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Painting Signs
Studio album by Eric Bibb
Released	2001
Genre	Blues
Label	Manhaton/EarthBeat!
Producer	Dave Bronze
Eric Bibb chronology
Just Like Love (2000) Painting Signs (2001) Natural Light (2003)

Painting Signs is an album by the American-born musician Eric Bibb, released in 2001. It peaked at No. 10 on the UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart. Bibb supported the album with a UK tour and shows in North America opening for Robert Cray. After the September 11 attacks, "Hope in a Hopeless World" was released as a single, with royalties earmarked for the American Red Cross.

Production

The album was produced by Dave Bronze. "Angel" is a cover of the Jimi Hendrix song. "Honest I Do" was written by Jimmy Reed. "Hope in a Hopeless World" is a version of the Roebuck Staples song; the album is dedicated to him. "Delia's Gone" is an interpretation of the folk song. "I Heard the Angels Singing" was written by Reverend Gary Davis. Wilson Pickett sang on "Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down".

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
The Guardian
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings
Tucson Citizen	A+

The Guardian wrote: "Blessed with a light, flexible voice that can plumb growling depths when required, Bibb interprets his remit as broadly as possible." 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." 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."

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." The Chicago Tribune opined that the album "compares favorably to Mahal's and Cray's best." The Gazette listed Painting Signs as the eighth best blues album of 2001.

AllMusic wrote that "Bibb makes a fine case for blues as a music of introspection, warmth, and supreme nuance."

Track listing

References

1. Johnstone, Doug (10 May 2001). "Best Bibb and plucker". Edinburgh Evening News. p. 4.
2. Trapp, Roger (19 May 2001). "Jazz & Blues". Features. The Independent. p. 40.
3. "Eric Bibb". Official Charts. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
4. Yeats, David (18 May 2001). "Bibb bringing the blues back to life". Birmingham Evening Mail. p. 62.
5. Levesque, Roger (12 Sep 2001). "Architecture's loss was music's gain". Edmonton Journal. p. G2.
6. Sylvester, Bruce (Nov 16, 2001). "Eric Bibb Painting Signs". Goldmine. Vol. 27, no. 23. p. 19.
7. "Painting Signs". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 35. Sep 1, 2001. p. 22.
8. ^ Sweeting, Adam (4 May 2001). "Eric Bibb Painting Signs". Friday. The Guardian. p. 17.
9. ^ "Painting Signs Review by Kenneth Bays". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
10. Whishaw, John (15 May 2001). "Shot in the arm for the blues". Birmingham Post. p. 12.
11. The Rose & the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad. W.W. Norton. 2005. p. 370.
12. McKenzie, Simon (18 May 2001). "Blues". The Scotsman. p. 12.
13. Danton, Eric R. (20 Sep 2001). "Painting Signs Eric Bibb". Calendar. Hartford Courant. p. 6.
14. Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press.
15. The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin. 2006. p. 37.
16. "Eric Bibb: 'Painting Signs'". Tucson Citizen. 11 Aug 2001. p. 2D.
17. Martin, Gavin (1 June 2001). "Eric Bibb Painting Signs". Features. The Mirror. p. 17.
18. Andrews, Marke (1 Nov 2001). "Painting Signs". The Vancouver Sun. p. C8.
19. Holmes, Peter (4 Nov 2001). "Eric Bibb Painting Signs". Metro. The Sun-Herald. p. 11.
20. Reger, Rick (25 Jan 2002). "Eric Bibb". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 19.
21. Regenstreif, Mike (29 Dec 2001). "Blues". The Gazette. p. D7.

• 2001 albums
• Eric Bibb albums