Search - Canned Heat :: Under the Dutch Skies 1970 - 74

I Think I Was Robbed

The Bluze Brother | Sweet Home Shy Town | 07/15/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I am use to listening to Chicago Electric Blues but have been on a Canned Heat kick lately. This looked like a great addition. Well I think I was robbed. It started with "Killing Floor." The Wolf would be so upset with this poor imitation of his signature song. I can't say much about "I Love My Baby" except the music drowns out the lyrics. "All Night Long" just seemed to drag on and on. "Future Blues" does boogie and that what "The Heat" does best and they continue boogie with "Holland Boogie" but you can hardly hear "The Bear." The worst recording of "Let's Work Together" that I ever heard was next - sound is awful and they cut it short..a tragedy because this is one of their signature songs. I am not a fan of "Hill's Stomp" but it was one of the better songs on this cd. "That's All Right a.k.a. "Whose Loving You Tonight" by Jimmy Rogers is really butchered on this recording. Give me Elvin Bishop's version any day. One of their most famous songs "Going Up To Country" was just awful..man was I disappointed. "Long Away From L.A." was about done normally but the sound still stunk. "Pay My Rent Boogie" sure sounded a lot like Z.Z. Top. "Big City" - I could hardly hear the singing - awful. "Utah" - no comment because I don't know what it was supposed be but it was horid. The original "On The Road Again" is still the best and this was just pure puke - fast forward through it. "One More River To Cross" was not bad but why the horn section...sounded more C&W..not Heat stuff. "You Am What You Are" - no comment it was so bad. "I Need Some One" - "The Bear" doesn't have the voice for this kind of song - nuff said. "L.A." Town - stinko. Baby Ray Charles and The Raylettes would cring on hearing this cover version of their song "Night Time Is The Right Time." I was hoping that "Shake, Rattle and Roll" would really rock - give me Big Joe Turner's 1954 version - actually I will take Big Mamma Thornton's version if I could find this...at least they use the original lyrics. "Black Night" should be played by a Mississippi Delta Blue band not The Heat. The two set cd finally came to an end with "Dutch Boogie." It was 22 minutes of boogie and show casing. This was a terrible listening experience. To top it all off my stinking jewel case came with 2 cd's and the plastic divider just plain broke as soon as I touched it. I usually give The Heat a 5 but "I Think I Was Robbed" so I give this a generous "2.""