How'd a White Boy Get the Blues?

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How'd a White Boy Get the Blues?
Studio album by
Popa Chubby
Released2001
GenreBlues
LabelBlind Pig
ProducerPopa Chubby
Popa Chubby chronology
One Night Live in New York City
(1999) 		How'd a White Boy Get the Blues?
(2001) 		Flashed Back
(2001)

How'd a White Boy Get the Blues? is an album by the American musician Popa Chubby, released in 2001.[1][2] It was his first album for Blind Pig Records.[3] Popa Chubby supported the album with a North American tour.[4] The title track was a minor hit in Europe.[5]

Production[edit]

The album was produced by Popa Chubby.[6] He played a signature Gibson Flying V, which he chose in tribute to Albert King, as well as a 1966 Stratocaster.[7][8] He raps on the opening track, "Daddy Played the Guitar and Mama Was a Disco Queen".[9] Popa Chubby played most of the instruments, using samples, sitar, slides, and dobro on the album.[8] He thought that most of the songs described finding sustentation in music.[10] "It's a Sad Day in New York City When There Ain't No Room for the Blues" criticizes NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani for making the city a less diverse place.[11]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
The Ottawa Citizen[12]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings[13]
The Press of Atlantic City[14]
Red Deer Advocate[15]

Billboard called Popa Chubby "a postmodern bluesman," writing that, "with Chubby, blues is a distinctly urban, free-association groove."[6] The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that Popa Chubby "melds pungent acoustic blues, fiery blues-rock, horn-kissed soul, rap and electronic touches into the accompaniment for semiautobiographical songs that soulfully explore his passion for the music and the hardships of being a bluesman in the Big Apple."[16]

The Ottawa Citizen said that "Chubby's a slash-and-burn guitar player of the first order."[12] The Press of Atlantic City labeled the album "part Robert Johnson, part Meat Loaf."[14] The Red Deer Advocate praised the "upbeat music and sinister themes."[15] The Buffalo News concluded that the album "erupts from the speakers with all of the visceral power of a present-day Muddy Waters."[17]

AllMusic noted that, "although he's not entirely successful, Popa Chubby hits enough stylistic bases to make this a listenable and often invigorating album which gets extra points for attempting to push past the stereotypical blues clichés and into more experimental waters."[9]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleLength
1."Daddy Played the Guitar and Mama Was a Disco Queen" 
2."Black Hearted Woman" 
3."Carrying On the Torch of the Blues" 
4."Time Is Killing Me" 
5."Savin' My Love Up for My Lover" 
6."No Comfort" 
7."It's a Sad Day in New York City When There Ain't No Room for the Blues" 
8."Goin' Down to Willies" 
9."Since I Lost My Leg" 
10."How'd a White Boy Get the Blues?" 

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Popa Chubby Biography by Richard Skelly". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  2. ^ Carter, Nick (17 Jan 2003). "Bronx bluesman". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 16E.
  3. ^ Dickey, Josh L. (Aug 19, 2001). "Sound Bites". Morning Sentinel. AP. p. C6.
  4. ^ Kassulke, Natasha (6 Dec 2001). "Popa Chubby will perform...". Rhythm. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 18.
  5. ^ Breen, Tom (2 June 2006). "Beachside club hosts Popa Chubby". Florida Today. p. G18.
  6. ^ a b van Vleck, Philip (Sep 8, 2001). "How'd a White Boy Get the Blues?". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 36. p. 34.
  7. ^ Carter, Walter (2012). The Epiphone Guitar Book: A Complete History of Epiphone Guitars. Backbeat. p. 101.
  8. ^ a b Thompson, Art (Jan 2002). "Pickups: Popa Chubby". Guitar Player. Vol. 36, no. 1. p. 57.
  9. ^ a b c "How'd a White Boy Get the Blues? Review by Hal Horowitz". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  10. ^ Park, Eunnie (8 Mar 2002). "Admit One". Go!. The Record. Bergen County. p. 22.
  11. ^ Provencher, Norman (5 July 2003). "The making of a New York poet". The Ottawa Citizen. p. J3.
  12. ^ a b Provencher, Norman (Sep 1, 2001). "Blues". The Ottawa Citizen. p. I4.
  13. ^ The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. p. 524.
  14. ^ a b Fine, Eric (Sep 14, 2001). "Short Takes". At the Shore. The Press of Atlantic City. p. 35.
  15. ^ a b Kereiff, John (Sep 29, 2001). "How'd a White Boy Get the Blues?". Red Deer Advocate. p. C6.
  16. ^ Cristiano, Nick (23 Nov 2001). "Big Apple blues". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. W17.
  17. ^ Miers, Jeff (Jan 11, 2002). "That's phat". Gusto. The Buffalo News. p. 26.
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