Fish Ain't Bitin'
Studio album by
Corey Harris
Released1997
GenreBlues, country blues
LabelAlligator
ProducerLarry Hoffman, Corey Harris
Corey Harris chronology
Between Midnight and Day
(1995)		 Fish Ain't Bitin'
(1997)		 Greens from the Garden
(1999)

Fish Ain't Bitin' is the second album by the American musician Corey Harris, released in 1997 through Alligator Records.[1][2][3] Harris supported the album with a North American tour that included shows opening for B.B. King.[4][5] Fish Ain't Bitin' won a W. C. Handy Award for the best acoustic blues album of 1997.[6]

Production

The album was co-produced by Larry Hoffman, who also arranged the horns.[7] Harris was inspired by the music of New Orleans, where he had lived for several years.[8] He used a National steel guitar.[9] Harris used a tuba and two trombones on some of the tracks.[10] "God Don't Ever Change" is a cover of the Blind Willie Johnson song.[11] "Bumble Bee Blues" is a cover of the Memphis Minnie song.[12] "Jack O'Diamonds" is a version of the song popularized by Blind Lemon Jefferson.[13] "Worried Life Blues" was written by Big Maceo.[14] "5-0 Blues" is about police brutality.[15] The title track was influenced by Harris's childhood catfishing excursions.[16]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
Robert ChristgauA−[17]
DownBeat[18]
Orlando Sentinel[7]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings[19]
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette[20]
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide[10]
Seattle Post-IntelligencerB+[21]

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette called Harris "more than an imitator," writing that "like many of his musical ancestors, Harris has turned the stuff of his life into a musical anthology."[20] The Orlando Sentinel noted that, "in addition to a distinctive, gravelly baritone with wonderful sustain, he has an exceptionally strong sense of rhythm and knows how to write a good tune."[7] The Calgary Herald deemed the album "a delicious acoustic blues disc that captures that back porch blues feel of old and yet remains completely contemporary."[22]

The Times Colonist determined that "Harris throws everything from New Orleans brass bands to rap into his unique, and it all comes out majestic and inspired country blues."[9] The Michigan Chronicle concluded that the album "demonstrates the same haunting majesty that powered the [blues] during its pre-World War II, pre-electric phase."[23] Robert Christgau opined that "as much as Harris's cross-rhythms and vocal panoply honor his readings of the classics, his virtuosity springs to life on originals."[17]

The Chicago Tribune listed Fish Ain't Bitin' as the best blues album of 1997.[24] OC Weekly included the album on its list of the best of the 1990s.[25]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."High Fever Blues" 
2."Frankie and Johnnie" 
3."Berry Owens Blues" 
4."Take Me Back" 
5."Fish Ain't Bitin'" 
6."Preaching Blues" 
7."Bumble Bee Blues" 
8."God Don't Ever Change" 
9."5-0 Blues" 
10."Mama Got Worried" 
11."Worried Life Blues" 
12."High Fever Blues (Solo Version)" 
13."Jack O'Diamonds" 
14."If You Leave Me" 
15."Moosemilk Blues" 
16."You've Got to Move" 
17."Clean Rag" 

References

  1. ↑ Reece, Doug (Mar 22, 1997). "Critical Mass". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 12. p. 21.
  2. ↑ Marsh, Dave (Jul 1997). "Fish Ain't Bitin'". Playboy. Vol. 44, no. 7. p. 29.
  3. ↑ Iglauer, Bruce; Roberts, Patrick A. (2018). Bitten by the Blues: The Alligator Records Story. University of Chicago Press. p. 319.
  4. ↑ Reger, Rick (11 July 1997). "Corey Harris, Friday at Buddy Guy's Legends". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 25.
  5. ↑ Kassulke, Natasha (13 Nov 1997). "Touring with King Lets Harris Learn from a Legend of the Blues". Rhythm. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 4.
  6. ↑ Ellis, Bill (2 May 1998). "Allison sweeps W.C. Handy Blues Awards". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 8.
  7. 1 2 3 Gettelman, Parry (23 May 1997). "Corey Harris". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 7.
  8. ↑ Wirt, John (April 25, 1997). "Harris is young blues man with an old soul". Fun. The Advocate. Baton Rouge. p. 10.
  9. 1 2 Blake, Joe (8 July 1997). "Fine examples of a down-home style". Times Colonist. p. 1.
  10. 1 2 (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. 2004. p. 365.
  11. ↑ Reger, Rick (14 July 1997). "Blues Does Delta Proud". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 5.
  12. 1 2 "Fish Ain't Bitin' Review by Cub Koda". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  13. ↑ "He's Still So Young to Know the Blues". Daily Hampshire Gazette. March 27, 1997.
  14. ↑ Davis, Clive (May 4, 1997). "On Record". Culture. The Sunday Times. p. 18.
  15. ↑ McGuinness, Jim (24 Oct 1997). "In the Blues Tradition". Previews. The Record. Bergen County. p. 5.
  16. ↑ Spera, Keith (April 25, 1997). "Blues Traveler". The Times-Picayune. p. A1.
  17. 1 2 "Corey Harris". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  18. ↑ Hadley, Frank-John (Jul 1997). "Fish Ain't Biting". DownBeat. Vol. 64, no. 7. p. 63.
  19. ↑ The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. p. 242.
  20. 1 2 White, Jim (27 Apr 1997). "Recording Review". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. G8.
  21. ↑ Penn, Roberta (April 18, 1997). "Record Reviews". What's Happening. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. 13.
  22. ↑ Muretich, James (13 May 1997). "And as far as blues newcomers go...". Calgary Herald. p. B10.
  23. ↑ Seedorff, George (20 Aug 1997). "A blues king has left us, a new generation must carry on". Michigan Chronicle. p. 3D.
  24. ↑ Knopper, Steve (14 Dec 1997). "Best of the Year". Arts and Entertainment. Chicago Tribune. p. 8.
  25. ↑ Seigal, Buddy (December 23, 1999). "The '90s Didn't Suck". Music. OC Weekly.
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