Here we have a young man who, by the age of only eighteen, released his first album called Miss Blues'es Child. Eli is back in 2011 with its fifth output in career; an awesome fifty minutes disc, Jack, Ace and King.
Some albums are a grower; others are hitting the spot instantly. Well you have another category, not often found, that is both at the same time and this new Eli Cook is exactly one of those rare birds. I mean, I could be a very happy reviewer by simply concentrating my writing on this type of music alone, even if I enjoy black metal and progressive music too. This is down to earth music right from the soul! True that I found myself really into blues for the last couple years and mostly concentrate my acoustic playing around the bluesy/country/ folk-rock side of music, but hell did I like this album! You have nine original compositions and five covers on this CD. Many tracks are of the acoustic-blues style (my favorite), and you have five heavier numbers too. For some reasons, only in the heavier songs that harmonica player Wavorly Milor is making his appearances. Eli Cook is an excellent guitar player who can handle the electric as well as the acoustic axe (6-12 strings & resonator), not to mention the mandolin. His voice is deep and downright bluesy and appears coming from a different era; a definite plus for this young man. Needless to say, I found myself impressed by his acoustic playing, and the urge to pick up my guitar was often present after listening this cool disc. His playing is as bluesy as it can be, whenever handling the acoustic by fingerpicking or the resonator and twelve strings with the slide. Man, this is the stuff; real down and dirty music right from the guts! Inspiration from the Delta men, early Rolling Stones and the Allman Brothers abound here, but Eli Cook has come up with its own brew to ease our souls. Eli Cook has come up with some nice rendition of a couple Skip James' tune, namely: "Catfish Blues" and "Crow Jane". He used some studio trick to give "Cocaine Blues" a vintage sound. Where he really shines is on his own material like: "Better Man" (an irresistible composition I tried to play); the laid back "Please, Please", Afrossippi Breakdown", and the Led Zeppish "Black Eyed Dog". Actually, what you will not find on this album is a slightly bad track, just freakin good stuff!
So folks, get your soul & guitar and play those down and dirty blues with Eli Cook!
Track listing:
1- Death Rattle
2- Better Man
3- Please, Please
4- Snake Charm
5- Catfish Blues
6- Draggin' my Dogs
7- Afrossippi Breakdown
8- Sugar and Rain
9- Driftin'
10- Cocaine Blues
11- Crow Jane
12- Suicide King
13- Black Eyed Dog
14- Death Rattle (slight return)
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