An Anthology: The Elektra Years

RELEASE
October 28, 1997
LABEL
Elektra
GENRES
Blues, Modern Electric Chicago Blues, Chicago Blues, Regional Blues, Electric Chicago Blues, Electric Harmonica Blues, Blues-Rock, Harmonica Blues

Album Review

An Anthology -- The Elektra Years is a double-disc, 33-song set that offers a comprehensive overview of Paul Butterfield's eight years with the label. His first two albums, Paul Butterfield Blues Band and East-West, were seminal, groundbreaking records that blurred the boundaries between blues, jazz and rock, suggesting everything from blues-rock to psychedelia. They were stunning achievements which proved difficult to match, but Butterfield's remaining albums for the label all had a few good cuts. An Anthology does a nice job of rounding up those highlights, picking the best moments from uneven records; consequently, it's quite a valuable package for listeners who simply want a sampling from those later albums instead of purchasing them individually. Butterfield's first two albums remain necessary listens in their own right, but this set offers an excellent summary of his entire stint with Elektra.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Track Listing

  1. Born in Chicago
  2. Lovin' Cup
  3. One More Mile
  4. Off the Wall
  5. Come on In
  6. Nut Popper, No. 1
  7. Ain't No Need to Go No Further/It's Too Late Brother
  8. Born in Chicago
  9. Shake Your Moneymaker
  10. Blues with a Feeling
  11. Thank You Mr. Poobah
  12. Our Love Is Drifting
  13. Mystery Train
  14. Last Night
  15. Walking Blues
  16. I Got a Mind to Give Up Living
  17. Work Song
  18. All These Blues
  19. East West
  20. One More Heartache
  21. Double Trouble
  22. Last Hope's Gone
  23. Come on In
  24. Just to Be with You
  25. Get Yourself Together
  26. In My Own Dream
  27. Love March
  28. Walking by Myself
  29. Love Disease
  30. Everything's Gonna Be Alright
  31. Driftin' and Driftin'
  32. Blind Leading the Blind
  33. Song for Lee