Chris Thomas King

Track Listings

1. Impatiently

2. Ain't That A...

3. I'll Play the Blues for You

4. Weekend Rendezvous

5. I Cried

6. L.A. Angel

7. Wonderful

8. Take Me

9. C'est la Vie

10. Wanna Die With a Smile on My Face ('97)

Chris Thomas King

Average customer rating:

Prairie Hills
WONDERFUL!

The Roots: The Soul of Chris Thomas King
Chris Thomas King
Manufacturer: 21st Century Blues
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Rise
Along the Blues Highway
Red Mud Sessions
Me, My Guitar and the Blues
Why My Guitar Screams & Moans

ASIN: B0000CBLBJ
Release Date: 2003-09-16

Tracks:

Hard Time Killing Floor Blues
Cypress Grove
John Law Burned Down the Liquor Sto'
O Brother, Where Art Thou? [Acappella]
Come on in My Kitchen - James Cotton, Chris Thomas King
Watermelon Man
Trouble Will Soon Be Over
Dark Clouds
If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day
Death Letter Blues
Sinking Feelin'
Canned Heat Blues
Southern Chick's Blues
Rock Island Line
Midnight Special
Martha's Blues
Cotton Fields
C.C. Rider
Raining Angels

Customer Reviews:

Prairie Hills.......2007-03-30

I have liked everything Chris Thomas has put out, this may be my favorite Though. I especially like old style blues and Chris can be among the best. He is a very talented individual.

WONDERFUL!.......2004-06-16

I just finished listening to this cd. I loved it! Chris Thomas King can achieve a beutiful sound. There are some great, old blues songs from Robert Johnson and Lead Belly, and then there are some new, unique songs. It's a balanced mix. This CD would be a terrific addition to any music lover's collection. Whether you've loved blues for a long time, or you're new to the scene, get this CD!

Average customer rating:

Moving Post Katrina Blues and More
A shot in the foot
A Powerful Album
Powerful blues music about the Katrina storm........

Rise
Chris Thomas King
Manufacturer: 21st Century Blues
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Contemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music

Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Roots: The Soul of Chris Thomas King
10 Days Out (Blues from the Backroads)/ (CD/DVD)
In the Natural State
A Stone's Throw
After the Rain

ASIN: B000FMGTYO
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Tracks:

What Would Jesus Do?
Faith
Baptized In Dirty Water
Flow Mississippi Flow
St. James Infirmary
When Magnolias Bloom
Big Yellow Taxi
Like A Hurricane (Ghost Of Marie Laveau)
Deepest Ocean
'Tis The Last Rose Of Summer
What A Wonderful World

Amazon.com

Louisiana bluesman Chris Thomas King's brilliant and beautiful Rise is an ode to New Orleans and its people after Katrina. These 11 songs ricochet between hope and tragedy, creating a emotionally complex cycle that's buoyed by his carefully considered performances--full of weeping electric guitar melodies and his gentlest, most soulful singing. The opening King-penned trilogy "What Would Jesus Do?," "Faith," and "Baptized in Dirty Water" essays the tests of strength and spirit that came with the floodwaters. King examines the nature of justice in these songs, raising questions about the federal government's blindness to the unfolding disaster and the moral compromises many needed to make to survive. He's also given some Crescent City classics new meaning. His take on the chestnut "St. James Infirmary" reflects on the musical history of New Orleans as well as the loss of life caused by the hurricane. And when Louis Armstrong's sweetly upbeat "What a Wonderful World" closes the album, its joyful lyrics provide an ironic counterpoint to the pain and suffering King chronicles as the rest of Rise's thoughtful songs unspool. --Ted Drozdowski

Customer Reviews:

Moving Post Katrina Blues and More.......2006-09-28

Chris Thomas King, the Baton Rouge born son of Tabby Thomas, has issued a most impressive recording reflecting on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, "Rise" (21st Century Blues). From the opening "What Would Jesus Do?" to the closing "What a Wonderful World," Thomas interprets classic songs associated with New Orleans and gives us originals covering a wide range of musical styles, although not the incorporation of hip hop that King has utilized on other recent recordings. He is on an almost traditionalist mode here. The CD's tracks include several where Thomas plays all the instruments along with several musicians assisting Thomas. These include Mike Finnigan and Tony Braunagel of the Phantom Blues Band, and drummer Jason Marsalis.
There is country flavor to the opening "What Would Jesus Do?," as he sings "Tell Me America, What Would Jesus Do (2x) If he had to walk a mile in my shoe," with haunting lyrics. There is a bit of modern gospel-soul flavor in the backing for "Faith" told from the standpoint of someone on a rooftop waiting to be saved. "Baptized in Dirty Water" is a modern electric guitar blues as he shouts in the manner of a young Buddy Guy or Otis Rush (and the song suggests Rush's "I Can't Quit You Baby"), "When the levee broke down baby and dirty water came rushing in (2X), it washed away my happy home, I hope it washed away my sins," with a tough guitar solo followed by the wistful "Flow Mississippi Roll", singing about having no place to go and wanting to drown on my own tears as a businessman is making plans for his land. St. James Infirmary is handled as a modern blues with more fine guitar as King updates the lyric as he asks that they "put a good jazzband on my tailgate to raise hell as we roll along." a jazz band and a second-line as his body is taken to its grave. Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi," I believe was recorded a few days before Katrina in New Orleans, and Thomas' performance makes the lyric "Don't you know what you got `til its gone, they paved paradise and put up a parking lot," prescient in terms of the destruction of wetlands that helped contribute to Katrina's devastation.Its not the only tune that is so in place even if not directly alluding to Katrina, as does the gospel number Deepest Ocean. His rendition of the Irish ballad, "`Tis Last Rose of Summer," a tribute to his mother, is full of warmth and tenderness as is the rendition of the closing chestnut, "What a Wonderful World." "Rise" is a remarkable recording that transcends any limitation of genre. Heartfully sung and played with an eye to the losses he and so many others have suffered yet he also has an eye for that part of the human spirit that enables people to work together to overcome such traumatic and devastating natural disasters. It will undoubtedly be on many Best Recordings of 2006 lists.

A shot in the foot.......2006-09-23

Chris Thomas King has been making riveting, moving, pleasing, melodic, deep and soulful albums for some time. "Rise" focuses on the sorrow and stress of a post-Katrina South. The album is, and should be, another great addition to his output.

He ruins the experience in the second song, entitled "Faith", when he sings, "President Bush flying round, Oh, looking down on us from the air, They say he pity the poor people, But does he really care?". A cliche jab such as this ruins the flow early on and loses touch with the sorrow he shares in the rest of the song. For those who seem to share such a sentiment, there probably will be no objection, unfortunately. I am among the great number of folks who are tired of partisan, and many times assinine, cheap shots. I skip over this track. King should focus on the themes of "hav(ing) Faith in one another", and illustrating sentiments such as "I hear Gabriel senrenading me with song", whereby he'll remain a fantastic musician and performer.

A Powerful Album.......2006-08-05

Rise has got to be one of the most powerfully moving works of music I've heard in a very long time. I can't imagine a more appropriate medium than gospel and the blues to capture what happened in New Orleans and King's expression of the wrenching sense of loss and abandonment in those musical forms is stunningly apropos.

King's compositions look both forward and back, breaking new ground while also honoring the tradition born in the Delta. He freely borrows from the styles of bluesmen of days gone by as well as from those still living in a way that reminds one of the city he implores to Rise above it's tragedy.

As good as the playing is, the lyrics are so moving and challenging as to force the listener to listen to each song several times first to absorb the impact of what was being sung about and then to appreciate the music used to help tell the stories.

The song that sets the tone of the album is "What Would Jesus Do?". In asking, "Tell me America, what would Jesus do?" King engages the listener by asking a question that takes one beyond a "mere" theological debate or pop song to a deep question of what one's conception of the identity of God is and what one might have done when put in the place of the song's subject. It begs forgiveness even while it challenges.

Of all the albums I've heard that commemorate events of their times, this one may be the most powerful because it's the most deeply rooted in the heart and culture of its subject. I would recommend this album to all who love the blues and any who wants to move beyond the sound bites of the mainstream media and the spin of the political machines into the grief of a city destroyed and its heartfelt desire to Rise.

Powerful blues music about the Katrina storm...............2006-07-28

I never heard of Chris King until I read an article mentioning his album RISE. I ordered it and was blown away by its themes.
Mr.King plays blues guitar so beautifully and the lyrics really dig at your heart. KATRINA was a terrible storm but you saw a lot of goodness come from it with everyone trying to help the residents affected by it. I hope Mr.King sells a ton of this cd and that more people listen to his sweet sounds. Great stuff!!!

Average customer rating:

Full of emotion
"King & Morris take us to the Festivals ~ Blues is alive"

Along the Blues Highway
Chris Thomas King , and Blind Mississippi Morris
Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Blues | Styles | Music

Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Roots: The Soul of Chris Thomas King
It's a Cold Ass World: The Beginning
Rise
Red Mud Sessions
Me, My Guitar and the Blues

ASIN: B0000A5A3Z
Release Date: 2003-07-29

Tracks:

Red Mud - Chris Thomas King
Why - Chris Thomas King
Soon This Morning Blues - Chris Thomas King
I'm On Fire - Chris Thomas King
Alive - Chris Thomas King
Me, My Guitar And The Blues - Chris Thomas King
O Brother Where Art Thou - Chris Thomas King
Dust My Broom - Blind Mississippi Morris
You Know I Like That - Blind Mississippi Morris
Willie - Blind Mississippi Morris
Beale Street Tonight - Blind Mississippi Morris
Bad To Worse - Blind Mississippi Morris
Night Roads - Blind Mississippi Morris
Going Back To Louisiana - Blind Mississippi Morris

Customer Reviews:

Full of emotion.......2003-12-19

This CD is great. I can't quit listening to it. Chris Thomas King's voice is haunting at times it is so good, and the guitar work is excellent as well. He is a great musician who is somewhat undiscovered. The tracks by Blind Mississppi add a different style, but are also very good. If you like blues or roots music, buy this CD!

"King & Morris take us to the Festivals ~ Blues is alive".......2003-09-27

Every so often there is an album that just jumps out at you ~ "Along the Blues Highway", is a wonderful return to those days when our parents and grandparents enjoyed the music of times ~ BLUES! A CD that gives you the roots of America then, right up to the present time.

Chris Thomas King takes the listener into the 21st Century of Blues with "RED MUD", "I'M ON FIRE", "ME, MY GUITAR AND THE BLUES" and "O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU", all compositions penned by Mr. King reflecting his deep commitment in keeping blues right up there where we can see and hear it ~ remember King from the film "O Brother Where Art Thou", when he traded his soul for guitar lessons. Great film and wonderful performance by Chris.

Blind Mississippi Morris opens with a head banging blues cue "DUST MY BROOM" ~ followed by a rhythmic tune "YOU KNOW I LIKE THAT" ~ next we have a cha cha tempo "WILLIE" ~ now the joints jumping so put your dancin' shoes on with "BEALE STREET TONIGHT" ~ now why not try on some funky tunes as we listen "BAD TO WORSE" ~ get ready to board the bus as we're "GOING BACK TO LOUISIANA", this takes care of our mojo.

Great job by Varese Records featuring the rockin' bluesman King and funky bluesman Morris with total enjoyment of some rare performances sure to please all ages among our fans ~ Blues is alive and well...gotta love it!

Tracks:

The Blues Is Back
Soon This Morning
Cheatin' Women Blues
Cocaine
Mary Jane
Take Yo Time
Going Home To Louisiana
South Side Shuffle
You'll Be Sorry, Baby
Don't Work Too Hard

The Legend of Tommy Johnson, Act 1: Genesis 1900's-1990's

Average customer rating:

Excellent
Great and refreshing bluegrass
Twentieth Century Blues
Evolution of the Blues in Miniature
Picking Up Right Where He Left Off

The Legend of Tommy Johnson, Act 1: Genesis 1900's-1990's
Chris Thomas King
Manufacturer: Valley
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Roots: The Soul of Chris Thomas King
Along the Blues Highway
Red Mud Sessions
It's a Cold Ass World: The Beginning
Dirty South Hip-Hop Blues

ASIN: B00005OAFV
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Tracks:

O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Trouble Will Soon Be Over
Canned Heat Blues
Flooded In The Delta
Watermelon Man
John Law Burned Down The Liquor Sto'
Red Shoes
Bonnie And Clyde In D Miner
Do Fries Go With That Shake?
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Reprise)
Spread The Glory (Requiem)

Amazon.com

Through his portrayal of Tommy Johnson (the real-life composer of "Canned Heat Blues"), Chris Thomas King brought some Delta blues to the bluegrass-driven O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack. In addition to providing a cinematic breakthrough for the New Orleans-based artist, the role has sparked King's finest album in more than a decade, with a cycle of songs inspired by (but not included in) the movie. Channeling the musical spirit of Tommy (which means forsaking the hip-hop samples and scratching King typically employs), the progressive bluesman traces the arc of the music's development, from the gospel grace of "Trouble Will Soon Be Over" and acoustic lilt of "Flooded in the Delta" through the syncopated call and response of "Watermelon Man" and the supercharged rock of "Do Fries Go with That Shake?" As a multitalented musician (who plays everything here), producer, singer, and songwriter, King combines an intuitive affinity for where the music's been with a progressive vision of where it's headed. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2003-02-20

O'Brother was the summer movie for me. After I saw the movie I then got the soundtrack and upon hearing the whole album, I immediately liked the track by Mr. King and I read that he was a muscian first so I decided to see what else he had done. Due to the obvious set up of this album it was an easy buy. I wasn't dissapppointed by a single track. They are all well performed and the instruments and choosen perfectly. The right types of guitar and the right use of Piano, to the perfect use of back-up vocals this man does it all. Good Show and more power to him.

Great and refreshing bluegrass.......2002-08-29

Chris Thomas King is one of the most talented musicians since Stevie Ray Vaughn. Multi talented, great range to his voice as well as being able to play all nine instruments, used on this CD. The movie "O'Brother Where Art Thou?" doesn't begin to show off his talents. Doesn't even come close. I loved it, especially the song "Spread the Glory." Also a great song and fun to listen to is "John Law Burned Down the Liquor Sto'"; but all of them are supurb.

Twentieth Century Blues.......2002-04-28

When organic American music was given a shot in the arm by the Coen Brother's movie O Brother, Where Art Thou, Chris Thomas King was among the artists who benefited with King's role as blues musician Tommy Johnson and his song O Brother Where Art Thou. King took full advantage of this opportunity and produced an ambitious concept album The Legend of Tommy Johnson. Imagine an obscure blues artist who sold is soul to the devil down on some Delta crossroads for the ability to play music. He wanders around the delta singing on the corners of "Magnolia and Main" as the cover says. Maybe he serves a stint in prison and becomes part of a chain gang and then upon release wanders to Chicago to try his hand with electric guitar. This is the story of a composite of blues artists throughout the twentieth century and Chris Thomas King has penned, sang, played and produced all the songs on this CD. It is a skillful and artistic cd which demonstrates King's love and appreciation for the music.

Blues music has roots in a range of styles as Chris Thomas King aptly demonstrates. O Brother Where Art Thou and Trouble will Soon Be Over borrow from gospel/spiritual styles. Canned Heat Blues, Flooded in the Delta and Watermelon Man are delta styled acoustic blues. Canned Heat Blues shows the strong relationship which exists between the blues and bootleg liquor. King tips his hat to Charlie Patton and other in singing about delta floods. He sings "People seeking higher ground, the sky is falling and the whole world is sinking down." Watermelon Man is a pleasant journey through the delta in the back of a pickup truck while eating "sweet and juicy" watermelon. You can almost feel the juice running down your chin. John Law Burned down the Liquor Store is blues with country edges with the promise of bootleg liquor after a day of hard and sweaty work. We move north to Chicago with Red Shoes and Bonnie and Clyde in D Minor. Red Shoes is a grind it out blues guaranteed to get the joint hopping on Saturday night in a mode reminiscent of Elmore James or Hound Dog Taylor. Bonnie and Clyde is a haunting "you done me wrong" blues. Do Fries Go with that Shakes explores the early era of rock and roll. Finishing out the cd is Spread the Glory a soulful tribute to Tommy Johnson.

Chris Thomas King has clearly demonstrated his skill as singer, songwriter and musician in producing such a CD as this one. The Legend of Tommy Johnson displays the range and sincerity of Chris Thomas King's pleasant voice. I have hopes that we will continue to hear more from him.

Evolution of the Blues in Miniature.......2001-11-09

This is an ambitious album, and a very successful one.

The tracks, in order, summarize the 20th century evolution of the blues. The first songs on the album, both King's originals and the covers, are very much in the style of early blues recordings: one voice, one guitar...even the scratchy static of the old 78s is duplicated.

I confess my partiality to early delta guitarslingers, and I really like King's take, from his straight up cover of Willie Johnson's "Trouble Will Soon Be Over" to the archetypally bluesy original "Flooded in the Delta". This is great stuff, and the hilariously deadpan liner notes (spoofing every "how I discovered the blues" story you ever read) are a perfect complement -- I admit, they had me going for a minute.

The tracks then evolve through the rollicking piano blues of "John Law Burned Down the Liquor Sto'" to electric guitar to rhythm 'n' blues, including a purported cover by the Voodoo Dolls (King) of a song by the legendary Tommy Johnson (also King). This is good stuff, too, though less my cup of tea.

This is the only CD of King's I've listened to -- yes, I was drawn to this through O Brother, Where Art Thou? -- but I certainly want to hear more.

Picking Up Right Where He Left Off.......2001-10-25

I am familiar with King's work only from the movie O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU. He has wisely jumped onto that musical bandwagon by recreating his character from the movie, Tommy Johnson, and doing a solo CD as Mr. Johnson, blending history (the real Tommy Johnson) with fiction (O BROTHER. . .). Great idea, very good results. I am not a true blues afficianado, but I loved the song he did in the movie and figured I'd give this disc a run. The opening song, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?," is a very cool song that moves along at a nice pace--some nice a capellla and good guitar work, also. "Canned Heat Blues" calls to mind his song from the movie. "John Law Burned Down the Liquor Sto'" is a fast-moving, bluegrass-ish song that is a riot--the tites are so good sometimes! "Red Shoes" is a more electric kind of sound--good song. "Bonnie & Clyde in D Minor" is good, old-fashioned, slowed-down traditional delta blues--great song. The album concludes with two songs performed by the Voodoo Dolls, both of which were probably unnecessary and a bit out of place.

On the whole, this was a very entertaining CD, full of a variety of paces, styles-within-the-style, and instrumentation (he plays a variety of instruments, including mandolin, upright bass, piano, harmonica, and all guitars). He knows how to sing, and he is smart enough to cash in on the O BROTHER phenomenon. If you are a general blues fan, a Chris Thomas King fan, or an O BROTHER fan, you will probably enjoy this CD a great deal.

Red Mud Sessions
Average customer rating:

Wonderful, but try to get the original release

Red Mud Sessions
Chris Thomas King
Manufacturer: 21st Century Blues
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music
General | Blues | Styles | Music
Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music
Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Roots: The Soul of Chris Thomas King

Rise

Me, My Guitar and the Blues

Dirty South Hip-Hop Blues

Along the Blues Highway

ASIN: B000AV47V2
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Tracks:

Red Mud
If Itr Ain't One Thang, It's Two
Soon This Morning Blues
Come On In My Kitchen
I'm On Fire
Sinking Feeling
Alive
Dark Cloud
Rambling On My Mind
Wanna Die With A Smile On My Face
Death Letter Blues
Raining Angels

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful, but try to get the original release.......2007-02-07

This recording appears to be identical to King's earlier recording, "Red Mud", which is his most traditional blues effort (and my favorite of his work). That earlier version would get a 5-star rating from me. This remastered one is, for some reason, missing two of the original tracks -- "Hoodoo Party" and "Bus Station Blues" (copyright issues?). Hence a 1-star penalty.

Average customer rating:

NOT HIS BEST, STILL BETTER THAN MOST
A Do It Yourself Project
Well...maybe start with one of his other albums.

Why My Guitar Screams & Moans
Chris Thomas King
Manufacturer: 21st Century Blues
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music

Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

A Young Man's Blues
The Roots: The Soul of Chris Thomas King
Along the Blues Highway
Rise
Chris Thomas King

ASIN: B00067HPF0
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Tracks:

Starr
Action (Interlude)
Kiss
Legend
Song for Mama
King Snake
Juke Joint Lover
Louisiana Party
Come Home Tonight
Down
Wicked
Scream
Cracked

Customer Reviews:

NOT HIS BEST, STILL BETTER THAN MOST.......2005-06-20

Some outstanding tracks, a few average ones and one or two duds. It is still an excellent CD with a wide variety of musik to entertain you. Even the RAP / BLUES /POP hybrids are accessible and are the only such hybrids I have heard and liked. His URBAN / RAP / BLUES cds are also some of the cleverest applications of RAP by a predominently BLUES artist. KING swings between so many styles that it is refreshing not to be able to pidgeonhole him. Whatever he does, he does really well and besides his undoubted talent as a guitarist, he is an excellent singer and song writer. This is just further prove of the width of this mans talent. If you like his other stuff, you will not be dissapointed.

A Do It Yourself Project.......2005-03-24

Some critics say that King doesn't know what he wants to be--a Robert Johnson practitioner, a rapper, or Jimi Hendrix. I think what it does is shows he's versatile.

This album has its moments, some excellent guitar work, with nearly all the instruments and parts done by King himself, but it sags a bit at times, with the pacing of the tracks not quite right.

"Star" is a kick ass tune that reminds me a bit of Living Colour. The cover of "Kiss" is really good, funky and the guitars get a bit more edge on the track.

A little blues, rap, R&B, soul, etc. Mostly good songs and solid performances, but was a bit scattershot.

Well...maybe start with one of his other albums........2005-01-04

I was pretty disappointed with this album. It's not horrible, but it sure isn't really good. CTK's guitar sounds thin, angry, and buzzy - not at all what I expected from a 'bluesman' of any mark. The songs are OK, but the standout track is a cover of Prince's 'Kiss'. I might try one of his more acoustic-oriented albums next, but $14 doesn't just grow on trees, you know!

Average customer rating:

Chris Thomas King
Run..don't walk to buy it!
Chris Thomas King - rising young blues star
Acoustic Blues at its Best!
Primo Baton Rouge Blues-Innovative yet with the traditional

Red Mud
Chris Thomas King
Manufacturer: Black Top Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music

Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Roots: The Soul of Chris Thomas King
Dirty South Hip-Hop Blues
It's a Cold Ass World: The Beginning
Along the Blues Highway
Me, My Guitar and the Blues

ASIN: B00000AEC5
Release Date: 1998-09-15

Tracks:

Red Mud
If It Ain't One Thang, It's Two
Soon This Morning Blues
Come On In My Kitchen
I'm On Fire
Sinking Feeling
Alive
Dark Cloud
Hoodoo Party
Rambling On My Mind
Wanna Die With A Smile On My Face
Death Letter Blues
Bus Station Blues
Raining Angels

Amazon.com

This is King's sixth album and, unlike his previous releases, it is almost entirely acoustic. Chris is the son of famed Excello artist Tabby Thomas, and here the father joins the son for several cuts, including a fine duet called "Bus Station Blues" and a remake of Tabby's best known song, "Hoodoo Party." King's use of classical guitar on many of the numbers is fairly unique to blues, but with its plucky, snappy sound, it is a natural instrument for this kind of blues. Chris also uses a bit of "sampling" and other trendy effects and does it tastefully. His own songwriting reflects his eclectic background and tends to be introspective. There are also the obligatory Robert Johnson numbers ("Come in My Kitchen" and "Rambling on My Mind") and a pretty good rendition of Son House's stirring "Death Letter Blues." Overall, this is definitely an album for those of a more progressive bent. --Lars Gandil

Customer Reviews:

Chris Thomas King.......2005-09-26

In a sense, despite cutting his first album at the age of 17, creating a somewhat unique rap/blues style, and traveling around the world, this CD is a new beginning for King. He displays a very handsome singing voice and great guitar playing (as expected), but fresh is the down-home, back-to-the-roots approach he gives to many of these tracks. IF IT AIN'T ONE THANG, IT'S TWO is a terrific tune done to perfection, funny and funky at the same time. A real surprise and treat is RAINING ANGELS, a beautiful ballad with wonderful lyrics and strings added. It's a great closing number to this very fine CD.

Run..don't walk to buy it!.......2002-01-31

Just discovered this CD in January, 2002 after buying and enjoying the artisit's latest album which I loved. "Red Mud" absolutely should have won a Grammy for best contemporary blues album in the year of its release. Need say more? I put Chris right up there with Keb Mo as the top two new bluesmen of the past decade.The title tune features great slidework and impasioned vocals, and I can't stop playing it. Chris' take on Son House's "Death Letter Blues" is another highlight.Buy this CD anywhere you can.

Chris Thomas King - rising young blues star.......2001-01-07

Red Mud the CD by Chris Thomas King demonstrates why he is a rising new star of the blues. Although he is neither young or new at thirty eight and having put in his apprenticeship touring with his father Tabby Thomas. During this time he certainly developed a good feel for the spirit of the blues and aptly demonstrates this on the cd. King is both a skillful guitarist and songwriter. On the cd of the fourteen songs, nine are originals. You can definitely feel the delta ooze on the title track of Red Mud. The cuts of his fathers songs Hoodoo Party and Bus Station Blues with vocals by Tabby Thomas are wonderful.

Acoustic Blues at its Best!.......1999-05-29

It took him six albums to finally produce one acoustic gem and here, Chris Thomas King has hit full stride. The CD is a stripped down performance without much accompaniment. The result is a thoughtful and delightful soul filled acoustic CD which should be in every blues collection. Best cuts are "Red Mud", "Come On In My Kitchen" and "Death Letter Blues".

Primo Baton Rouge Blues-Innovative yet with the traditional.......1998-11-17

Having been an avid fan of the Baton Rouge Blues scene for years, I find Chris Thomas King's mix of his new sounds with the more traditional classics of his father, Tabby Thomas, very enjoyable. This CD delivers everything promised in the local reviews. The guitar sound are great!

Average customer rating:

Average rock stuff
One of the most overlooked albums and artist of the 90's

Simple
Chris Thomas King
Manufacturer: Hightone Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music

Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Chris Thomas King
A Young Man's Blues
The Roots: The Soul of Chris Thomas King

ASIN: B0000005Q4
Release Date: 1993-02-21

Tracks:

War
Itch
Simple
Blood On The Dagger
Whatever Happened To The Revolution
The Game
Fool For Love
Used To Be Mine
Plaquemine Blues
Party For The World
Sad, Sad World
Valley Of Dreams

Customer Reviews:

Average rock stuff.......2004-10-26

I bought this used on ebay so I am not out very much money, but I was really tempted to put it into its case and frisbee it out of my moving car--not because it is terrible, but because it is so darn boring. I refrained only because I didn't want to litter.

Since this is the guy from the "O Brother" movie, I expected something with some creativity, but that is just the quality this CD lacks. It is as if Thomas picked up a book of rock n roll song templates and cranked out one or two of each type. Unfortunately, there is no zing to these songs musically, and some of them are out and out failures lyrically. Even the one really good song, Blood on the Dagger, almost tripped on a standard lyrical cliche. And, I have to inquire, can we take seriously anyone who pronounces the word 'ask','axe', twice.

To Thomas' credit, he is a pretty good guitar player; and also to his credit, he didn't want this collection of songs released by his 'old' label. I will still check out his recent rootsy blues stuff and his earlier rap-blues, but stay away from this boring stuff.

One of the most overlooked albums and artist of the 90's.......2001-01-09

I am so glad to see amazon.com start to carry this CD. I bought this CD when it came out and it is one of my favorite albums of the 90's. Chris Thomas (now Chris Thomas King) is a very talented musician and songwriter. His roots lie in southern blues and southern soul. He is also influenced by artists such as Prince and Jimi Hendrix. This album has an eclectic mix of song styles ranging from reggae to rock, folk, and blues. If there was any justice songs like "Simple," "Whatever Happened to the Revolution," and "Valley of Dreams," would be familiar to everyone. Hopefully amazon.com will be an avenue that introduces this excellent album to many people.

Average customer rating:

Disappointing!!!!
listen to this!
Ignorence is Bliss
wow! Rap= Blues
POWERFUL

Dirty South Hip-Hop Blues
Chris Thomas King
Manufacturer: 21st Century Blues
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Rise
It's a Cold Ass World: The Beginning
Red Mud Sessions
The Roots: The Soul of Chris Thomas King
A Young Man's Blues

ASIN: B00006RY8K
Release Date: 2002-10-15

Amazon.com

This ambitious, impressive album erases the lines between blues and hip-hop, creating a fusion that's packed with seductive beats, sweetly singing guitars, and lyrics that probe the racial divide and affairs of the heart with equal zeal. For Chris Thomas King--and maybe the genre--it's a major artistic breakthrough. He's stepped from the shadows of tradition to wed Dobros, backwards six-strings, and programmed rhythms, playing and arranging every instrument himself. By the time it's all over, he's sampled Son House, name-checked the likes of Robert Lockwood and the Jim Crow combat anthem "Strange Fruit," and exchanged gunfire with a dirty sheriff in his update of the Robert Johnson legend "Mississippi KKKrossroads." King matches his fellow New Orleanian, the rap emperor Master P, for hard beats and raw violence. Yet he also sculpts funky numbers like "Yo Kiss" to equal the dripping-wet romance of Prince. From the opener "Welcome to Da Jungle," which tells the story of African American culture from the motherland to today, to the end 22 songs later, King pursues any route he dares (including pure acoustic blues) with virtuosity and intelligence. Highly recommended. --Ted Drozdowski

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing!!!!.......2006-05-02

I am a huge fan of CTK but this CD is extremely disappointing. This kid is the future of the blues and with the exception of a few tracks, most notably "Revelations", this CD just left me wanting. If you are want to buy a CTK CD I would hold out until "Rise" is released and pick that up. The previews sound like he is going back to the old stuff and I will be sure to grab it with my fingers crossed.

listen to this!.......2004-06-16

Many of the negative reviews on here are by a reviewer who admits that he liked the music, but didn't like what King supposedly said in an interview. Do I have to like everything that somebody says to appreciate their art. Hell no! I don't like everything that the members of Public Enemy have said. Some of it has been absolute crap. I still enjoy much of their music. It's OK for me not agree with everything that somebody says. I haven't read every Chris Thomas King interview, but I've read a great many of them. The man is insightful at times, but I don't agree with everything he says. I don't agree with everything that anybody says. So what? He probably wouldn't agree with everything I say. Do we all have to agree on everything? No. Should CD reviews be reviews of CDs? I think they should. That's why they are CD reviews. It doesn't mean you agree with every possible view that an artist might have. Do I truly think that Dirty South Hip Hop Blues is a phenomenal CD? YES! Dirty South Hip Hop Blues is a five star CD.

Ignorence is Bliss.......2004-06-04

The bottomline is that I almost got into his music, until he made that comment about Tracy Chapman and Living Colour calling them fake and sounding too white. CTK said all this in an interview when he released his other album "The Legend of Tommy Johnson, Act 1: Genesis 1900's-1990's". I take it most of you who are giving good reviews either were not aware of his statements or you support his statements. How the F**CK is he going to talk about slavery and African-American experience in this cd if he puts his own people down just because they do a genre of music like rock, which is dominated by white artists. Just because he and the majority of other black Americans are obsessed with rap, hip-hop, and r&b doesn't give him the right to put other black Americans down for being different. In fact, I have respect for some hip-hop artists like PM Dawn, Ice-T and Public Enemy whom don't always play rock, but they at least show some respect towards people like Lenny Kravitz and HOOTIE. Yes, I have heard CTKs music from other cd's and he is a gifted artist, but I have no respect nor will I use my hard earn money for musical artists whom are two-faced, bigots, and racists who put there own people down.

wow! Rap= Blues.......2004-05-24

I thought I hated Hip Hop, but this CD really made me reconsider my dislike of Rap. Dirty South Hip Hop Blues made me see that it's not Rap that I dislike, but the lack of creativity and heart in most Rap that I dislike. I never thought I'd like a Hip Hop CD, but I love this one.

POWERFUL.......2004-05-21

CTK HOLDS NO PUNCHES! HE TELLS IT LIKE IT IS. THIS ISN'T A 'SAFE' CD. IT'S POWERFUL! THE GUY WHO SAID THAT CTK SHOULD TOUR WITH GANGSTAS AND CRACK DEALERS MUST NOT HAVE LISTENED TO THE CD. CTK IS CRITICAL OF THE CRACK AND GANGSTA SCENE. JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT THE NAYSAYERS DON'T HAVE A CLUE.

DIRTY SOUTH HIP HOP BLUES IS POWERFUL. I GIVE IT FIVE STARS.

Rap Music: