Queen of the Blues
| Queen of the Blues | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1985 | |||
| Genre | Chicago blues, blues | |||
| Label | Alligator[1] | |||
| Producer | Koko Taylor, Criss Johnson, Bruce Iglauer | |||
| Koko Taylor chronology | ||||
| ||||
Queen of the Blues is an album by the American blues singer Koko Taylor, released in 1985.[2][3]
The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Traditional Blues Recording".[4]
Production[edit]
The album was produced by Taylor, Criss Johnson, and Bruce Iglauer.[5] Taylor used her Blues Machine Band on the album, with guest turns by Son Seals, Albert Collins, Lonnie Brooks, and James Cotton.[6] "Flamin' Mamie" was written by Willie Dixon.[7]
Critical reception[edit]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| Robert Christgau | B+[9] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [10] |
| MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide | [5] |
| The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings | [11] |
| The Philadelphia Inquirer | [12] |
The Philadelphia Inquirer deemed the album "tough, shouted blues by one of the genre's most vehement practitioners."[12] The Kingston Whig-Standard thought that Taylor "comes across as a gruff earth mother," and noted that her guitar player, Criss Johnson, "more than holds his own on his solos" despite the many famous guest musicians.[13]
The New York Times wrote that Taylor's "penetrating growl is menacing on the Willie Dixon stomp 'Evil', and self-assured on 'The Hunter'."[14] The Columbus Dispatch concluded that "Taylor is in superb form, belting out ballads about passion, slow blues about broken hearts and barroom romance rockers."[15]
AllMusic said that "Taylor's gritty 'I Cried like a Baby' and a snazzy remake of Ann Peebles' 'Come to Mama' are among the many highlights."[8]
Track listing[edit]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Evil" | |
| 2. | "Beer Bottle Boogie" | |
| 3. | "I Cried Like a Baby" | |
| 4. | "I Can Love You Like a Woman (Or I Can Fight You Like a Man)" | |
| 5. | "Flamin' Mamie" | |
| 6. | "Something Inside Me" | |
| 7. | "The Hunter" | |
| 8. | "Queen Bee" | |
| 9. | "I Don't Care No More" | |
| 10. | "Come to Mama" |
References[edit]
- ^ "Blues Singer Koko Taylor, The Blues Machine to Appear at Odyssey Club". The Oklahoman. August 2, 1985. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
- ^ "Koko Taylor Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (June 16, 1985). "Music: Blues by Koko Taylor". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
- ^ "Koko Taylor". Grammy Awards. November 23, 2020. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
- ^ a b MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 554.
- ^ "Koko Taylor, On a Blues Roll". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
- ^ Salter, Rosa (16 Aug 1985). "Koko Taylor's Mainstream Blues". The Morning Call. p. D1.
- ^ a b "Queen of the Blues". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
- ^ "Koko Taylor". Robert Christgau. Archived from the original on 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 66.
- ^ The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. p. 632.
- ^ a b Tucker, Ken (7 July 1985). "Koko Taylor, Queen of the Blues". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D8.
- ^ Burliuk, Greg (7 Sep 1985). "Queen of the Blues Koko Taylor". Magazine. The Kingston Whig-Standard. p. 1.
- ^ Palmer, Don (15 Sep 1985). "A Handful of Labels Preserve the Troubled Blues". The New York Times. p. A21.
- ^ Petric, John (August 18, 1985). "Feeling the Blues? Listen to Koko Taylor". Accent & Arts. The Columbus Dispatch. p. 4.
