The Best Of B.B. King (Vinyl record album review)

Record basics

Album name: The Best Of B.B. King

Artist name: B.B. King

Year: 1973

Number of discs: one

Label: ABC Records

Collection: Selman

Buy it on Amazon: $49.96

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

I’m familiar with B.B. King as an important blues guitarist, and I expect that I’ll recognize some of his songs, but I don’t think I’ve ever listened to any of his music.

What I expected

Blues.

What it was actually like

This was pretty good, but I did not recognize any of the songs. Taken as a whole, listening to this record made me hungry for barbecue, as it kind of reminded me of the music that they play in barbecue restaurants outside of the American South (in a good way).

The songs that I liked the best were Caldonia, which was the fastest and most danceable, and had a great trumpet solo, and Why I Sing The Blues, which was also quite lively, with a great bass line, and very strong vocals and guitar solo.

I did not care much for the gospel style backing vocals and organ on Ain’t Nobody Home and Hummingbird.

Grade

4/5: would listen again