Joe Bonamassa - I Want To Shout About It

PotentialDonkey

I assume this means a new studio album on the way... Fine with me if this is a taste of it. I haven't really been sold on the past couple of albums (Time Clocks more so, Royal Tea wasn't terrible, but still).

https://youtu.be/IW7rKANgBBM

Strat54

Crock of shit....just listen to the original version from Ronnie Earl.

https://youtu.be/5ZPSi0zB6bY

Aidanspaghetti

I want to shit around it.

guitars4you

I prefer Ronnie Earl's version - more soulful - Whole groove and vocals - I don't dislike Jo Bo but everything has to be a bit to much - To much gain, to many notes etc - IMO JoBo's finest work was with Beth Hart

Reverend

Joe had added a special secret sauce something to it. 

I like to call it Jools Hollandaise

springhead

guitars4you said:

I prefer Ronnie Earl's version - more soulful - Whole groove and vocals - I don't dislike Jo Bo but everything has to be a bit to much - To much gain, to many notes etc - IMO JoBo's finest work was with Beth Hart

Agreed on both points. that first album with Beth - Don't Explain - is very good.  He plays to the song more than usual.

Kilgore

Jo Bo is the disneyfication of blues.

He makes more sense as an animated character.

RocknRollDave

Yet again, the slightly, let’s call it ‘swallowed’ vocals - like they’re trapped somewhere and not fully sung - kills any chance of JB selling the song convincingly.

Going from Joe’s version to the original was like night and day.

axisus

I bought a couple of his albums years ago, I figured that he was exactly the sort of player I would like. I couldn't get into them, there was just something missing for me personally. He sells shedloads of albums though, HMV always have a ton of his in their meagre blues section. 

EricTheWeary

The Earl one I have on a (Alligator Records?) compilation somewhere and I’ve always thought it was a great track. 

JoBo I have attempted to defend on here in the past but I am largely ambivalent about him and the same circular arguments that the mere mention of his name on guitar forums seems to spark. Hopefully this track draws a bit of attention and money for Ronnie. Seems like he still plays but has had long term health issues. 

roberty

He is mostly harmless. He posted a tone deaf Instagram post during the BLM protests after a statue of SRV was vandalised. That was disappointing, especially so given the origin of the music he plays. His playing is extraordinarily clean, and he has a formidable blues vocabulary

guitars4you

springhead said:

guitars4you said:

I prefer Ronnie Earl's version - more soulful - Whole groove and vocals - I don't dislike Jo Bo but everything has to be a bit to much - To much gain, to many notes etc - IMO JoBo's finest work was with Beth Hart

Agreed on both points. that first album with Beth - Don't Explain - is very good.  He plays to the song more than usual.

100% agree - All songs are covers so he doesn't have to try and write a song - He doesn't have to sing - As such he can just add some tasty licks with a more 'tame' approach to the solo that supports the song - To many other songs he plays/writes is that big rip roaring riff or OTT gain with speed and to many notes - He has a talent for sure and to be honest most of us would love to do such a job and travel the world with so many nice guitars, so I can't fault him - I must have 6-10 JoBo albums, nearly all purchased on the basis that the next one might be the one that finally sells me on him - But alas his 2 albums + live album with Beth win any contest - I always say that Don't Explain shows what he can do and it is special - His solo albums just don't do it for me

Aidanspaghetti

Loved the Sleep eazys album where he traded in Eric Johnson for Danny Gatton. Seriously though its a cool record.

PotentialDonkey

Some of these comments are very entertaining!! Thanks. 

I do plan on getting Blues Deluxe Vol.2 and listening to it but I understand others' sentiments toward the fella's output.

I think it speaks volumes that in ~20 years of output after I first discovered him there's probably only 3 of his solo albums I can play cover to cover.

Suppose they can't all be zingers eh? 

ArchtopDave

guitars4you said:

I prefer Ronnie Earl's version - more soulful - Whole groove and vocals - I don't dislike Jo Bo but everything has to be a bit to much - To much gain, to many notes etc - IMO JoBo's finest work was with Beth Hart

I largely agree. I'm a bit sad that he hasn't maintained his initial promise. I saw him play in Trio format, on his first two UK tours. It cost £10 or £12 for seat in the front rows of a small venue, and he played really well. I lost interest after about the first 3/4 albums. I would be willing to reassess my current opinion of him, but there's no way I'm going to pay a three figured sum of money to see him live.

 I agree that his playing with Beth Hart was much better, but then I listened to a song on Youtube that he put up as a promotion for either his last album, or the one before. It was slow blues, but when it came to the guitar solo he was just blasting out notes at speed, which bore no relationship to the feel of the rest of the song.

RandallFlagg

I like his guitar playing and he gets some great tones but looks like Stan Smith from American Dad and sounds like Kermit the Frog when he sings. 

That's my review, done.

theatreanchor

I genuinely don’t understand the appeal of Joe’s music. I think he’s incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining on guitars, amps and their history etc, but I find his music leaves me cold - and I love the blues. I just think there are people that play it so much more truthfully and soulfully than he does. Still, he gets to make a living from what he loves. Can’t argue with that. 

nacnudnai

I've struggled to get into any of his recent releases (by recent, probably last 5 years at least). Its all a bit too bland and polished now. It must sell though, because he keeps on doing it!

Its a shame, when JoBo is good - he is among the best. Can't fault him as a player, his technique is perfect and he has such a vast range on the guitar. His phrasing is top notch too. I find him more enjoyable now when he isn't doing his own thing - with this being the perfect example:



The phrasing in that solo is just too good.

Strat54

The thing is....its 'shit' and he knows it is BUT it sells and that is the path he's chosen to follow because it happily funds his lifestyle and habits. He tried doing some stuff he actually wanted to do and it flopped big time. He wanted to do a country rock on steroids tour and it lasted only a couple of gigs....people were walking out and complaining so he dropped Steve Henson the pedal steel player and back up guitarist Troy Cassar Daly and reverted back to the guy in the suit with sunglasses over playing. For some reason there's a chunk of people who love it...8/9k people a night paying $100+ and they just suck it up so I think he's kind of accepted that now. I guess that is the reason why he plans to retire early, there's only so much he can stand and he's a guy who gets bored easily.
This is about the only track that exists from the ill fated gigs. 
https://youtu.be/dlaYCQwiOlg?si=iadb6GkKU97fCtPE

Offset

theatreanchor said:

I genuinely don’t understand the appeal of Joe’s music. I think he’s incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining on guitars, amps and their history etc, but I find his music leaves me cold - and I love the blues. I just think there are people that play it so much more truthfully and soulfully than he does. Still, he gets to make a living from what he loves. Can’t argue with that. 

I really couldn't express my feelings about JB any better.

timmypix

I think Joe went downhill once he did a Buble - found what sells and stuck to it. I love his early records, and I was about to blame Kevin Shirley but realised that I really like Sloe Gin and the Ballad of John Henry, so perhaps that's unfair. I will blame Kevin Shirley for ruining Iron Maiden, though.

But up 'til Black Rock, the albums are varied and interesting. Black Rock's an interesting experiment that I don't care for but at least Joe was trying new things. Then from Dust Bowl onwards, it's been the big band arrangements, over-produced "stadium blues" ad infinitum. I'm with @nacnudnai where I think he's best on other people's stuff now.

Don't get me wrong, I'll happily watch a live clip in isolation and go, "damn, guy's bloody good", but the music and the last decade or so of albums are so middle of the road. However, I can't say I'd be doing anything different were I in his position.