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We Say...
Although Stax was essentially a soul label, they had a big umbrella: gospel artists like the Staple Singers, novelty performers like Rufus Thomas and bluesmen like harmonica player Little Sonny and guitarist Albert King. Part of the triumvirate of Kings that ruled the blues guitar roost in the '60s and '70s (along with B.B. and Freddie), Albert King had a dramatic guitar attack that he married with a powerful vocal style. Though his recordings are almost uniformly strong across his career, few are as satisfying as this one: its opening title track is a tour de force featuring both King and the Stax crew at their pistol-packing best. A strong cover of "Breaking Up Somebody's Home" is another highlight.
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They Say...
It's not as if Albert King hadn't tasted success in his first decade and a half as a performer, but his late-'60s/early-'70s recordings for Stax did win him a substantially larger audience. During those years, the label began earning significant clout amongst rock fans through events like Otis Redding's appearance at the Monterey International Pop Festival and a seemingly endless string of classic singles. When King signed to the label in 1966, he was immediately paired with the Stax session team Booker T. & the MG's. The results were impressive: "Crosscut Saw," "Laundromat Blues," and the singles collection Born Under a Bad Sign were all hits. Though 1972's I'll Play the Blues for You followed a slightly different formula, the combination of King, members of the legendary Bar-Kays, the Isaac Hayes Movement, and the sparkling Memphis Horns was hardly a risky endeavor. The result was a trim, funk-infused blues sound that provided ample space for King's oft-imitated guitar playing. King has always been more impressive as a soloist than a singer, and some of his vocal performances on I'll Play the Blues for You lack the intensity one might hope for. As usual, he more than compensates with a series of exquisite six-string workouts. The title track and "Breaking Up Somebody's Home" both stretch past seven minutes, while "I'll Be Doggone" and "Don't Burn Down the Bridge" (where King coaxes a crowd to "take it to the bridge," James Brown-style) break the five-minute barrier. Riding strutting lines by bassist James Alexander, King runs the gamut from tough, muscular playing to impassioned cries on his instrument, making I'll Play the Blues for You one of a handful of his great Stax sets.
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| 01. |  |
I'll Play The Blues For You
|
7:19 |
|
| 02. | |
Little Brother (Make A Way)
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2:49 |
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| 03. | |
Breaking Up Somebody's Home
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7:19 |
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| 04. | |
High Cost Of Loving
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2:56 |
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| 05. | |
I'll Be Doggone
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5:41 |
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| 06. | |
Answer To The Laundromat Blues
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4:37 |
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| 07. | |
Don't Burn Down The Bridge ('Cuz You Might Wanna Come Back Across)
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5:07 |
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| 08. | |
Angel Of Mercy
|
4:20 |
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08 Total Tracks, 40:08 Total Length
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Credits
- The Memphis Horns - Horn // The Bar-Kays - Rhythm // Henry Bush - Arranger // Henry Bush - Producer // Henry Bush - Engineer // Henry Bush - Remixing // Ron Gordon - Original Cover Artwork // Albert King - Guitar // Albert King - Guitar // Albert King - Guitar // Albert King - Guitar // Albert King - Guitar // Albert King - Guitar // Albert King - Vocals // Albert King - Vocals // Albert King - Vocals // Albert King - Vocals // Albert King - Vocals // Albert King - Vocals // Albert King - Main Performer // Albert King - Main Performer // Albert King - Main Performer // Albert King - Main Performer // Albert King - Main Performer // Albert King - Main Performer // Larry Shaw - Creative Director // Joe Tarantino - Mastering // The Isaac Hayes Movement - ? // David Krieger - Art Direction // Tom Wheeler - Liner Notes // William "Billy" Brown - Engineer // Allen Jones - Arranger // Allen Jones - Producer
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