John Lee Hooker - Whiskey & Wimmen

John Lee Hooker is an unlikely musical hero. His simplistic guitar lines, off-kilter rhythms, lack of structure and of rhyming lyrics make for a blues-based jumble sometimes. But gawdam is he doesn't have one of the most hypnotic blues styles ever. Simple, yes, but catchy as hell, with guitar playing that is deceptively elementary, yet truly creative. His songs are not necessarily based on a standard blues format, which means that when he uses a backing band, they have to really watch out to keep up - and sometimes they don't succeed, but that can be part of the charm. His style is immediately recognizable and groovy and his career was one of the longest running of the early electric bluesmen.

There are seemingly zillions of compilations of Hooker's work (this one has numerous covers) and they invariably overlap, but this is another good one, covering some of his early solo numbers as well as his work with various backing musicians. All great stuff!

Included here are both "Dimples" and "Boom Boom" - extremely similar numbers that we both covered extensively by the British Invasion bands. Full band boogies like "Love You Honey". "I'm So Excited" (with some of his cooly awkward phrasing and an ending that apparently surprised his group), the title cut with its snarling guitar, "I'm Going Upstairs", "What Do You Say" (where he really challenges the band), the "Tequila"-like "She's Mine", "Drug Store Woman" (cool, Screamin' Jay-like sax on this one), "Send Me Your Pillow", "This Is Hip" (more strained lyrics/non-rhymes), the swingin' "Big Legs, Tight Skirt" and the ballad (complete with female backing vocals) "Don't Look Back" vie for attention with solo numbers like "Solid Sender", "My First Wife Left Me", and "Dirty Ground Hog" that sometimes exceed the full band tunes as they free Hooker to go wherever his mind leads him with haunting guitar licks and expressive vocals. Sometimes the backing musicians lay back as in "No Shoes", the murderous "I'm Mad Again" (sequel to "I'm Mad Like Jesse James"), "One Way Ticket", "Bottle Up and Go" keeping it super straightforward and letting John take front and center and control the boogie. In all cases, the groove is there and the songs are powerful.

Any and all early Hooker is well worth the cash and this is another great set!