982 Albert King - Born Under a Bad Sign (1967)

982 Albert King - Born Under a Bad Sign (1967)

Studio Album - Blues


About the Act:

Albert King was an American Blues guitarist and singer who was one of the foundational acts of electic blues. His career spanned from 1949 to 1992 and his style was very influential to modern blues players like Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. He was sometimes nicknamed "The Velvet Bulldozer" for his smooth voice and large build.

About the Album:

"Born Under a Bad Sign" was King's second studio album and has been widely cited as an influential album in the development of Electric Blues.

My History with this Album:

None, although I know a few of the songs.

Review:

As a long-time fine of 70s and later Blues Rock, I have heard several of these songs before, notably "Born Under a Bad Sign", "Oh, Pretty Woman" (not the Roy Orbison song), and "Down Don't Bother Me". This is basically an album of Electric Blues, both slow and faster, with some more ballady numbers thrown in. A couple of the more inventive sets of lyrics are "Personal Manager" and "Laundromat Blues" both of which are quite clever.  Albert King's guitar work is good, but doesn't reach down into my soul in the same way that B. B. King's did in the Cook County Jail album, but Albert's vocals are smoother and more accomplished than most bluesmen of the time.  I enjoyed it, it's blues, of course I enjoyed it. I can see that this was an important album, but it didn't shine out as genius to me, just as good.


7.6/10





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