded their first song. Other significant events include the invention of the interrobang, the publishing of A Clockwork Orange and the introduction of the introductory paragraph into my blog. Truly a watershed year. Also of note were releases from Ray Charles, Howlin' Wolf and the debut album from Bob Dylan.



Ray Charles - New Sounds in Country and Western Music
Year Rank: 1
Overall Rank: 236

I'm beginning to think that music criticism, on the whole, isn't actually good. Maybe Frank Zappa was right when he said “Most rock journalism is people who can't write, interviewing people who can't talk, for people who can't read.” Some of these albums that have been so highly acclaimed are boring and bland, and this is no different. Each song is very pleasant, well-orchestrated, and sung very nicely by Mr. Charles and his chorus. The biggest problem I have is that every song ends the same way. Ray sings the last line, and the chorus repeats it slower. This gets really old, really fast. The album gets better at the end, but I was sad to find that the copy that I got my hands on was a special edition with three extra songs, all of which were better than the original album. I've been had.

Yeah it's acclaimed, but is it good?

My issues begin here. I suppose that the songs themselves, individually, are all good. They're all B- songs. Certainly nothing to scoff at, but there's nothing really... exciting going on. I had this same problem last week when I reviewed Bobby Bland's Two Steps from the Blues album. All good songs, but I feel like I just listened to the same song twelve times in a row.

Worth listening to for: “Hey, Good Lookin'” and “That Lucky Old Sun” (It's a bonus track, but I'm sure you're not going to go out and buy the vinyl. It's on every CD version I've seen.)

Overall Grade: C. It's so fair-to-middling that I'm almost offended, considering how good I know Ray Charles actually is. I've been betrayed by rock journalism, who'da-thunkit?



Howlin' Wolf - Howlin' Wolf (AKA The Rockin' Chair Album)
Year Rank: 2
Overall Rank: 423

In stark contrast to the last album - polished, produced, sweet - Howlin' Wolf's self-titled album is rough, raw and bloody. The piano sounds like it was strung with barbed wire, Howlin' Wolf's voice sounds like it's on fire. It makes quite an impression. I'm certainly not the first to point out the incredible similarity between Howlin' Wolf's vocal style and that of Tom Waits. Neither has the dulcet, honey-sweet voice of that lousy hack Bobby Bland, rather, their voices convey a sense of aching and real pain.

This album sort of acts as a “Best Of” for Howlin' Wolf. At least, it certainly feels that way to me. Having listened to the actual “Best of Howlin' Wolf” album, I knew most of these songs before listening. Do yourself a favor and get this, rather than the official “Best Of.” It's a lot more cohesive.

Yeah it's acclaimed, but is it good?

Yes. Raw, screeching, pounding, stripped down. And good. There's an underlying tone of slinking sexuality permeating through the whole album. It feels sort of dangerous.

Worth listening to for: “Wang-Dang-Doodle” and “Going Down Slow”

Overall grade: A-. The first two tracks, “Shake For Me” and “The Red Rooster” aren't that great, but after that it picks up and really gets it done.



Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan
Year Rank: 14
Overall Rank: 1902

I love Bob Dylan. I think he's the greatest living musical genius. I especially love his early folk stuff. I had never listened to this album before yesterday. And it was... pretty good? Certainly uneven. Peaks and valleys. Also, I have to leave for work in about 13 minutes. Could you tell?

Yeah it's acclaimed, but is it good?

Pretty much, yeah. Some of the songs sound like Bob Dylan doing his Woody Guthrie impression, but that's what young artists do. I'd like to think my writing reads like a cut-rate Bill Simmons impression, but I'm sure that's too high praise for this.

Worth listening to for: “Baby, Let Me Follow You Down” and “House of the Rising Sun”

Overall grade: B? Sure. Sounds good. Off to work!