Joe Bonamassa Had To Cry Today - CD Review
Published February 22, 2005
Whether Joe's playing at warp speed - with "Revenge of the Ten Gallon Hat", "When The Sun Goes Down", or "Faux Mantini" - or whispering sweet nothings in your ear - as he does with "When She Dances", his music becomes a part of your each breath. If your heart rate isn't affected by his music it's time to see a cardiologist.
Perhaps the reason Bonamassa's last few albums have developed so fully is that he's put together the perfect band. You take Eric Czar - the five string bass God; Kenny Kramme - the mind-blowing powerhouse on drums; add in Joe, with his blistering guitar, and you have a tour de force. There's not a single weak link on this team. Had To Cry Today is the album that brings together all their talents with a polished sound that can only come from having the perfect chemistry.
Their last album, Blues Deluxe, focused more on the Blues. And it was incredibly well done. The difference with Had To Cry Today is the obvious comfort the band has developed from having another year of touring together under their belts. They're certainly willing to take chances and bring in a variety of influences - rock, jazz, blues, and country blend effortlessly, taking you on a musical journey that leaves you begging for more. Fortunately, you can hit replay and listen again.
Every song on Had To Cry Today brings something special to the table. The covers on this CD are wonderful tributes to the original artists and the original songs, written or co-written by Joe, are simply stunning. You'll discover a "new favorite song" with each track.
- Joe Bonamassa Had To Cry Today - CD Review
- Published: February 22, 2005
- Type: Review
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: Blues, Music: Rock
- Writer: Joan Hunt
- Joan Hunt's BC Writer page
- Joan Hunt's personal site
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Comments on this articleComments
very nice, descriptive job Joan, thanks and welcome!
Nice review, but there seems to be something up with the link to your blog...it connects to a directory page at bonamassablog.us???
Joan, the link goes back to the generic directory I saw yesterday, as Bill mentions, maybe you should point it to the old site for now?
Thanks, Joan. Feel like I listened to the music already! ;-)
Oh, gawwwwd... I better go buy the CD now then..!!
The url to bonamassablog.us is good...it's just on again, off again at this point. Sorry about that.
Recommended listening mode for this CD - volume up, eyes closed.
The only thing better than that is seeing the band live and in person!
So...if bonamassablog.us is the name of the blog...is this a vanity or fan club review?
I'm really confused...and the directory site looks a lot like ones that are often predatory in dumping adware and other pernicious software onto all of our computers.
What's up? I thought we're supposed to have functioning blog sites...
awesome band...htct (and the others) rock...can't wait to see 'em again "live"
bill masullo
Bill (Lamb) - think of our site as a clearinghouse for reviews by Bonamassa fans. A lot of it will be about Joe, Kenny, and Eric, but we all have diverse musical interests....and they WILL show up on the site.
Plus, when you really think about it, the evolution of blues rock is worth exploring. Hopefully we'll be able to dig into it fully.
(I mostly wanted a site where a lot of people could post together, and my main blog just wasn't appropriate. I picked Bonamassa Blog because the band served as inspiration for my renewed interest in music.)
I'll look forward to your reviews on other music, because you write well.
But right now this review looks like a friendly review by a promoter of the band.
Nice review. I thought Joe's first couple of albums were only average, but he showed tons of potential. However when I saw the bonus DVD, "A New Day Yesterday Live", which was included with his "So, It's Like That" CD, I was blown away. The guy is such a natural. I haven't had a chance to post my review of that DVD on Blogcritics yet, but you can check it out on my site , until I do.
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Wow you know it Joanie! I agree. I am not the music expert so to speak but this cd and this band are definitely at the highest level in all categories. I am actually suprised how much I love the title track, I usually prefer Joe's originals but I admit I repeat Had To Cry Today often. I love going to the shows and actually get to see the band tomorrow night in Baltimore. I think they are going to use much of the material from HTCT on their next live DVD. gotta go play HTCT!
Jane