What You See Is What You Get (Lil' Ed Williams album)
What You See Is What You Get | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1992 | |||
Genre | Blues | |||
Label | Alligator[1] | |||
Producer | Bruce Iglauer, Ed Williams | |||
Lil' Ed Williams chronology | ||||
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What You See Is What You Get is an album by the American musician Lil' Ed Williams, released in 1992.[2][3] He is credited with his band, the Blues Imperials.[4] Williams supported the album with a North American tour.[5] Following the tour, Williams temporarily broke up the band to concentrate on solo work.[6]
Production
[edit]The album was coproduced by Bruce Iglauer.[7] Williams wrote 12 of the album's 14 tracks; he employed a pinky slide on many of the songs.[8][9] What You See Is What You Get includes a cover of his uncle J. B. Hutto's "Please Help".[10][8] "Upset Man" was written by the band's bass player, James "Pookie" Young.[11] Eddie McKinley joined the band on saxophone.[12]
Critical reception
[edit]Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chicago Tribune | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Chicago Tribune called much of Williams's music "one-dimensional contemporary blues," but acknowledged that McKinley "mercifully brightens the shuffle-heavy grooves."[14] The St. Petersburg Times said that "the band can really dig into a stomping groove, accented by Ed's slide guitar, greasy as a just-lubricated truck axle."[16]
The Washington Post concluded that the Imperials "sound like every other baby-boomer, blues 'n' boogie bar band in the land."[10] The Los Angeles Times opined that "the Imperials are something of a detriment to Williams' purity, lacking the personality and sense of tradition that Williams so easily possesses."[17] The Houston Chronicle determined that Williams "has a seriousness of purpose that, combined with his intuitive understanding and exuberant attack, make this one of the most listenable 'classic' blues albums of recent years."[18]
AllMusic deemed the album "hard-driving good-time electric blues."[13]
Track listing
[edit]No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Life Is Like Gambling" | |
2. | "Find My Baby" | |
3. | "Older Woman" | |
4. | "Please Help" | |
5. | "Toothache" | |
6. | "Living for Today" | |
7. | "Travellin' Life" | |
8. | "Out of the House" | |
9. | "Upset Man" | |
10. | "Long, Long Way from Home" | |
11. | "What You See Is What You Get" | |
12. | "Bluesmobile" | |
13. | "What Am I Gonna Do?" | |
14. | "Packin' Up" |
References
[edit]- ^ Dicaire, David (November 5, 2015). More Blues Singers: Biographies of 50 Artists from the Later 20th Century. McFarland.
- ^ "Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Corbett, John (Oct 1992). "What You See Is What You Get by Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials". DownBeat. Vol. 59, no. 10. p. 55.
- ^ Krewen, Nick (12 June 1992). "Blues are a family affair for Lil' Ed". The Hamilton Spectator. p. D2.
- ^ Point, Michael (27 Aug 1992). "Blues guitar fans get a double dose...". Onward. Austin American-Statesman. p. 13.
- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 687.
- ^ The Encyclopedia of Record Producers. Billboard Books. 1999. p. 346.
- ^ a b Hadley, Frank-John (October 6, 1993). The Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD. Grove Press.
- ^ McCarthy, John (August 7, 1992). "Blues Slide Down Under and Out of the Car Wash". Northwest. Lewiston Morning Tribune.
- ^ a b Himes, Geoffrey (21 August 1992). "Williams Digging Family's Blues Roots". The Washington Post. p. N16.
- ^ Heim, Chris (24 July 1992). "Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. J.
- ^ a b The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books Ltd. 2006. p. 706.
- ^ a b "Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials What You See Is What You Get". AllMusic.
- ^ a b Dahl, Bill (23 July 1992). "Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials What You See Is What You Get". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
- ^ MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 234.
- ^ Snider, Eric (18 Aug 1992). "Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials What You See Is What You Get". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1D.
- ^ Seigal, Buddy (27 Nov 1992). "Keeping Best of the Blues Alive, Well". Los Angeles Times. p. F1.
- ^ Racine, Marty (July 26, 1992). "'What You See Is What You Get' Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 12.