Muddy Waters – Hard Again (Album Review)

For longtime fan Johnny Winter (who produced and certainly put his footprint on the album) it was a labour of love. Johnny wanted to be a bluesman like Muddy and Co and not the pop/rock icon he was pushed toward in the early days of his career, so this was a dream come true for him.

If Chess Records launched Muddy into outer space then this change to Blue Sky Records was his hurtling, red-hot, re-entry.

Let’s dive into this sublime album track by track.

Mannish Boy – Having Muddy’s voice open the proceedings to this killer album is pure perfection from a production point of view. There’s a certain “soul” about his voice that’s inimitable and understated compared to his contemporaries.  There’s no reaching for big belts in the upper registers but those ‘well, wells’ and ‘ooooh yeahs’ certainly get the blues juices flowing for sure.

When the main riff kicks in (which is the spine of the song) with guitar and harp blasting in unison, it packs a punch. The original 1955 version was stripped back, whereas this version is more of a testosterone driven powerhouse. Instead of a female chorus calling out between songs, a clearly audible Johnny Winter is yelling out ‘yeahs’ and ‘woos.’ 

It vibes more like a bunch of buddies getting together for a few beers and a jam on some old tunes together, rather than a pre-rehearsed session.

Another departure from the original was the lack of echo on the drums which was a very discernable production element in the 50’s. So much so that Bo Diddley’s, I’m a Man, uses a similar effect.

Willie “Big Eyes” Smith is on drums and lays down a rock solid, punchy beat that makes you forget about the big-room-vibe of the original. It’s a very direct sound and underpins that delicious riff perfectly.

This song sounds great in any interpretation because it’s got that slinky, sexy guitar line that just doesn’t quit. It’s like the perfect tee up and long drive on the first hole of a golf game.

Bus Driver – Is a medium tempo tune that chugs down the track more train than bus. The lyrics turn the standard “my woman ran off with another man” into something more specific and humorous with the lines “My baby ran off with the Bus Driver, He used to give her rides during the day now he gives her rides at night.”

Winter’s slide work really shines on this one and gives the song a truckload of personality.

I Want To Be Loved #2 – If Johnny Winter was the personality of Bus Driver, then Willie Big Eyes Smith is the soul of this song. With a kick drum that sits on two and four like the slow and steady heartbeat of a marathon runner and a constant caressing of the high hat, Smith draws the listener into this one like a master hypnotist.

This song certainly lived up to its title. Reaching number one in the Billboards blues charts after its release, it was also loved by Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Bonnie Raitt enough for them to cover the classic tune.

Jealous Hearted Man – This one jumps out of the blocks like Usain Bolt, with James Cotton powering out spine tingling, upper register blues harp lines. Rather than sprinting though, this one settles into a swagger down the track.

Then about 1 min 10 sec into the song, just when you thought Cotton was settled into the rhythm of the song, he suddenly steps up with a one two jab cross combination and hits you right between the eyes with a mean harp solo. 

Winter’s production is clever in bringing about the urgency of Cotton’s playing and draws out his warm, fuzzy tones until you are breaking out in goosebumps.

I Can’t Be Satisfied – A reimagined version of the original 50’s classic, this one feels like an alternative take that you would find on a bonus edition of an anniversary release. That’s not to say that it’s any less than the first release, it’s just different and great in its own right.

What makes this special is the way it breaks up the album. Winter is armed with a national steel dobro, Smith with brushes and Muddy brings it into fourth gear and cruises through the tune with low down heart and soul. 

Winter is so pumped at the end of the song, shouting out in his gravelly voice “ We got that dooooown.”  You can’t help but grin from ear to ear.

The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock N Roll – A shoutout to the birthplace of modern music…The Blues. It’s also a shoutout to all the band members as Waters integrates their names into the lyrics over the course of the song.

This song gets your toes tapping and your head bopping and the hammering turnarounds punctuate each of the verses with a ton of attitude.

Deep Down In Florida –  This song labours through the intro and Smith’s beat leaves you feeling like he’s about to fall asleep on the drum stool. But that’s the beauty of the blues. You can be riding a rattling train down the track on one song or (in this case) it can leave you floating on a big fluffy blue cloud.

This one gives everyone in the studio time to breathe and with each listen you could get lost in any one of them doing their thing. After gently caressing the ivories throughout, Pinetop Perkins brings it home strongly to stamp his authority at the end of the song.

Crosseyed Cat – There’s something wrong with this cat and he’s not happy about Muddy calling around to see his woman. Lyrically this is probably the most fun on the album and makes you grin wildly as you imagine the main antagonist (a rather large crosseyed cat) bouncing all over the house like popcorn in a pan.

The riff and beat of the song are a break from the swing and swagger of the other tracks. It’s unique and a welcome shift in proceedings showing that those who picked the song order definitely knew what they were doing. With a recording session including names like Johnny Winter, Pinetop Perkins, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith and James Cotton, you would be forgiven for asking, who is Charles Calmese? After hearing him on this song, it’s easy to see why he was picked for these sessions. He shows he can go from serving the song and blending in during the previous tracks to being (in my mind) the highlight of this one.

Little Girl – Effortlessly falling back into swing and swagger…Little Girl is another James Cotton fuelled masterpiece. This time he gets down and dirty with some slow bends to make you weak at the knees.

Another indication that this album’s song order was so expertly curated is the way it feels like they are celebrating a great performance by passing around the hat to take solos from each of the players.

If you love your piano…Pinetop proves his reputation as one of the greatest ever sidemen with his solo on this one.

Walkin’ Thru the Park – This is a fun, lively song and it’s hard not to imagine the band (Muddy included) smiling their way through it.

The guitar solo-I’m assuming this one was Bob Margolin – has a warm tone and feel rather than the biting, stinging licks of Winter. It’s a contrasting interjection into the album that helps add diversity of sound and one of the reasons this album worked so well for Waters.

The clever rhythm change at the end of the song is as if Muddy and the boys are saying thanks for coming and hope you enjoyed the show.

In summary; Hard Again is a must-have album in any serious blues lovers collection.

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