Don't Let the Bossman Get You Down!

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Don't Let the Bossman Get You Down!
Don't Let the Bossman Get You Down!.jpg
Studio album by
Elvin Bishop
Released1991
StudioStarlight Sound, Richmond, California
Genre Blues rock
Label Alligator [1]
Producer Elvin Bishop
Elvin Bishop chronology
Big Fun
(1988)		Don't Let the Bossman Get You Down!
(1991)		The Best of Elvin Bishop: Tulsa Shuffle
(1994)

Don't Let the Bossman Get You Down! is an album by the American musician Elvin Bishop, released in 1991. [2] [3]

Contents

Bishop supported the album by touring with George Thorogood. [4]

Production

Don't Let the Bossman Get You Down! was produced by Bishop, who also wrote half of the album's songs. [5] [6] The title track was inspired by a dispute Bishop had with his label head, Bruce Iglauer. [7] "Stepping Up in Class" is a cover of Jimmy McCracklin's "Steppin'". [8] "Devil's Slide" is an instrumental, while "Rollin' with My Blues" is a tribute to Freddie King, Albert King, and B.B. King. [9] [10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Calgary Herald B+ [12]
Chicago Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Robert Christgau Five Pointed Star Solid.svg [14]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [15]
Houston Chronicle Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [16]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [10]
The Tampa Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]

The Calgary Herald noted that there is "lots of leftover nuance from the Paul Butterfield Blues Band days to remind you that this was once a pair of hands equated with Hendrix and Clapton." [12] The Chicago Tribune praised the "serious playing here, adding some potent slide guitar to 'Come On in This House' and some razor-sharp licks to 'Stepping Up in Class'." [13]

The Houston Chronicle thought that "a little slide action and tasty arrangements on several cuts open the door for Bishop's considerable and road-hardened guitar work, which is as focused on record as it has been in years." [16] The San Diego Union-Tribune determined that, while the album "features the trademark Bishop humor and the occasional dash of funk, it is, for the most part, a straight blues effort." [17]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Elvin Bishop; except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Fannie Mae" Deborahe Glasgow 3:18
2."Don't Let the Bossman Get You Down" 2:48
3."Murder in the First Degree" St. Louis Jimmy Oden 3:08
4."Kissing in the Dark"Ernest Lawlers2:44
5."My Whiskey Head Buddies" 5:23
6."Stepping Up in Class" Jimmy McCracklin 2:56
7."You Got to Rock 'Em" 4:10
8."Come On in This House" Mel London 3:09
9."Soul Food" 2:45
10."Rollin' with My Blues" 3:38
11."Devil's Slide" 2:57
12."Just Your Fool" Walter Jacobs 2:42

References

  1. ↑ Komara, Edward M. (December 25, 2006). Encyclopedia of the Blues. Psychology Press.
  2. ↑ "Elvin Bishop Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  3. ↑ Boehm, Mike (July 18, 1991). "Musical Acts Will Amplify Nostalgia". OC Live. Los Angeles Times. p. 10.
  4. ↑ Luhrssen, Dave (April 23, 1991). "Thorogood's live show beats his Memorex". The Milwaukee Journal. p. B5.
  5. 1 2 MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 108.
  6. 1 2 Booth, Philip (February 22, 1991). "Elvin Bishop, Don't Let the Bossman Get You Down!". Tampa Bay Times. The Tampa Tribune. p. 21.
  7. ↑ North, Peter (August 21, 1999). "Elvin Bishop digs struttin' his stuff on stage". Edmonton Journal. p. C1.
  8. ↑ Hadley, Frank-John (December 25, 1993). The Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD. Grove Press.
  9. ↑ Orr, John (May 10, 1991). "Elvin Bishop: Living the Blues Life". San Jose Mercury News. p. 12E.
  10. 1 2 The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 60.
  11. ↑ "Don't Let the Bossman Get You Down!". AllMusic.
  12. 1 2 Wagamese, Richard (March 3, 1991). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. F5.
  13. 1 2 Kening, Dan (March 14, 1991). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
  14. ↑ "Elvin Bishop". Robert Christgau.
  15. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. pp. 620–621.
  16. 1 2 Racine, Marty (March 3, 1991). "Don't Let the Bossman Get You Down! Elvin Bishop". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 16.
  17. ↑ Blue, Buddy (January 22, 1992). "Straight blues has stifled Bishop style". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D7.
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