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Fans Album Reviews For:
Allman Brothers Band
(6 reviews sent in so far)
Idlewild South
By finulanu
November 14, 2006
Rating: 9.5
I cannot believe I'm the first person to review this great disc. It's not perfect, but
it's packed with all kinds of winning tracks. The best of the bunch is the dramatic
instrumental 'In Memory of Elizabeth Reed', seven minutes of pure MASTERPIECE. Whenever I
hear this song, I immediately drop whatever I'm doing and pay attention. It's that good.
Not to discount the rest, of course. 'Revival' is solid gospel/folk; 'Midnight Rider', a
kickass outlaw blues song with a touch of country. And they turn in a pretty good cover of
'Hoochie Coochie Man', though it doesn't touch Muddy Waters' original. The sleeper track
is 'Please Call Home', an underrated little blues tune thanks in part to Duane's great
slide. On the other hand, 'Leave My Blues at Home' is a filler song, and 'Don't Keep Me
Wonderin'' isn't much outside of the fun harmonica part. But it's still one of the
Allmans' best albums.
To listen to some soundclips from
Idlewild
South or to purchase it. click on:
Idlewild
South - Alibris
Brothers and Sisters
By JT
February 19, 2004
Rating: 8.0
I was a little dissapointed hearing this album after listening to the first four
blistering albums! At this point in time, guitar genious Duane Allman was gone, bassist
Berry Oakley died in a motorcycle crash only a block away from where Duane was killed (he
only recorded the first two songs on this album) Gregg Allman was in so much pain and on
massive drugs and hooked up with Cher (YEUCH!!!) and Dickey Betts was taking over the band
and being.... well.... Dickey. The album kinda looses it's blues flavor and is replaced by
country flavor, but it is still a large mark on music. Should really be a 7.5, but you
gotta give the Brothers credit for all the tragedy and drugs that were going on in their
lives.
1."Wasted Words" - 8.2 - Gregg's kickoff song is really nice dishing out some
good old rock 'n roll. He plays rhythm guitar on this one, while keyboardist Chuck Leavell
takes over the piano. I think it was wise that the Brothers decided to have a pianist
instead of replacing Duane. Dickey plays some good slide, although it's nothing compared
to Duane Allman's shearing slide work on the Fillmore East, but Chuck Leavell's
piano work is what really adds some cool blues flavor to this song.
2. "Rambling Man" - 7.3 - A Dickey Betts tune with a nice melody and lyrics. I
think it's highly overrated, but it's a good song. Berry Oakley plays some really nice
bass work on this and Dickey manages to pull of the vocals. Goes on for some nice guitar
work, but there's two problems with this song: It's really country, and it sounds very
poppy! The guitar work is completely different from that jazzy bluesy dual guitar activity
Duane made famous, but a good song. Gave the Brothers a number 2 hit on the charts.
3. "Come and Go Blues" - 8.8 - Possibly my favorite song on the album. Really
soulfull, great lines, and Gregg really sings his heart out. He also plays some great
organ! Chuck takes a cool bluesy solo and the bridge dishes out the best harmonies on the
whole album. One problem: Berry is dead at this point. In his place is Lamar Williams who
played well, but didn't have the same feel and inventiveness as Berry. But you gotta give
Gregg some credit for giving us a good old soulfull rocker.
4. "Jelly Jelly" - 7.8 - A simple blues, but a really good simple blues about
sex!!! Sounds similar to "Stormy Monday" not quite as good, but a solid effort
by Gregg's gritty vocals and effective organ solo as well as a great piano solo by Chuck
and guitar solo by Dickey. So for those of you who want to hear the Brothers play the
blues, this is it!
5. "Southbound" - 7.5 - Most would say that this song is better than "Jelly
Jelly", not I. But it's a great song. Written by Dickey, the song is dancible and a
lot of fun. Gregg sings well, and Dickey and Chuck dish out some great solos. Also notice
the great drumming by Butch Trucks and J'aimoe.
6. "Jessica" - 7.0 - Dickey's song for his duahgter. The only instrumental on
the album. Such a shame! Dickey wrote such powerfull beautifull instrumentals like
"In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" and "Les Brers in A Minor" and now he's
writting poppy country tunes! However, the song does hold well for, but I'm not absolutley
crazy about it. The acoustic guitar is played by Les Dudeck, and Dickey and Gregg play the
harmonies. Chuck takes a great solo, and I am dissapointed in Dickey's solo. His solo on
"Mountain Jam" was country flavored, but there was so much to it: The simplicity
and the beauty of the notes he chose counterpointed Duane's awesome playing. But here, he
doesn't have Duane to counterpoint and doesn't play his best, although it is a pretty good
solo and does keep my attention a little. The melody of this song is catchy, but it's too
happy! This just shows how the Brothers had kinda lost their live presence without Duane
Allman.
7. "Ponyboy" - 6.0 - Since the great song "Come and Go Blues" the
album has kinda been going down hill. They really could have saved it in the end, but they
didn't. Dickey must have thought that he could end beautifully like Duane did with
"Little Martha" on Eat a Peach. But "Ponyboy" is too COUNTRY
and it gives me a headache. He does not sing well, and Gregg doesn't even appear on this
song! Bad way to end. The dobro Dickey plays is okay and saves the song from going below a
6.0, but that's it.
All and all, not a bad album, but this was a left turn for the Allmans. It only makes you
wonder what would have followed Eat a Peach had Duane and Berry lived.
To listen to some soundclips from
Brothers and
Sisters or to purchase it. click on:
Brothers
& Sisters CD
or Brothers
& Sisters CD W/ Bonus Tracks
The Allman Brothers Band
By JT
November 11, 2003
Rating: 10.0
What a great debut album! Everything on this classic album is gold! The interplay between
Duane Allman and Dickey Betts is once again the highlight of the album, especially in the
beginning jazzy rocker "Don't Want You No More." Duane, Dickey, and Gregg
Allman's organ play octaves over each other while Berry Oakley's bass grooves high and the
drummers Butch Trucks and J'amioe lay down a strong beat. Gregg takes a rocking organ
solo, Duane takes a inspirationally beautiful guitar solo, and Dickey's solo blows the
song out of the water to come to a shattering climax where Duane and Dickey play their
classic harmonized guitar lines before leading into the awesome "It's Not My Cross to
Bear," one of my favorite Allmans songs. Gregg sings better on this song (not to
mention this whole album) than he does on any other song and album. And he sound amazing
on every song he's ever sang which can only come from personal experience. Duane answers
his brother's cries with some truly inspirational guitar interplay. "Black Hearted
Woman" is a strong rocker featuring Gregg's awesome vocals, great guitar lines, and a
cool drum and conga solo by Butch and J'aimoe. "Trouble No More" showcases
Duane's ingenious bottleneck work. Not to mention the fact that this song kicks ass!
"Every Hungry Woman" is not quite as strong as everything else on this album,
but Duane and Dickey provide some excellent guitar interplay during the solo which saves
the song for me. And as always, Gregg sings great. I have listened to songs like
"Layla" "Thunder Road" "Little Wing" "Yesterday"
and "Moonlight Mile," and although they are all great songs, they cannot top
"Dreams." I'm not saying "Dreams" is better than any of those songs,
but it should definitely be listed as one of the most beautiful pieces in rock 'n roll.
Gregg's vocals are just so raw and emotional and counterpoint the organ chords perfectly.
Duane's shearing guitar solo only climbs higher and higher until he dishes out his
bottleneck and plows the way home. One of the greatest guitar solos in history. The end
comes when Duane and Dickey play a strange but effective guitar harmony over Gregg soloing
with his voice. The next song: "Whipping Post" the Allman's signature tune. The
opening starts with a bass line Berry wrote which keeps coming into the mix after every
chorus. Gregg sings great, and Duane and Dickey play great solos. Hard to believe that
this song actually got better when they played it live! If you like the blues, don't even
think of not getting this album!
To listen to some soundclips from
Allman
Brothers Band or to purchase it. click on:
The Allman Brothers Band at Fillmore East
By J.T. Curtis
August 9, 2003
Rating: 10.0
One of the greatest rock albums (Certainly one of the best live albums) ever made. The
Allman Brothers definitely had all their songs down when they entered the Fillmore East.
After having created two studio albums, which included two songs which would appear on
this album, the Allmans wanted to give their fans a sense of their live sound, and they
did.
There is so much a musician can learn from this album: the tight duo drums by drummers
Butch Trucks and J'aimoe; the grooving bass lines by Berry Oakley; Gregg Allman's
Incredible vocals and swirling organ; and to top it all off, the magnificent guitar
interplay between Dicky Betts, and the inventive and inspirational guitar brother, the
late Duane Allman. Even if you're not a musician, these songs will get you up and moving,
astonished by the guitar playing and singing, or overwhelmed.
I'll rate this like Keno does:
1.Statesboro Blues: 10! A great way to begin the night with this Willie McTell cover. The
band is grooving, Duane plays his trademark bottleneck like nobody else in rock and roll
could ever play, and Gregg gets the audience going with some fun lyrics: "My mama
died and left me, my papa died and left me, I ain't good lookin' baby, but somewhere I'm
sweet and kind!"
2. Done Somebody Wrong: 10! An Elmore James cover which will get you dancing on your feet!
Harp player Thom Doucette blows a great solo, Dickey digs deep into his guitar, and Duane
plays his best bottleneck solo.
3: Stormy Monday: 10! This T. Bone Walker cover is a beauty. Gregg sings like no other can
on this song and a grooving organ solo. The guitar licks played by Dickey and Duane are
extraordinary.
4. You Don't Love Me: 10! In case you didn't notice, every song so far has been a 10, but
that will soon change. This Willie Cobbs cover starts out fine until Duane gives a
delightful false ending trading off to Dickey and the drummers to bring the song to a new
level soon to be joined by the rest of the band. At the end, Duane brings it to a
shattering climax hinting in "Joy to the World." A fine tune ending at 19
minutes!
5. Hot 'Lanta: 10+! An original written by the whole band in 6/8 time and a masterpiece.
One of my favorite songs of all time. With an incredible guitar line with an equally
incredible guitar harmony played by Duane, driving drums, and Berry Oakley's great bass
work, its no wonder this song is a masterpiece. Gregg, Duane, Dickey, Butch and J'amoie
all solo before bringing the song to one last verse, and then bringing it down with gregg
holding the organ and Butch playing the tympany. Dickey and Duane give one last harmonized
guitar line before stopping. The audience hesitates, overwhelmed by the magic of this
song, but soon gives a roaring applause!
6: In Memory of Elizabeth Reed: 11! There are absolutely no words to explain this Dickey
Betts composition. You've gotta listen to it. It starts out very mellow with Dickey using
his volume nob as an effect before he and Duane begin a guitar line, soon harmonized and
joined by the entire band to kick in a latin funk beat with some absolutely genius
harmonized guitar lines. Berry keeps up the beat with many bass fills which really add to
this song. Dickey and Gregg offer solos straight from the heart, but Duane comes in with a
solo that still gives me chills after having listened to it at least 200 times! Butch and
J'aimoe come in for a brief drum solo until the entire band comes in for the kill! The
audience goes nuts!
7: Whipping Post: 11!!! Berry starts her off, the drummers soon follow in 11/8 time, Duane
plays with him, Dickey follows Duane, Gregg starts off the verse and then comes in with
some vocals that can only come from personal experience. You can hear the pain Gregg is
in! With a fantastic vocal line, incredible harmonized guitar lines, great solos by Duane
and Dickey (especially when Dickey changes the song into a ballad before bringing back)
where can the song go?! The band goes up the dorian minor scale before leading into
Gregg's last verse and a beautiful ending which leads into the beginning of "Mountain
Jam." But that song will be finished on the next album! In the end, the song ends at
23 minutes: ITS TOO SHORT!!! I WANT MORE!!!!!
If you did the blues, or Rock N Roll, or both. You must own this album! You really have to
listen to that last three songs a couple of times, but you will love this album and not
want one microsecond shaved off this masterpiece!!!
To listen to some soundclips from Allman Brothers Band
at Fillmore East or to purchase it. click on:
At Fillmore East
Eat A Peach
By finulanu
November 11, 2006
Rating: 10.0
Not only is this the Allmans' best album, it's in my mind the best double-LP ever. There's
no filler, in fact every song's a gem, from the big-time radio hits (energetic, bluesy
"Ain't Wastin' Time No More"; lovely ballad "Melissa", an ode to the
sadly departed Duane, who died during these sessions; feel-good jam "Blue Sky",
with some of Duane and Dickey's best interplay); to the three live cuts ("Mountain
Jam", which at a half-hour is lengthy but captivating, with virtuoso performances all
around; "One Way Out", my favorite Allmans tune thanks to the group's chemistry;
"Trouble No More", which cooks) to the album tracks (nine-minute instrumental
"Les Brers in A Minor", which switches from a dramatic introduction to a full-on
boogie; "Stand Back", a funky little gem; "Little Martha", Duane's
lovely swan song). There are few masterpieces in rock, but damn, this is one of 'em!
Eat A Peach
By Masonious
November 24, 2002
Rating: 10.0
I recommend you take a huge moist bite out of this juicy rock album. This 1972 album, Eat
A Peach, was released at the pinnacle of the Allman's career and is a perfect blend
between blues and the jams which the Brothers are infamous for. The live cuts featured on
the album ('One Way Out', 'Mountain Jam', 'Trouble No More' and 'Stand Back') brilliantly
showcase the Allman Brothers. Out of the live cuts one can’t miss the glory of
'Mountain Jam'. This 33 minute live jam best showcases the bands musical abilities. They
allow the listener to experience Duane Allmans searing guitar solo’s, along with a
climactic double drum solo, and a fluid organ played by Gregg Allman. Although this jam
might be uncomfortable and hard to follow the first time through, once the listener
unveils the wondrous fruits that lay at the summit of 'Mountain Jam', the song will remain
entrenched in their minds for eternity. The album also showcases the Allman’s song
writing capabilities with 'Melissa' and 'Blue Sky'. These songs define southern rock with
their easy, smooth flowing feel. Eat a Peach is an essential for any Music
collection and if one ventures to purchase it on vinyl they will be treated with
psychedelic artwork not featured on the CD.
To listen to some soundclips from Eat A Peach
or
to purchase it. click on:
Eat
A Peach CD or Eat
A Peach CD w/ Bonus Tracks
or The
Allman Brothers Band - Eat A Peach - Deluxe Edition - MP3 Download
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