Search - Muddy Waters :: Streamlined Woman

Early Chicago Muddy Compilation

Nathan J Hansen | Seattle, WA USA | 04/22/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

""Streamlined Blues" is a collection of songs from Muddy's first days in Chicago. Of the 20 tracks about five all are variations of the same signature Muddy Waters tune, most famously heard on "Feel Like Goin' Home". Some of the variations on the theme work, and some are a little annoying, and all are "streamlined" in that there might only be a little bass or drums thrown in the mix with Muddy's bottleneck. The second half of the album is a more diverse with "Rollin' and Tumblin' parts One and Two" which are usually credited to the Baby Face Leroy Trio, but are still from the same early Chicago era. As a big Muddy Waters fan I'm willing to take an album like this that has some rare stuff (and decent sound quality) even if a few of the songs are so-so. If you're new to Muddy get one of the Chess compilations, "Folk Singer", "The Unk in Funk" (if you can find it), and "Hard Again" to get a good cross section of his career."