Friday, August 26, 2011
Half Notes: Eli Cook – Ace, Jack and King (2011
http://somethingelsereviews.com/2011/08/26/half-notes-eli-cook-ace-jack-and-king-2011/Half Notes: Eli Cook – Ace, Jack and King (2011)
An album that starts with this sparks-flying slide, on a song called “Death Rattle,” isn’t fooling around. This, friends, will never be confused with fern-bar blues. That’s obvious, even before Cook opens his mouth to sing — in a voice that’s one part gravel, one part Jack Black and one part shot-gun rows of deep-south dust. Particularly intriguing were a pair of covers of old Skip James tunes, beginning with “Catfish Blues,” a desperate escapist plea. Cook brilliantly downshifts, upping the ante on the original lyric’s slow-burning insistence. Later, he plugs back in for a reverb-soaked take on James’ murder ballad “Crow Jane,” but approaches it with the ominous stomping rhythm of a Zeppelin blues. It invites a similar, almost primitive dread, too. --Nick DeRiso
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
5 Star Review from Sea of Tranquility
www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id...
Here we have a young man who, by the age of only eighteen, released his first album called Miss Blues'es Child. Eli is back in 2011 with the fifth output in his career; an awesome fifty minutes disc, Ace, Jack, and King.
Some albums are a grower; others instantly hit the spot . Well, you have another category, not often found, that do both at once, and this new Eli Cook is exactly one of those rare birds-- I could be a very happy reviewer simply concentrating my writing on this type of music alone, even though I enjoy black metal and progressive music, too. This is down to earth music right from the soul! True, I have really been into blues for the last couple years, and mostly concentrate my acoustic playing around the bluesy/country/ folk-rock side, but, hell, did I like this album! You have nine original compositions and five covers on this CD. Many tracks are of the acoustic-blues style (my favorite), and you have five heavier numbers, too. For some reason harmonica player Wavorly Milor makes his appearances only in the heavier songs.
Eli Cook is an excellent guitar player who can handle the electric as well as the acoustic axe (6-12 strings & resonator), not to mention the mandolin. His voice is deep and downright bluesy and appears coming from a different era; a definite plus for this young man. Needless to say, I found myself impressed by his acoustic playing, and had the urge to pick up my own guitar after listening this cool disc. His playing is as bluesy as it can be, whenever handling the acoustic by fingerpicking or the resonator and twelve strings with the slide. Man, this is the stuff; real down and dirty music right from the guts! Inspiration from the Delta men, early Rolling Stones, and the Allman Brothers abound here, but Eli Cook has come up with his own brew to ease our souls. There are some nice rendition of a couple Skip James' tunes, namely: "Catfish Blues" and "Crow Jane". He used some studio trick to give "Cocaine Blues" a vintage sound. But where he really shines is on his own material like: "Better Man" (an irresistible composition I tried to play); the laid back "Please, Please", Afrossippi Breakdown", and the Led Zeppish "Black Eyed Dog" (Nick Drake). Actually, what you will not find on this album is a slightly bad track, just freakin good stuff!
So folks, get your soul & guitar and play those down and dirty blues with Eli Cook!
Added: August 15th 2011
Reviewer: Denis Brunelle
Score:
Here we have a young man who, by the age of only eighteen, released his first album called Miss Blues'es Child. Eli is back in 2011 with the fifth output in his career; an awesome fifty minutes disc, Ace, Jack, and King.
Some albums are a grower; others instantly hit the spot . Well, you have another category, not often found, that do both at once, and this new Eli Cook is exactly one of those rare birds-- I could be a very happy reviewer simply concentrating my writing on this type of music alone, even though I enjoy black metal and progressive music, too. This is down to earth music right from the soul! True, I have really been into blues for the last couple years, and mostly concentrate my acoustic playing around the bluesy/country/ folk-rock side, but, hell, did I like this album! You have nine original compositions and five covers on this CD. Many tracks are of the acoustic-blues style (my favorite), and you have five heavier numbers, too. For some reason harmonica player Wavorly Milor makes his appearances only in the heavier songs.
Eli Cook is an excellent guitar player who can handle the electric as well as the acoustic axe (6-12 strings & resonator), not to mention the mandolin. His voice is deep and downright bluesy and appears coming from a different era; a definite plus for this young man. Needless to say, I found myself impressed by his acoustic playing, and had the urge to pick up my own guitar after listening this cool disc. His playing is as bluesy as it can be, whenever handling the acoustic by fingerpicking or the resonator and twelve strings with the slide. Man, this is the stuff; real down and dirty music right from the guts! Inspiration from the Delta men, early Rolling Stones, and the Allman Brothers abound here, but Eli Cook has come up with his own brew to ease our souls. There are some nice rendition of a couple Skip James' tunes, namely: "Catfish Blues" and "Crow Jane". He used some studio trick to give "Cocaine Blues" a vintage sound. But where he really shines is on his own material like: "Better Man" (an irresistible composition I tried to play); the laid back "Please, Please", Afrossippi Breakdown", and the Led Zeppish "Black Eyed Dog" (Nick Drake). Actually, what you will not find on this album is a slightly bad track, just freakin good stuff!
So folks, get your soul & guitar and play those down and dirty blues with Eli Cook!
Added: August 15th 2011
Reviewer: Denis Brunelle
Score:
Sunday, August 7, 2011
This Is the Real Deal: "Ace, Jack, & King"
Cook, Eli: Ace, Jack & King
Cook, Eli: Ace, Jack & King
Blues Rock 5.0/5.0Independent/Unsigned
Website Facebook
by Craig Hartranft, 08.08.2011
Eli Cook knows real American blues, something easily understood on his fifth album Ace, Jack & King. The soul of Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Mississippi John Hurt is channeled through his own music and interpretations of the lesser known Skip James, Charles Brown, Rev. Gary Davis and Nick Drake. This music is unembellished, stripped down, and gritty. Driftin', Death Rattle, Better Man, and Snake Charm, to name a few, drip the blood of blues authenticity and soul. But isn't that the essence of American blues, unpretentious and uncomplicated, tearing at the fabric of your life? You can hear it in Cook's vocals, a mixture of whiskey and winter, and his original fret interpretations. Add Waverly Miller's gritty and anguished harmonica, and Cocaine Blues and Crow Jane will rattle your bones.
On Ace, Jack & King, guitarist Eli Cook offers authentic American blues, pure, simple and entertaining. This is the real deal, and harkens back to the Sixties and Seventies when blues and rock began to converge. Recommended.http://www.dangerdog.com/2011-music-reviews/eli-cook-ace-jack-king-review.php
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Eli Cook - Ace, Jack & King
Eli Cook - Ace, Jack & King
Sultry bluesy masculine rock with plenty of loose coolness. Eli Cook was heavily influenced by artists like Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Mississippi John Hurt...and it shows. Listening to Ace, Jack & King is kinda like taking a trip back in time to the 1970s when this style of music was really expanding to a much larger audience... Now that the album is released Eli is traveling around to support it. Our guess is that this guy shines brightest in concert. He's got a super slick slide guitar sound and a husky masculine voice that is sexy and heartfelt. Loose bluesy rockers include "Death Rattle," "Suicide King," and "Black Eyed Dog." Cool stuff...
Sultry bluesy masculine rock with plenty of loose coolness. Eli Cook was heavily influenced by artists like Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Mississippi John Hurt...and it shows. Listening to Ace, Jack & King is kinda like taking a trip back in time to the 1970s when this style of music was really expanding to a much larger audience... Now that the album is released Eli is traveling around to support it. Our guess is that this guy shines brightest in concert. He's got a super slick slide guitar sound and a husky masculine voice that is sexy and heartfelt. Loose bluesy rockers include "Death Rattle," "Suicide King," and "Black Eyed Dog." Cool stuff...
-www.babysue.com
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