#I gotta chase em but i dont got the energy

[askgabrielupdike]

Wait hold on do i

Wait HODL 9N ON HODL ON

[glumvillain]

GlumReviews #1

     Todays first “Old New Album” is from Mississippi-born singer, guitarist and harmonica player, Howlin Wolf. With a unique and sometimes haunting vocal style, Howlin Wolf could be considered a progenitor of the screamo grunge era of the early 90s.  This man didn’t come to croon a tune into your ear about a love lost--no. He came to play some damn blues and howl into the night. On my first ever listen thru I was transported to an era of smoky blues clubs and sweltering afternoons sitting on the porch, waiting for a pissed off lover to come back home.

     And if you’re asking yourself if this is my first time doing this, then that answer is yes, so bear with me, as we dive into Howlin Wolf’s first compilation album titled “Moanin’ in the Moonlight” a collection of a decade’s work (1951-1959), and a perfect first album for nascent Blues fans who would like a nice jumping off point to blues appreciation.

We begin with Track 1:

     1.Moanin at Midnight

We enter with the trademark “howls” as harmonica and guitar pickin’ chug us along into an upbeat little jam about nothing in particular, to an amateur such as myself this song appears to me as just a nice little jam to showcase what you’re in for with the rest of the album, I’ll refrain from calling this one of the weaker songs on the album, it does have the toe tapping jaunt of a good blues track, and its only the beginning of a journey into the life of a bluesman beginning his rise to blues stardom in Chicago.

       2. How Many More Years

Proto-rock at its finest, with crunchy guitar pickin’, and rolling blues piano, by the time HW croaks in his throaty vocals with “How many more years have I got to let you dog me around/ I’d soon rather be sleeping six feet in the ground”, you know this is what you came to listen to, real blues, a story about a man being treated wrongly by his lover. Shame. When you know you’re not being given the best you can get, having no choice but to retire to separate quarters of the house to salvage peace. Oh and if anybody asks about Ol’ Howlin’ Wolf, just tell ‘em he walked out on ya

          3. Smokestack Lightnin’

This is it. Not gonna bury the lead here, this is why you put on this album, if there was ever any song that made a statement about why the singer is named “Howlin’ Wolf” this is it, a 3 minute blistering ballad of a man wailing his soul out. “Why don’t you hear me cry” he wails into the night, as harmonicas pickup the groove, you cant help but dance a little while this guy is just...being emo essentially, but its GOOD emo music. And all respect to where its due, this is just good fucking music, and it only exists to amplify emotion. All captured in this track here, the heartbreaks and ordeals of another lost lover. Don’t skip this track.

     4. Baby How Long

Winding down into some fine driving music if I say so myself, leaving the emo trail behind a bit, a nice upbeat tune about waiting. Awakened to his lover having just left him, Ol’ Howler only does his best work on days like this, another vocal delight on the album and his harmonica work is not to be underestimated either, both skills on beautiful display as he wails “Well when you leave home/ You can call me on your phone”. 

     5. No Place to Go (You Gonna Wreck My Life)

Leaning a little more RnB here, Howlin’ Wolf begins with a clean vocal that gives way to his croaks, and I gotta say I’m reminded of the clean/heavy switch off with grunge bands and later emo screamo bands, just in a blues format. Very chill song about the inner thoughts of another down and out day, lamenting the time spent with someone whose now a stranger to you. Possibly how one has wasted their best years with someone “Now I’m old and gray, got no place to go”, this is a leaving song, this is when he packed his bags, headed into a great unknown.     

     6. All Night Boogie (All Night Long)

Ok put out your cigarettes and get on the dancefloor, you could call this the song he played after Track 5′s scenario at his local venue, while an upbeat danceable tune we stay on the topic of scorned lovers. Just another worrisome bluesman wondering where his woman is all hours of the night, but instead of wailing his heart out on this one, we get some great harmonica work, if you like harmonica, this is the jam for you, sometimes the ol’ mouth harp can convey emotions better than “I cried, I cried, I cried, all day long”

      7. Evil (Is Goin On)

Another benchmark in the album as we get deeper into these soulful RnB sounds, a little ballad about a man who likes to visit your woman when you’re away from home. Bass led and vocal heavy, this is just another notch in HW’s belt for his many styles, if you started from track 1, you could essentially call that bare bones as we progress thru the compilation (spanning 10 years as mentioned before), you can really chart progress of an artist and recording quality, another track you shouldn’t skip. A highlight of this track is definitely that ragtime piano.

          8. I’m Leavin’ You

Bet you can’t guess what this songs about. Well if you can’t then it’s just another day in the life of Howlin’ Wolf as he explains to his woman that one day will be the day he finally packs it up. “meanest woman I ever seen/ No matter how I try to treat you right/ Still you’s a mean little thing” he sings to a rambling blues chord progression-- which it’s worth noting that HW has penned several blues standards and if you’re interested in the history I advise you to check out the wikipedia article. Nothing relatively noteworthy in this track but it keeps the album energy at a moderate pace and never once are you taken out of that momentum once it starts.

          9. Moanin’ for my Baby

Step back into that swelterin’ blues bar with me for a sec because we got more Howlin’ to do. The soulful blues tracks give way to the OG sound of the first few tracks that started the compilation, a repetitive toe tappin blues jam session. I sense gospel singing that slowly gets bent into blues. The light giving way to dark, pure rivers running into muddy water swamps. Ramblin’ man blues, that damn Howl is just poetry, an instrument unto itself, apart from the singing, apart from his guitar work, and apart from his harmonica, his voice becomes the perfect tool to not only sing but to emote the blues in dissonant wails and vibratos.

     10. I Asked Her For Water

“I asked her for water/ She brought me gasoline“

--ok come on wouldn’t that lyric fit just as well before the breakdown drops from any number of your favorite Emo era bands? 

nearing the end of this journey, we find that the theme visited heavily in this album is the theme of home and homelessness, he has no sense of home and anywhere he has found a home...isn’t a big fan of his presence. His lady is gone all night when he’s home, wants him gone when she’s home, and whenever he’s gone from home, she’s worried about what he’s up to, and vice versa. NOT to mention, that whenever he’s gone from home, apparently there’s some guy waiting for men to leave their women alone so he can entertain them. What a fucking world. 

     11. Forty Four

I get a real gospel/pop vibe from this, mixed with a little marching band. The scenario set is a pretty neat little story about once again, being away from home, the pawning of possessions and a need for a direction to travel to. I wanna be vocal and say that if I truly believed a song was worth skipping I would say it, and so far no track has lost my interest, with an average song time of about 3 minutes each track this is a nice slice of blues, each with a different bend to the sound, nothing is duplicated in this journey, the theme is essential and it really does set up that perfect bluesman story, minus the crossroads.

     12. Somebody In My Home

We made it. You made it. And for that, I thank you.

wrapping up this first of what I hope is many reviews to come is this sludgy blues ditty and while it appears as just another run-of-the-mill blues song -- This is what I’ll have to say is his most lyrically strong song in this entire album “Colors dont bind, oh no/ What do they know? They speak falsely”

It feels as if this is him personally sitting down in a chair across from you and just cutting straight to the chase about life, like if he had to boil everything down into one nugget of wisdom to impart, then this would be it. A personal chat from a man who was born in 1910. A slice of history told thru music.

In Conclusion:

“Moanin’ in the Moonlight”, clocking in at around 30 minutes, an easy choice to make if you’re looking for a nice introduction into blues, and I’ve said it before but a large takeaway from this album is SEVERAL styles of blues being presented here and none of it gets repetitive, I am sure guitar beginners could become some decent blues pickers studying the techniques on display here as well.

rating system [subject to change]

1-bad

5-good

The rating system for now is kinda arbitrary as there is nothing to base it off of until I’ve made other reviews to weight it against, but based purely on the album runtime and the contents of the album I’ll give it:

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

I was gonna go with 3, but with the help of Spotify (not an ad), it led me down the rabbit hole of some great blues guitarists as well. Gave it a little bump for being a beginners blues album.

[punkscowardschampions]

Ali & Carly

Ali: Already miss the cave babe Ali: but seriously, was the best, hope you enjoyed your break Ali: Where you @ I'm bored Ali: Yo, you good Carls? Ali: ??? 💚 Ali: [to the now] Ali: Don't wanna go OTT if you're just chillin' but ain't seen you about either so Ali: are you alright or do I need to kick down your door Ali: cool if your avoiding me in particular though, just let a bitch know and I'll take off me boots Carly: sorry baby Carly: my bad Ali: thank fuck, that was weird Ali: sup? Carly: i kno Carly: for me too Carly: a headwreck Carly: my ma & da came home and i wasnt so they freaked had the site out looking when i wasnt around & about to go to the garda cuz i could be dead like Carly: they do their discipline old school when they cba Ali: oh shit Ali: fuck, we should've left a note Ali: i didn't think Carly: didnt care Carly: theyre not normally checking where i go Carly: cept this once Ali: i mean, basically Ali: never been an issue before Ali: they must've been scared though, voluntarily talking to the garda ain't no thing, like Ali: puts a bit of a downer on how ace it was 😕 Carly: dont be sad baby Carly: they didnt get that far Carly: not that important ha Carly: camping was tho Ali: as long as you're sure Ali: not in the plan to get you in deep shit Ali: yeah Ali: do it again sometime, long as we let bitches know, obvs Carly: its not that deep Carly: im just lying on the grass cuz furthest im allowed Carly: so weird Carly: i miss you Ali: that's mental Ali: when's the last time they grounded you, like? Ali: i miss you too, loads Ali: can i come round or will i be chased away Carly: when i ate some fancy soap of my mas cuz i was food shaped idk Carly: gonna walk off now ive got my phone back they can ring me if they lose their minds again Carly: wheres you? Ali: aww you cute Ali: just finishing up my shift Carly: aw youre the cute one Carly: making that uniform look hot Ali: someone had to try Ali: good an excuse as any, gotta check me out whilst i'm still in it Carly: yea cuz i dont want you in it for long Ali: smooth babe 😉 Ali: and i'll take you up on that 'cos I'm roasting, like Carly: and cuz you miss me Ali: that too Carly: 💙 Ali: aside from your possible kidnap/death, what site drama have I missed? Carly: none Carly: so bored Carly: going crazy here Ali: ugh Ali: letting us down, people Carly: the talk is all on me Carly: fun Ali: can't blame 'em Ali: been on my mind too Carly: aw Carly: what fun you had w out me tho Ali: ah loads Ali: while the wife's away, like Carly: 😢 Ali: can't even fake make you sad Ali: been doing stuff at home mostly, with ro or music or art shit Ali: nothing wild, don't worry Carly: you can sing to me Carly: or paint me Carly: now im back Ali: i can Ali: or paint on you Ali: that's always fun Carly: yea Carly: love it Carly: what do you wanna Ali: see where the inspiration takes me Carly: me too Carly: not artsy but many other talents like Ali: i know Ali: better than you give yourself credit, in all the ways Carly: dont i miss you too much already Carly: being so sweet to me Ali: good Ali: cos i did too and i'm gonna show you Carly: yea? Carly: where Ali: where am i gonna show you? in the world or on you like Carly: ha like we cant be here or my ma will be eyeballing Carly: i kno you gonna show me everything everywhere baby Ali: hm not the ideal audience Ali: idc we'll find somewhere Carly: yours? Carly: we can pitch the tent back up so the holiday never ends Ali: good idea babe Ali: got a padlock, keep the kid out Carly: ha good idea too babe Carly: if we thought my ma wasnt ideal like Ali: 😬 Ali: one way to learn the birds n bees Ali: sure the fam will distract him, don't need him being more fucked up from trauma Carly: tell your sister Carly: shes had her turn w you to herself only fair Ali: don't think she'll be pouting at not being included Carly: ha Carly: shes not as cute as you but k if you want boo Ali: don't be nasty 😂 Carly: jk Carly: you kno me and sharing Ali: all yours for tonight boo Carly: thats how i want it Carly: been just me & my thoughts for so long Carly: thinking i dreamt hols like Ali: oh baby Ali: all real, got the tan and polaroids to prove it Carly: yea Carly: worth my parents kicking off Ali: gotta agree Ali: this is gonna be the best summer ever Carly: i kno Carly: omw to show you how itll be Ali: 😚 Carly: am i gonna have to hop over the fence or wtf Carly: not trying to chat to the inlaws Ali: Da's at work and Ma's doing the big shop Ali: you're sweet Carly: k cuz wanna save my energy for you like Carly: & yea i am Carly: youll see how sweet Ali: can't stop now lads Ali: yeah i will Carly: not gonna idc if my parents end up putting out a fullscale alert Carly: i need to be w my baby Ali: like, they going so hard with the idea that we're gal pals that they ain't gonna put 2 n 2 together Ali: sleepover at mine baby Carly: well straight i am Ali: yep Ali: 🍝 Carly: ?? Ali: You're a spaghetti girl Ali: straight until you get wet Carly: thats a real thing? Carly: did you just make it up Ali: not my original concept but you can claim it if you're feeling it Carly: 🍨🍬🍩🍪🍭 Carly: you Ali: too precious for words Carly: we dont have to talk its k Carly: you can just kiss me Ali: amongst other things Carly: yea you gotta sing to me w you find your words again i not forgot Ali: exactly babe 😘 Ali: what do you want me to sing you Carly: idc your fave Carly: idk any of the songs you like Ali: as long as it makes me feel a type of way, it's good with me Ali: even if that way is what the fuck Carly: ha Carly: i like you so much Ali: good, i'm glad Ali: awkward if you've taken the bit this far Carly: you thought id run away Ali: crossed my mind but honestly idk Ali: was worried Carly: aw baby no Carly: i really like you k seriously Ali: I like you too Carly: good thing cuz ive made it over Carly: come get me