MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide

The reader who says they left out Howlin' Wolf is wrong. He's there under H, though why that is the case when Muddy Waters is under W is beyond me. That reader is correct that Beck is listed and the explanation of why is a bit of a stretch. So, I think someone just likes Beck alot. Maybe that's sacrilege, but if you want religion, go to the gospel section. Led Zeppelin also gets an entry, as do the Yardbirds.I'm impressed by the number of minor artists covered here (e.g. the Cheathams, Frankie Lee) and by the way that reviews are organized. The reviews start with a summary and then list "what to buy", "what to buy next", and "what not to buy". It sounds hokey as I write about it, but it means that they don't have to have a sentence about every album --- just the ones that count. Plus there are star ratings for everything in print by that artist. I buy lots of album guides and throw some out. This one is a keeper.

This book is a comprehensive look at all blues musicians

This book is simply great. It helps you avoid spending money on low-quality albums and provides an excellent rating system. I've bought over 30 albums rated "five bones" and have not yet been disappointed! I might disagree with certain ratings, expecially in the "3-4 bones" category, but the writers who rated the albums clearly know and love the blues. Don't ever buy a blues CD without first consulting this book!

This book is great! I just got it the other day and I've been finding artists and bands that I haven't listened to in a long time (and then dragging out the albums to see if I agree with the reviews). Everything is in here, from Magic Sam to Stevie Ray Vaughn (even write ups on Chicken Shack and Canned Heat). The index's are great the bio's are short but informative and from what I've read so far the ratings are accurate. The CD sampler sounds great and is a nice little bonus. So go out and buy it, put some speakers in the bathroom, make a drink and read.

The whole book is very informative and entertaining. Beautiful pictures too. I highly recommend you pick this book up if you like the blues. Or if you want to learn more about the blues.