Albert (Albert King album)
| Albert | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1976 | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Label | Utopia | |||
| Producer | Bert DeCoteaux | |||
| Albert King chronology | ||||
| ||||
Albert is an album by the American musician Albert King, released in 1976.[1][2] He supported it with a North American tour.[3] The album peaked at No. 54 on Billboard's Soul LP's chart.[4]
Production
Albert was produced by Bert DeCoteaux.[5] It made use of disco and funk rhythms, female backing choruses, and horn sections, in part due to King's popularity with younger rock audiences.[6][7] As with many of his albums, King chose to record with studio musicians rather than his backing band.[8] "My Babe" and "I'm Ready" were written by Willie Dixon.[9]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| All Music Guide to the Blues | [10] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [11] |
| The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide | [9] |
The New York Times called Albert "a cleverly produced, disco-tinged album".[12] The Oakland Tribune noted that the contemporary production touches "don't intrude on King's growling vocals and biting blues guitar."[13] The Lincoln Journal Star preferred Albert to Truckload of Lovin', saying that "King gets back to a more direct blues approach, still maintaining a modern approach."[14] The Ann Arbor News said that "there are occasional brief flashes of his technique, but most of the numbers here are fairly short".[15]
Track listing
Side A
- "Guitar Man"
- "I'm Ready"
- "Ain't Nothing You Can Do"
- "I Don't Care What My Baby Do"
Side B
- "Change of Pace"
- "My Babe"
- "Running Out of Steam"
- "Rub My Back"
- "(Ain't It) A Real Good Sign"
References
- ^ Gregory, Hugh (1991). Soul Music A-Z. Blandford. p. 134.
- ^ Tapley, Mel (October 2, 1976). "A king with a truckload of lovin'". New York Amsterdam News. p. D10.
- ^ "The Blues Are Back". The Advocate. Stamford. October 2, 1976. p. B9.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Joel Whitburn's Top R&B Albums, 1965–1998. Record Research. p. 109.
- ^ Jordan, Terry (November 20, 1976). "King sings blues purely and simply". St. Joseph News-Press. Spotlight. p. 15.
- ^ Butler, Robert W. (October 24, 1976). "Pop 'n roll". The Kansas City Star. p. 8D.
- ^ Barclay, Dolores (November 21, 1976). "Some 30 Years After His Debut, Albert King's Nearing Stardom". The Sunday Ledger-Enquirer. Chattahoochee. Associated Press. p. 5.
- ^ Oppenheimer, Dan (December 16, 1976). "Albert". Rolling Stone. No. 228.
- ^ a b The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide. Random House. 1999. pp. 392, 394.
- ^ All Music Guide to the Blues (3rd ed.). Backbeat Books. 2003. p. 307.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. IV. MUZE. p. 3008.
- ^ Palmer, Robert (September 30, 1976). "Albert King Plays Blues on Guitar at Bottom Line". The New York Times. p. 38.
- ^ Ragg, R. B. (September 12, 1976). "Rap-Up Reviews". Oakland Tribune. p. 12E.
- ^ Becker, Bart (September 15, 1976). "Streetnoise". Lincoln Journal Star. p. 21.
- ^ "Records". The Ann Arbor News. September 19, 1976. p. 29.