Ice Pickin'

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title: "Ice Pickin'" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1978-albums", "albert-collins-albums", "albums-produced-by-bruce-iglauer", "alligator-records-albums"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_Pickin'" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]

FieldValue
nameIce Pickin'
typestudio
artistAlbert Collins
coverIce_Pickin.jpg
released1978
studioCurtom (Chicago, Illinois)
genreBlues
length36:48
labelAlligator ALCD 4713
producerBruce Iglauer, Richard McLeese, Dick Shurman
prev_titleAlive & Cool
prev_year1972
next_titleAlbert Collins and Barrelhouse live
next_year1979
::

| name = Ice Pickin' | type = studio | artist = Albert Collins | cover = Ice_Pickin.jpg | alt = | released = 1978 | recorded = | venue = | studio = Curtom (Chicago, Illinois) | genre = Blues | length = 36:48 | label = Alligator ALCD 4713 | producer = Bruce Iglauer, Richard McLeese, Dick Shurman | prev_title = Alive & Cool | prev_year = 1972 | next_title = Albert Collins and Barrelhouse live | next_year = 1979 ***Ice Pickin'''''' is a studio album by Albert Collins, released in 1978. It was Collins's breakthrough album.

Production

The album was recorded at Curtom Studios, in Chicago. The Guardian wrote of Collins's guitar technique: "Collins had developed a highly distinctive approach to the guitar, tuning it to a D minor chord and using a capo high up the neck to achieve a sharp, brilliant effect, his 'ice-cold, sheet-metal sound' that was mirrored in the name of his band, The Icebreakers."

Critical reception

| rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = | rev2 = Christgau's Record Guide | rev2Score = A− | rev3 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | rev3score = | rev5 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide | rev5score = | rev6 = DownBeat | rev6score = | rev4 = The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings | rev4score = + “Crown” The Bay State Banner thought that "when Collins cooks, with fluent riffs and humorous vocals plus innovative tuning and incorporation of minor blues keys, the result is masterful." The Rolling Stone Album Guide wrote that the album "burrows down to the real nitty gritty of urban existence ... it's one of the best '70s blues albums." The Dayton Daily News wrote that Collins "made several other stellar releases before his untimely demise in '93, but none match the muscle and depth of this certifiable classic."

Melody Maker deemed it the best blues album of 1978, as did the Montreaux Jazz Festival.

In addition to a four stars out of four rating, the authors of The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings awarded the album a “Crown”, indicating that they considered it to be an exceptional CD, and one that should be part of any blues collection.

DownBeat gave the album 4.5 stars. Reviewer Ben Sandmel wrote, "Ice Pickin’ is definitely Collins’ best album to date, putting across his power and charisma without a hint of his repetition. Albert’s vocals and guitar are both very strong, and he’s consistently pushed by a band that plays everything with skill and feeling . . . Collins is backed here by some of Chicago’s best blues players, most of whom now join him on tour.".

Liner notes

According to the inside cover of the album:

Track listing

  1. "Honey, Hush! (Talking Woman Blues)" (Lowell Fulson, Ferdinand Washington) - 04:28
  2. "When the Welfare Turns Its Back on You" (Lucious Porter Weaver, Sonny Thompson) - 05:26
  3. "Ice Pick" (Collins) - 03:08
  4. "Cold, Cold Feeling" (Jessie Mae Robinson) - 05:19
  5. "Too Tired" (Saul Bihari, Maxwell Davis, Johnny "Guitar" Watson) - 03:00
  6. "Master Charge" (Gwen Collins) - 05:12
  7. "Conversation with Collins" (Collins) - 08:52
  8. "Avalanche" (Collins) - 02:39

Personnel

References

References

  1. (2006). "Encyclopedia of the Blues". Psychology Press.
  2. "Artist Biography by Richard Skelly".
  3. "Albert Collins; Award-Winning Blues Guitarist, Recording Artist".
  4. "GRAMMY Award Results for Albert Collins".
  5. "BLUES FANS IN A DEEP FREEZE OVER LOSS OF ALBERT COLLINS".
  6. (30 Nov 1993). "Ice-cold blues straight from the hip Obituary: Albert Collins". The Guardian.
  7. "AllMusic Review by Thom Owens".
  8. Christgau, Robert. (1981). "[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]". [[Ticknor & Fields]].
  9. (2006). "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music". MUZE.
  10. (1992). "The Rolling Stone Album Guide". Random House.
  11. (2006). "[[The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings]]". [[Penguin Books.
  12. (21 Dec 1978). "Shades of Blue". Bay State Banner.
  13. (9 Dec 2004). "Ice Pickin' Albert Collins". Iowa City Press-Citizen.
  14. (25 Apr 2006). "25 blues CDs worth shouting about". Dayton Daily News.
  15. "Guitar Wizard Albert Collins To Perform With Icebreakers".
  16. Sandmel, Ben. (March 22, 1979). "Record Reviews". [[DownBeat]].

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