Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Tinsley Ellis' second outing for the TelArc label builds heartily on the fiery blues-rock of 2002's Hell or High Water by adding a mere soupçon of spooky rhythm and blues to his stealthy mix. Self-produced with engineering by the one and only Jim "Z" Zumpano, Ellis uses his core band of rhythm guitarist Oliver Wood, organist Kevin McKendree, bassist the Evil One, and drummer Richard Hayward from Little Feat. Ellis' moody scorch-and-torch blues, like labelmate Ronnie Earl's spiritual blues wail, are two distinguishing voices on a scene that is rife with cookie-cutter clichés and unimaginative song styles. The Hard Way is drenched in Southern soul and spooky, minor key blues; they blend perfectly adding depth, dynamic, and tension to a slate of songs that offers a rounded view of Ellis at this point in his career. What sets Hard Way and its 2002 predecessor apart from other blues records on the market is Ellis' restless approach to his craft. He is not content to rest on his laurels, or to merely stick knee-deep in the glorious mud of a blues style he created. He relentlessly tries to extend its scope and range. On Hard Way, he succeeds in spades and raises his own high-water mark. For starters, he has never sounded better as a singer -- check "Me Without You," where his soul roots are blacker than blue, and his sweet, rough-edged croon drips with emotion and heartache. His guitar fills may vibe on a Steve Cropper groove, but they reflect no playing method but his own. The opener, "Still in the Game," sounds like Eric Clapton's Cream if they had come from the red Georgia clay. The addition of a female backing chorus on the refrains is a great touch, adding smolder to the fat, heavy six string and bass blaze. The rollicking cut time New Orleans rhythm (complete with hand drums) on "Let Him Down Easy" juxtaposes well with the minor-key, stretched out blues with its subdued verse and raucous choruses. The funky trio stroll on "And It Hurts" is a beautiful touch as it adds a bit of the "What'd I Say"-era Ray Charles to the acoustic country-blues. There is a mirror image of that trio on the very next track, "La La Land." Here Ellis plays a vulnerable yet piercing wah wah-electric and sings sweetly to a shuffling beat from a two-piece rhythm section. The bone-crunching overdrive guitar on "12 Pack Poet" kicks the rocking blues ZZ Top created harder than they have in 15 years. The closer, "The Last Song," offers Ellis at his baddest; slow-blues playing best. There is nothing but steel in his phrasing and deep growling, and moaning emotion in his singing. Hard Way is an album of great emotion, sparking heat, intensity and great tenderness. It is an essential purchase for Ellis' many fans, but is even more so for those seeking the very best in modern blues.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From £10.83/month
Richie Hayward, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Zumpano, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rodney Mills, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marcus James, Tambourine, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin McKendree, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Tinsley Ellis, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Oliver Wood, Guitar, Baritone Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Lola Gulley, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Donna Hopkins, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Kelly Liebelt, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Evil One, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2004 Telarc International Corp.
Richie Hayward, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Zumpano, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rodney Mills, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kevin McKendree, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Tinsley Ellis, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Oliver Wood, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Count M'Butu, Bongos, Conga, AssociatedPerformer - Kelly Liebelt, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Evil One, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Vicki Salz, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2004 Telarc International Corp.
Richie Hayward, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Zumpano, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rodney Mills, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kevin McKendree, Keyboards, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Tinsley Ellis, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Oliver Wood, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Count M'Butu, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Kelly Liebelt, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Evil One, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2004 Telarc International Corp.
Richie Hayward, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Zumpano, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rodney Mills, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kevin McKendree, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Tinsley Ellis, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Oliver Wood, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Count M'Butu, Percussion, Conga, AssociatedPerformer - Lola Gulley, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Kelly Liebelt, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Evil One, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2004 Telarc International Corp.
Jim Zumpano, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rodney Mills, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tinsley Ellis, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Wes Johnson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Kelly Liebelt, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Evil One, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2004 Telarc International Corp.
Richie Hayward, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Zumpano, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rodney Mills, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tinsley Ellis, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kelly Liebelt, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Evil One, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2004 Telarc International Corp.
Richie Hayward, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Zumpano, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rodney Mills, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marcus James, Saxophone, Tambourine, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin McKendree, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Tinsley Ellis, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Adam Mewherter, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Kelly Liebelt, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Evil One, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2004 Telarc International Corp.
Jim Zumpano, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rodney Mills, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tinsley Ellis, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Sean Costello, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Wes Johnson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Kelly Liebelt, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Evil One, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2004 Telarc International Corp.
Richie Hayward, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Zumpano, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rodney Mills, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kevin McKendree, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Tinsley Ellis, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Oliver Wood, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kelly Liebelt, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Evil One, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2004 Telarc International Corp.
Jim Zumpano, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rodney Mills, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tinsley Ellis, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Wes Johnson, Foot Stamping, AssociatedPerformer - Kelly Liebelt, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Evil One, Foot Stamping, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2004 Telarc International Corp.
Richie Hayward, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Zumpano, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rodney Mills, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tinsley Ellis, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kelly Liebelt, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Evil One, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2004 Telarc International Corp.
Richie Hayward, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Zumpano, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rodney Mills, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tinsley Ellis, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Oliver Wood, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kelly Liebelt, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Evil One, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2004 Telarc International Corp.
Album review
Tinsley Ellis' second outing for the TelArc label builds heartily on the fiery blues-rock of 2002's Hell or High Water by adding a mere soupçon of spooky rhythm and blues to his stealthy mix. Self-produced with engineering by the one and only Jim "Z" Zumpano, Ellis uses his core band of rhythm guitarist Oliver Wood, organist Kevin McKendree, bassist the Evil One, and drummer Richard Hayward from Little Feat. Ellis' moody scorch-and-torch blues, like labelmate Ronnie Earl's spiritual blues wail, are two distinguishing voices on a scene that is rife with cookie-cutter clichés and unimaginative song styles. The Hard Way is drenched in Southern soul and spooky, minor key blues; they blend perfectly adding depth, dynamic, and tension to a slate of songs that offers a rounded view of Ellis at this point in his career. What sets Hard Way and its 2002 predecessor apart from other blues records on the market is Ellis' restless approach to his craft. He is not content to rest on his laurels, or to merely stick knee-deep in the glorious mud of a blues style he created. He relentlessly tries to extend its scope and range. On Hard Way, he succeeds in spades and raises his own high-water mark. For starters, he has never sounded better as a singer -- check "Me Without You," where his soul roots are blacker than blue, and his sweet, rough-edged croon drips with emotion and heartache. His guitar fills may vibe on a Steve Cropper groove, but they reflect no playing method but his own. The opener, "Still in the Game," sounds like Eric Clapton's Cream if they had come from the red Georgia clay. The addition of a female backing chorus on the refrains is a great touch, adding smolder to the fat, heavy six string and bass blaze. The rollicking cut time New Orleans rhythm (complete with hand drums) on "Let Him Down Easy" juxtaposes well with the minor-key, stretched out blues with its subdued verse and raucous choruses. The funky trio stroll on "And It Hurts" is a beautiful touch as it adds a bit of the "What'd I Say"-era Ray Charles to the acoustic country-blues. There is a mirror image of that trio on the very next track, "La La Land." Here Ellis plays a vulnerable yet piercing wah wah-electric and sings sweetly to a shuffling beat from a two-piece rhythm section. The bone-crunching overdrive guitar on "12 Pack Poet" kicks the rocking blues ZZ Top created harder than they have in 15 years. The closer, "The Last Song," offers Ellis at his baddest; slow-blues playing best. There is nothing but steel in his phrasing and deep growling, and moaning emotion in his singing. Hard Way is an album of great emotion, sparking heat, intensity and great tenderness. It is an essential purchase for Ellis' many fans, but is even more so for those seeking the very best in modern blues.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:53:29
- Main artists: Tinsley Ellis
- Composer: Tinsley Ellis
- Label: Telarc
- Genre: Blues/Country/Folk Blues
© 2004 Telarc International Corp. ℗ 2004 Telarc International Corp.
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.