Have Mercy! (Michael Hill's Blues Mob album)
| Have Mercy! | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1996 | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Length | 63:04 | |||
| Label | Alligator | |||
| Producer |
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| Michael Hill's Blues Mob chronology | ||||
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Have Mercy! is the second album by the American band Michael Hill's Blues Mob, released in 1996.[1][2] The band supported it with North American and Australian tours.[3][4]
Production
[edit]The album was produced by Hill, Bruce Iglauer, Brian Young, and Kevin Hill.[5] Hill wrote 13 of the album's songs.[6] He was backed by keyboardist E. J. Sharpe, drummer Tony Lewis, and bassist Kevin Hill.[7] Hill was inspired chiefly by the music of Jimi Hendrix.[8] Many of the songs are about the Black experience in America, with Hill's lyrics influenced by the works of James Baldwin and Toni Morrison.[9] "Women Make the World Go 'Round" is a response to the many blues songs about men who think women have done them wrong.[10] "Grandmother's Blues" is about an older woman killed by law enforcement.[11] "Stagolee/Perspective" is an interpretation of the Stagger Lee story.[12] "Rest in Peace" is an instrumental.[13] "She's Gone" is a cover of the Hound Dog Taylor song.[14]
Critical reception
[edit]
The New York Daily News called Hill "an axe man who grinds through electric blues, hard rock, funk and reggae".[16] Guitar Player said that Hill "takes chances, stretching boundaries with supple, supercharged solos and socially conscious lyrics."[20] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette labeled the album "urban blues with a passionate social conscience framed by [Hill's] hard-edged guitar."[18] The Blade stated that Hill's "guitar solos set the fretboard ablaze in displays of both speed and intensity; his vocals have an appropriately emotional quality as he addresses topical themes"; the paper later included the album on its list of the 25 best albums of 1996.[21][22] The North County Times praised "the jazz-influenced 'Let's Talk About the Weather'."[17]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Presumed Innocent" | 4:37 |
| 2. | "Lost in the Sauce" | 3:41 |
| 3. | "Bluestime in America" | 4:08 |
| 4. | "Women Make the World Go 'Round" | 4:06 |
| 5. | "Grandmother's Blues" | 5:20 |
| 6. | "Africa Is Her Name" | 4:14 |
| 7. | "Let's Talk About the Weather" | 6:06 |
| 8. | "Backyard in Brooklyn" | 3:06 |
| 9. | "Falling Through the Cracks" | 4:33 |
| 10. | "Stagolee/Perspective" | 5:30 |
| 11. | "Sweeter Days" | 4:08 |
| 12. | "Evil Spell" | 4:06 |
| 13. | "Rest in Peace" | 4:58 |
| 14. | "She's Gone" | 4:31 |
| Total length: | 63:04 | |
References
[edit]- ^ Haymes, Greg (October 10, 1996). "In a Blues Mood". Times Union. Albany. p. P4.
- ^ Flanagan, Bill (December 1996). "Have Mercy!". GQ. Vol. 66, no. 12. p. 72.
- ^ Johnson, Kevin C. (October 24, 1996). "Electric blues at Pal Joey's". Akron Beacon Journal. p. F2.
- ^ Cerabona, Ron (April 14, 1998). "Honouring the Blues with a Fresh Twist". The Canberra Times. p. 14.
- ^ a b MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 164.
- ^ "Michael Hill's Blues Mob helps launch Waterloo fest". The Express-Times. July 13, 2001. p. E4.
- ^ Bruening, John C. (April 10, 1997). "Fans Sings the Blues About Short Show". The Plain Dealer. p. 11B.
- ^ Miller, Jay (February 12, 1998). "Bluesman Michael Hill got his start listening to Hendrix". The Patriot Ledger. p. 27.
- ^ Moton, Tony (November 1, 1996). "These Blues Have a Bite". Omaha World-Herald. p. 45.
- ^ Howell, Dave (April 5, 1997). "Hill's Mob Plays a Different Caliber Blues". The Morning Call. p. A52.
- ^ Lustig, Jay (December 20, 1996). "Blues singer follows his muse". Ticket. The Star-Ledger. p. 24.
- ^ Knopper, Steve (October 13, 1996). "New Blues Releases". The Home News & Tribune. New Brunswick. Knight Ridder. p. D11.
- ^ Hall, Jeff (October 25, 1996). "Blues Mob still hot on follow-up album". Courier-Post. Camden. p. 5E.
- ^ a b The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. p. 256.
- ^ Ouellette, Dan (March 1997). "Have Mercy!". DownBeat. Vol. 64, no. 3. p. 57.
- ^ a b Charles, Nick (October 22, 1996). "Record Reviews". Daily News. New York. p. 54.
- ^ a b Trageser, Jim (November 6, 1996). "Blues". Preview. North County Times. p. 22.
- ^ a b White, Jim (November 17, 1996). "Playing the blues is back in business". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. G4.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of the Blues. Virgin Books.
- ^ Obrecht, Jas (November 1996). "Deep in the blues". Guitar Player. Vol. 30, no. 11. p. 105.
- ^ Paton, Richard (November 3, 1996). "Michael Hill Becomes a Major Blues Force". Arts & Entertainment. The Blade. p. 5.
- ^ "Music". The Blade. December 29, 1996. p. G1.