DR. JOHN — Gris-Gris (review)

DR. JOHN — Gris-Gris album cover Album · 1968 · RnB Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
CounterClockWorld
Dr. John is an interesting musician, he's essentially the New Orleans equivalent to Captain Beefheart or Tom Waits, he's a singer songwriter that has a very eclectic music pallet from Psychedelic R&B, blues and much more. Gris-Gris is debut studio album, John himself as released music adjacent to Motown oldies but here is a complete left turn, the album opens with a very psychedelic "Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya". Sounds like a lost southern gospel song almost, its colored with blues harmonica and guitar playing. The next song here "Danse Kalinda Ba Doom" sounds very much like if a Tom Waits song was dunked in gumbo, its very southern with mandolins and backing vocals. Mama Roux is probably the most conventional song here it has this recurring backing vocal(s) repeating the phrase "Mama Roux" it's a calm and conventional track, very much adjacent to more traditional New Orleans R&B but still has that Dr. John twist. By now you understand the format of the album, Danse Fambeaux is another R&B (albeit not conventional) track which is followed by Croker Courtbullion, which starts off pretty good but I'd be lying if i said it didn't creep me out just a little bit, I'm not sure but there's always been this aura about this song, although I've grown to love it, very Captain Beefheart like guitar playing here. The final track off the album is considered one of Johns best, "I Walk On Guilded Splinters" a song which I believe is based and or inspired by an old voodoo church song, I agree with the opinion that it's probably his best, sonically it's really cool, a mix if African sounding percussion mix with his New Orleans style gives us a very interesting track and album and is easily a stand out album of the 1960s

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