Help Yourself (Eddy Clearwater album)
| Help Yourself | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1992 | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Label | Blind Pig | |||
| Producer | Jerry Del Giudice, Michael Freeman | |||
| Eddy Clearwater chronology | ||||
| ||||
Help Yourself is an album by the American musician Eddy Clearwater, released in 1992.[1][2] He supported the album with North American and international tours that included shows in Turkey.[3]
Production
[edit]The album was produced by Jerry Del Giudice and Michael Freeman.[4] Clearwater added elements of country music and rock and roll to his blues sound on many of the tracks.[5] His cousin Carey Bell played harmonica on the album.[6] The title track is a version of the Jimmy Reed song.[7] "All Your Love" is a cover of the Otis Rush song.[8] The interpretation of "Poison Ivy" was based on Willie Mabon's version of the song.[9] The closing track, "We're Out of Here", is an instrumental.[10]
Critical reception
[edit]
The Chicago Tribune said that Clearwater "serves up slow blues, shuffles and rockers, sad songs, think pieces and good jokes."[15] The Indianapolis Star opined that "Clearwater still sounds like a young Chuck Berry, notably on the rock and soul 'Little Bit of Blues'".[12] Stereo Review stated that "Clearwater has a compelling voice and properly rooted guitar style... He handles the pop-oriented material skillfully, including slivers of country-and-western, but he is at his best when he digs deep down into the blues".[6] The Washington Post concluded that "most [songs] feature toss-away lyrics ... and seem lightweight or derivative compared with the album's occasional strong points".[16] In 1996, the Toronto Star praised Clearwater's "unique, durable recipe of belting West Side blues and rockabilly rollers".[17]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Who Loves You Baby" | |
| 2. | "Help Yourself" | |
| 3. | "Set It Out" | |
| 4. | "All Your Love" | |
| 5. | "Chicago Weather Woman" | |
| 6. | "Crossover" | |
| 7. | "That's My Baby" | |
| 8. | "Big Time Gambler" | |
| 9. | "Little Bit of Blues" | |
| 10. | "Poison Ivy" | |
| 11. | "Messed Up World" | |
| 12. | "We're Out of Here" |
References
[edit]- ^ Wright, Michael (November 1992). "Help Yourself by Eddy Clearwater". Audio. Vol. 76, no. 11. p. 124.
- ^ McCaughey, Scott (August 1, 1992). "Searchin' USA". The Rocket. No. 154. p. 47.
- ^ Kening, Dan (February 21, 1993). "The bluesman of Roselle". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 1.
- ^ a b MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 85.
- ^ a b Esmonde, Donn (August 21, 1992). "Journeymen". Gusto. The Buffalo News. p. 39.
- ^ a b "Help Yourself by Eddy Clearwater". Stereo Review. Vol. 57, no. 11. November 1992. p. 125.
- ^ Reilly, Terry (February 5, 1993). "Red, Hot & Blue". The Age. p. EG4.
- ^ a b The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide. Random House. 1999. p. 153.
- ^ a b Hadley, Frank-John (1993). The Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD. Grove Press. pp. 45–46.
- ^ a b Allen, Greg (June 26, 1992). "The Sighs have it; so does Eddy Clearwater". At the Shore. The Press of Atlantic City. p. 24.
- ^ "Help Yourself Review by Bill Dahl". AllMusic. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ a b Miley, Scott L. (August 7, 1992). "Eddy Clearwater Help Yourself". The Indianapolis Star. p. C5.
- ^ The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. pp. 125–126.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of the Blues. Virgin Books. p. 81.
- ^ Heim, Chris (May 22, 1992). "Other shows of note". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. N.
- ^ Joyce, Mike (November 20, 1992). "Clearwater Blues Run Fast, Not Deep". Weekend. The Washington Post. p. 15.
- ^ Chapman, Geoff (June 15, 1996). "Previewing the sounds of downtown jazz fest". Toronto Star. p. J14.