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Burning Hell was recorded in 1959 in Detroit, MI, but wasn't released until 1964. Even then, it was only available in the U.K.. This 180-gram vinyl pressing marks the first official single LP worldwide release the album has seen. Pressed at QRP as part of the Bluesville Records / Acoustic Sounds series, the album features Hooker solo as he plays originals and classics.

A 1959 recording that was inexplicably not issued in the United States until 1992, Burning Hell ranks among John Lee Hooker's most edgy and focused performances. A companion piece to The Country Blues of John Lee Hooker, it finds Hooker singing country-blues, accompanied only by his own acoustic guitar - something he rarely did after traveling north from the Mississippi Delta. Tackling several originals as well as tunes associated with Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Big Bill Broonzy, Hooker shows himself to be an excellent interpreter who could have held his own with Delta bluesmen of any era. Although his guitar playing is pretty raw even by blues standards, Hooker more than compensates with his powerful, resonant voice. Several tracks, including "Burnin' Hell" and "You Live Your Life and I'll Live Mine," are downright frightening in their intensity. Although Robert Jr. Lockwood is often identified as Robert Johnson's successor, this album would seem to indicate that John Lee Hooker is the most likely candidate to have a hellhound on his trail.

Craft Recordings, in partnership with Acoustic Sounds, is releasing Burning Hell as part of the Bluesville Series. Bluesville is a brand-new hub for all things blues, including vinyl reissues, curated playlists, and more! Inspired by the original label imprint established under Prestige Records in 1959, the Bluesville Series will highlight the many trailblazing musicians who contributed to the rich tradition of the blues, including titles from legendary artists on labels such as Vee-Jay, Riverside, Vanguard, Stax, and Rounder Records. — (via Acoustic Sounds)
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The albums in the 'Bluesville Series' are pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings and feature all-analog (AAA) mastering by Grammy-nominated engineer Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab at Blue Heaven Studios, plus a tip-on jacket and obi strip with notes written by Grammy-winning producer, writer and musician Scott Billington.

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Label: Craft Recordings / Riverside Records
Series: Bluesville Acoustic Sounds Series
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo, 180g
Country: Worldwide
Reissued: 2024 / Original Release: 1964
Genre: Blues

File under: AOR / Blues / Folk
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