Painting Signs
2001 studio album by Eric Bibb
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Painting Signs is an album by the American-born musician Eric Bibb, released in 2001.[1][2] It peaked at No. 10 on the UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart.[3] Bibb supported the album with a UK tour and shows in North America opening for Robert Cray.[4][5] After the September 11 attacks, "Hope in a Hopeless World" was released as a single, with royalties earmarked for the American Red Cross.[6]
Production
The album was produced by Dave Bronze.[7] "Angel" is a cover of the Jimi Hendrix song.[8] "Honest I Do" was written by Jimmy Reed.[9] "Hope in a Hopeless World" is a version of the Roebuck Staples song; the album is dedicated to him.[10] "Delia's Gone" is an interpretation of the folk song.[11] "I Heard the Angels Singing" was written by Reverend Gary Davis.[12] Wilson Pickett sang on "Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down".[13]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [9] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [14] |
| The Guardian | [8] |
| The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings | [15] |
| Tucson Citizen | A+[16] |
The Guardian wrote: "Blessed with a light, flexible voice that can plumb growling depths when required, Bibb interprets his remit as broadly as possible."[8] The Mirror said that Bibb's "delta blues style is beautifully delicate and detailed, soft curling guitar lines topped off with rich, sweet conversational vocals."[17] The Vancouver Sun noted that Bibb "does some neat finger-picking on 'Delia's Gone', and his 'To Know You' makes good use of mandolin and accordion."[18]
The Sun-Herald stated that "the nimble-fingered Bibb and his supple, skilled band lay on a rootsy buffet that takes in acoustic blues, cruisy R&B, honky tonk and gospel."[19] The Chicago Tribune opined that the album "compares favorably to [Taj] Mahal's and Cray's best."[20] The Gazette listed Painting Signs as the eighth best blues album of 2001.[21]
AllMusic wrote that "Bibb makes a fine case for blues as a music of introspection, warmth, and supreme nuance."[9]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Kokomo" | |
| 2. | "Hope in a Hopeless World" | |
| 3. | "Five Miles Above" | |
| 4. | "I Heard the Angels Singing" | |
| 5. | "Delia's Gone" | |
| 6. | "Got to Do Better" | |
| 7. | "The Light Was Worth the Candle" | |
| 8. | "Angel" | |
| 9. | "Walkin' Home" | |
| 10. | "To Know You" | |
| 11. | "Honest I Do" | |
| 12. | "Paintin' Signs" | |
| 13. | "Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down" |