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Avg: 4.5 (38 ratings)
- Date Released: April 3, 2007
- Genre: Blues
- Style: Chicago Blues
- Label: Alligator Records
A tough-as-nails blues throwback comes back roaring from years of illness
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We Say...
But not too old school, thankfully. Yes, her raw, brawling vocal style is a throwback, making her virtually the only living link to husky-voiced, no-nonsense blues pioneers like Bessie Smith. This was Koko's first album after seven years of medical problems, and there's no denying she came back strong. But there's also no denying that while tracks like "Gonna Buy Me a Mule" and "Bad Avenue" wholeheartedly embrace the aggressive Chicago electric combo sound — the latter threatens to out-Muddy Muddy--there's just enough blues-rock in the guitars, especially, to anoint her a link of another kind as well: Koko makes that 50s-60s Chicago sound seem contemporary, just as she can make contemporary blues sound classic. Guitarist (and co-producer) Criss Johnson must have been chewing nails while he was learning these songs; his work is that sharp and nasty. But there's no doubt who the star is: Koko, who wrote five of these songs and was usually careful not to be overly obvious with her choice of remakes, growls and moans and sighs and cries and lays down the law like a woman who will not be denied, age and illnesses be damned. And in songs like "Better Watch Your Step" and "Don't Go No Further," she'll tell you so herself.
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They Say...
Old School is Koko Taylor's first new album in seven years, and after a series of health issues that sidelined her for a while, it could be viewed as a comeback of sorts, but if so, there aren't any signs of rust here. She still belts out her trademark Chicago blues like she always has, sidestepping any 21st century recording tricks for a straightforward set that wouldn't sound out of place next to her classic Chess sides from the early '60s. It's also encouraging that she wrote nearly half the tunes here, while turning in solid covers of a pair of Willie Dixon songs ("Don't Go No Further" and "Young Fashioned Ways"), one by Magic Sam ("All Your Love") and a scorching performance of Lizzie Lawler's classic "Black Rat" that rivals Big Mama Thornton's version. A rendition of "Bad Rooster" is also top notch. Of the originals, the lead track, "Piece of Man," is the most impressive, setting the tone and feel for an album that clearly celebrates Taylor's unshakable Chicago blues roots. Old School isn't sleek, pretty, posed or polished, but is instead raw, ragged and as real as a biting winter wind off of Lake Michigan. Call it a comeback if you want, but this is the territory that Koko Taylor has lived in for nearly fifty years. She owns this stuff. Call it a continuance. This CD was nominated for a Grammy award in 2007 for Best Traditional Blues Album.
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| 01. |  |
Piece of Man |
4:30 |
|
| 02. | |
Gonna Buy Me a Mule |
4:35 |
|
| 03. | |
Black Rat |
5:08 |
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| 04. | |
Money Is the Name of the Game |
6:48 |
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| 05. | |
You Ain't Worth a Good Woman |
5:34 |
|
| 06. | |
Better Watch Your Step |
4:55 |
|
| 07. | |
Bad Avenue |
5:20 |
|
| 08. | |
Bad Rooster |
5:21 |
|
| 09. | |
Don't Go No Further |
3:39 |
|
| 10. | |
All Your Love |
6:35 |
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| 11. | |
Hard Pill to Swallow |
5:51 |
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| 12. | |
Young Fashioned Ways |
4:41 |
|
12 Total Tracks, 62:57 Total Length
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Credits
- Billy Branch - Harmonica // Koko Taylor - Vocals // Koko Taylor - Producer // Koko Taylor - Liner Notes // Koko Taylor - Photo Courtesy // Stanley Banks - Piano // Sam Fishkin - Engineer // Sam Fishkin - Mixing // Kenny Hampton - Bass (Electric) // Bruce Iglauer - Producer // Bruce Iglauer - Mastering // Criss Johnson - Guitar // Criss Johnson - Producer // Criss Johnson - Soloist // Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff - Sax (Tenor) // Michael Levine - Engineer // Melvin Smith - Bass // Dan Stout - Mastering // Marc Norberg - Photography // Rick Barnes - Engineer // Michael Trossman - Logo // Cynthia Adams - Make-Up // Kevin Niemiec - Package Design // Matthew Wheeler - Engineer // Nicole Cap - Make-Up // Misty Winter - Assistant Photographer
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