| Artist | Billy Boy Arnold |
|---|---|
| Cover | Eldorado Cadillac.jpg |
| Released | 1995 |
| Genre | Chicago blues |
| Label | Alligator |
| Producer | Billy Boy Arnold, Bruce Iglauer, Scott Dirks |
| Prev year | 1995 |
| Next year | 1999 |
Eldorado Cadillac is an album by the American musician Billy Boy Arnold, released in 1995.[1][2] It was the second album of his 1990s comeback.[3] Arnold considered his two Alligator Records albums to be the best of his career.[4] The album won a National Association of Independent Record Distributors award for best blues album.[5]
Production
Eldorado Cadillac was produced by Arnold, Bruce Iglauer, and Scott Dirks.[6][7] Arnold wrote seven new songs for the album.[8] Carl Sonny Leyland contributed on piano; Bob Margolin played slide guitar.[9][10] "Don't Stay Out All Night" is a rerecording of Arnold's first single, from 1955.[11] "Sunny Road" is a cover of the Roosevelt Sykes song.[12]
Critical reception
The Vancouver Sun wrote that "the star of this show is Arnold's straight-ahead harp playing in a style inspired by Sonny Boy Williamson... The sound he wrenches from the instrument—raunchy distortion with a touch of reverb—just about defines Chicago blues."[13] The Washington Post said that Arnold and his band "forego the stomp rhythms of Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon for a bluesy, greasy swing that's pure pleasure."[11] The Chicago Tribune concluded that "Arnold's vocal range throughout Eldorado Cadillac is undeniably deeper and fuller than it was in 1956, but his outlook is happily the same."[14]
The Times Colonist determined that "Arnold uses adept vocal phrasing to add a dramatic edge to his narrow range, and his blues harp is a haunting, riveting, delicious treat."[15] The Los Angeles Times deemed Eldorado Cadillac "a solid, sweaty blues collection."[16] The Santa Cruz Sentinel praised Arnold's "distorted harmonica and cool singing."[17]
AllMusic called the album "a fun set of passionate Chicago blues."[3]
References
- ^ "Billy Boy Arnold Biography by Bill Dahl". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
- ^ Komara, Edward (2004). The Blues Encyclopedia. Taylor & Francis. p. 33.
- ^ "Eldorado Cadillac Review by Scott Yanow". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
- ^ O'Hare, Bucky (October 19, 2023). "Featured Interview – Billy Boy Arnold". Blues Blast Magazine. No. 17-41.
- ^ Morris, Chris (Jun 8, 1996). "NAIRD announces Indie award winners". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 23. p. 8.
- ^ MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 12.
- ^ Iglauer, Bruce & Roberts, Patrick A. (2018). Bitten by the Blues: The Alligator Records Story. University of Chicago Press. p. 318.
- ^ Dahl, Bill (15 Mar 1996). "Stale Home Chicago". Chicago Tribune. p. 1.
- ^ Allen, Greg (10 Dec 1995). "Billy Boy Arnold serves up hot mix of electric blues". The Press of Atlantic City. p. C6.
- ^ Cote, Michael (15 Dec 1995). "Reviews". Naples Daily News. p. 10.
- ^ Himes, Geoffrey (28 Feb 1996). "Blues". The Washington Post. p. R17.
- ^ The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. p. 16.
- ^ Moya, Miguel (18 Jan 1996). "Take a high-voltage trip back to a Mississippi barrel house". Vancouver Sun. p. D7.
- ^ Dahl, Bill (28 Mar 1996). "Recordings". Chicago Tribune. p. 7F.
- ^ Rowlands, Bob (21 Sep 1996). "Music critic gets the blues from that". Times Colonist. p. 1.
- ^ Roos, John (14 Oct 1998). "Blues Routes". Los Angeles Times. p. F2.
- ^ Cooper, Scott (1 Dec 1995). "The Winter Blues". Santa Cruz Sentinel. p. 9.