The Ballad of John Henry is one of Joe Bonamassa's most aggressive, eclectic, adventurous albums ever! Not only that, but it features some of his strongest songwriting, demonstrated admirably in the epic opening rocker, "The Ballad of John Henry," which features one of Bonamassa's hard-hitting, powerhouse rock riffs and some killer soloing with the slide. The song is made even more special due to its social significance - it's a tribute to working class people, people just like Bonamassa's family, everywhere.
Another special moment on the album is the "out of the box" - as Joe put it - cover of the Tom Waits' chiller "Jockey Full of Bourbon." Joe's version is significantly slowed down and brings out the more atmospheric elements of the song through Joe and producer Kevin Shirley's delightfully twisted guitar and piano arrangement. But the song never loses the essence of Waits' original. Those that have seen Joe live in the recent past have been treated to a phenomenal acoustic rendition of it, but it's fun to hear it in its fully electrified state here.
Other highlights of this intricate but muscular album include "Story of a Quarryman," which demands to be played LOUD, preferably with your car windows rolled down! Without a doubt, the sexiest moment of the album is the horn-drenched, soulful "Stop!" featuring one of the highest energy, most captivating guitar solos on the album. It's a truly do not miss track and will truly make you "stop" what you're doing and take notice. Speaking of not to be missed tracks, the Ry Cooder inspired "From the Valley" is a short but gorgeous acoustic number that could make the most hardened New York City dweller feel like they're breathing fresh country air. But the album ends with the rousing, foot-stomping blues-funk-a-thon "As the Crow Flies," that will leave you hungry for more. The good news? You can play the whole thing again!
"The Ballad of John Henry", produced by Kevin Shirley, was released on February 20th, 2009, and contains 12 tracks.
