Canned Heat-Living The Blues (1968)

In 1968, Canned Heat released their third album, "Living The Blues", an ambitious double album featuring, among other superb tracks, one of their most emblematic hits, the rural hippie anthem "Going Up The Country". In this third release from the group led by Alan Wilson and Bob Hite, they showcased a clear evolution towards experimental blues, modernizing their sound and demonstrating the skill and understanding of the musical passions of all its members. By this point, the band had solidified its classic lineup. In addition to Alan Wilson (guitar, vocals, and harmonica) and Bob Hite (vocals), the band included Larry Taylor on bass, Henry Vestine on guitar, and Adolfo "Fido" de la Parra on drums. This monumental double album contains some of the finest blues and boogie-blues achievements in its history, infused with jazz, acid rock, and psychedelic sounds, all performed with great wisdom, skill, passion, and energy. From the aforementioned and fabulous "Going Up The Country" to the whirlwind jam "Refried Boogie", 40 minutes of mind-blowing blues rock, somewhat indulgent, passing through tremendous covers of artists like Jimmy Rogers' "Walking By Myself" or "Pony Blues", a reimagining of the Charly Patton classic, or the overwhelming blues tracks "Sandy's Blues", "Boogie Music", and "One Kind Favor", not forgetting the magnificent and talented medley "Parthenogenesis", a sublime epic of acid rock, experimentation, and blues. "Living The Blues" is the crowning achievement of a band like Canned Heat before death, drugs, and internal disputes began to take their toll on its members. But before this happened, they still had time to release two more amazing albums: "Hallelujah" (1969) and "Future Blues" (1970).