AMG Review of Best of Hooker 'n Heat

Richie Unterberger
All Music Guide

The ten songs on Best of Hooker 'n Heat were originally released as part of a 1971 album (on Liberty 35002); this reissue, despite the lack of historical liner notes, isn't exactly short of value, clocking in at 56 minutes. Canned Heat gets top billing, but really it's John Lee Hooker's show, as he sings all the tracks and takes all the songwriting credits for the material, which includes remakes of classics like "Dimples," "Boogie Chillen," "Burning Hell," and "Bottle Up and Go." With Hooker fronting a blues-rock-boogie group, this doesn't offer the optimum circumstances to hear the man. But it's not bad, either, Canned Heat playing with spirit and relative economy, although the 11-minute "Boogie Chillen" is excessive.