B.B. KING "LUCILLE", MOFI, LP, LE, NE(#3630), SO, 200G, REMASTERED, NEW/SEALED

$

175

                                                                                      B.B. KING "LUCILLE"
ORIGINALLY RELEASED IN 1968, THIS MOFI EDITION WAS REMASTERED AT HALF-SPEED PRODUCTION AND MASTERING BY ORIGINAL MASTERINGWORKS, LP, LIMITED EDITION, NUMBERED EDITION (#3630), SOLD-OUT EDITION, STEREO, SPECIALLY PLATED AND PRESSED ON 200 GRAMS OF HIGH DEFINITION VINYL, SPECIAL STATIC FREE-DUST FREE INNER SLEEVE, HEAVY DUTY PROTECTIVE PACKAGING, MASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL MASTER TAPES AND MANUFACTURED BY MOFI, A DIVISION OF MFSL, INC.
"THE SOULFUL EMPOWERMENT THAT COMES FROM "LUCILLE" RESONATES VOCALLY FROM MR. KING AND THE SIGNATURE VIBRATO AND TRILL OF THE GUITAR'S NAMESAKE. THE ALBUM ITSELF IS A DEDICATION TO THICK, YET AIRY BLUES FILLED WITH QUIRK AND REAL-WORLD RELATIVES, STAYING THOROUGHLY INTIMATE THROUGH ITS PRODUCTION. AT THIRTY-SEVEN MINUTES, THE NINE-TRACKED RECORD ISN'T A LENGTHY EXPORT, BUT IT'S REPLAY VALUE IS PRICELESS."
"THE OPENING PIECE HIGHLIGHTS THE ALBUM'S MAIN THEME. LUSH ALMOST-SPOKEN WORD TELLS A TALE OF HOW B.B. KING'S FAMOUS GUITAR GOT ITS NAME. THE TITLE TRACK WANDERS, BUT STAYS FIRMLY ROOTED IN THE "HOW" THINGS CAME TO BE. KING STATES THAT "LUCILLE" SAVED HIS LIFE, AND THE MUSIC BLEEDS TO THAT EFFECT. CONSIDERING THAT THE TRACK ITSELF TEETERS ON TEN MINUTES, "LUCILLE" IS A PLEASANT AFFAIR WITH A PERFECT RUN-TIME, REVELING IN THE GLORY OF MEMORY AND WELL PLACED GUITAR LICKS. MOMENTS OF BRASS FILL THE GAPS BETWEEN KING'S CASUAL SPOKEN WORD AND HIS INTERACTION WITH THE BAND THAT BACKS THE RECORD. B.B. KING'S MUSIC TAKES ON A FAMILIARITY WITH THE LISTENERS, TAKING BLUES GOLD, SOME POMP AND A LOT OF SOUL INTO EVERY RENDITION ON THE ALBUM. TRACKS LIKE "COUNTRY GIRL" COMBINE RELATE-ABLE CONTEXT OF RELATIONSHIP WHILE THE ALBUM'S CLOSING PIECE, "WATCH YOURSELF" FLIPS THE TALE ON ITS HEAD, WITH KING EXPLAINING THE THOUGHTS OF A PARTNER LEAVING HIM, SURE, THE TOPIC OF LOVE AND HEARTBREAK IS A-TYPICAL OF BLUES, BUT HERE IT IS EXPERTLY USED WITHIN THE REALMS OF PENTATONIC SCALING AND MID-PACED SWINGING TEMPO."
"WHEN CONSIDERED IN ITS ENTIRETY, "LUCILLE" IS NOT A PERFECT ALBUM. BUT ITS NATURAL IMPERFECTIONS HELP IDENTIFY THE SOUL AND REALISM OF A PREMIERE 60'S BLUES RECORD. WRITING AN ALBUM ABOUT A GUITAR, WITH THE GUITAR MAY NOT BE REALISTICALLY COMPELLING TO LISTENERS-BUT THE ABILITY TO CRAFT BLUES TROPES INTO A LEGACY OF LASTING VALUE STANDS WELL ABOVE IT. B.B. KING LEFT BEHIND A CATALOG OF LUSH SOUNDS DEVELOPED FROM WHATEVER WAS IN FRONT OF HIM AT THE TIME, AND IT'S "LUCILLE" THAT SPEAKS TO GENERATIONS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE."