Search - Scott Henderson, Thelma Houston :: Tore Down House

Tore Down House

Jesse Delaney | Antelope, CA United States | 05/09/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I just noticed that in the 6 CD magazine in my car, I had forgotten what the other 5 CD's are since I slid Tore Down House in two weeks ago. Suffice it to say that this is a truely captivating collection of music. I am not particularly a blues fan, but I am a guitar player and this is a "must own" CD. I'm a fan of Sabica's (I play flamenco), Scofield, McLaughlin, Beck, Ralph Towner, Hendrix, Robben Ford, Frank Gambale, and now with this slightly-off-center blues effort, Scott Henderson is on my "watch" (and listen) list. I had previously purchased a Tribal Tech CD and was impressed with his playing."

Clean blues

10/05/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This guy plays the cleanest blues you're likely to ever hear, yet it's soulful and searing. Hendrix, Beck and Santana rolled into one and sprinkled with jazz. I might differ from all the raves I see here and say there are a few cuts on this CD that don't rate 5 stars at all (tend to be a bit too cute), but the title track is worth the cost of admission alone. All in all It's too good to rate as 4 stars, so let's go with 5."

Monstrous Modern Blues

Thelonious | 03/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tore Down House was Scott Henderson's second blues release, and he expands on the musical territory first explored on Dog Party. Henderson brings his harmonically sophisticated approach to bear on a variety of blues-based compositions. Tore Down House opens with hard-hitting funk of Dolomite, which conjures visions of 70's blaxploitation movies. The title track is a colossal blues, melding jazz-level harmonic imagination, Hendrixian scorch, and Thelma Houston's soaring vocals. Meter Maid features a Bo Diddley beat married to crunching guitars. I Hate You starts out as a hilarious parody of 50's love songs, syrupy chord changes and all, before Henderson's metallic solo takes the song into another dimension. Gittar School is an Stevie Ray Vaughn-styled vehicle with silly-but-funny lyrics. Xanax is one of the highlights, pairing Henderson's raw, no-holds-barred guitar with Thelma Houston's intense vocals. Continuum provides a respite before the hard blues-rock assault of You Get Off On Me, the heavy-hitting slow blues Mocha, and the jackhammer funk of Harpoon. The nonsensical lyrics on Tore Down House will be a turnoff to blues purists, but I kind of admire the fact that Henderson didn't try to write typical blues lyrics. The more compelling thing about Tore Down House is Henderson's expansion and re-imagination of blues-rock guitar. A stellar effort."