Come and go blues (The Allman Brothers Band) (LP 4138 - 4139)

The Allman Brothers Band Brothers and Sisters (Vinyl, Polydor Records, 1973) ****  

The Allman Brothers Band Enlightened Rogues (Vinyl, Capricorn Records, 1979) ***  

Genre: Southern rock

Places I remember: Marbecks Records, Chaldon Books and Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Ramblin' Man (Brothers and Sisters)

Gear costume: Jessica (Brothers and Sisters)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6

Active compensatory factors: I have written about other Allman Brothers Band albums over the years (here here here and here) but I somehow didn't quite get to these two.

Brothers and Sisters came out after Duane and Berry Oakley's passing (Berry does play some bass on the album). Given the circumstances, it's amazing anything came out, but the album that emerged was terrific. It's notable for some genuine hits, Chuck Leavell's first appearance, and Dicky Betts stepping forward into a more central role.

Their sixth studio album, Enlightened Rogues, came out after a reunion following their break up in 1976. It's a solid set of songs and performances, but it's not especially inspired, and it's a long way from their early seventies music. Still, it's better than expected given it's a reunion with new members added.

Where do they all belong? A shame all the reviews are so spread out in the blog but it's kinda fitting given the fragmented nature of the band and its history.

End of the line (The Allman Brothers Band) (LP 939)

The Allman Brothers Band  Shades Of two Worlds (Vinyl, Epic Records, 1991) ****  

Genre: Southern rock

Places I remember: Marbecks Records (one of the clutch of albums Roger gave me when it looked like vinyl's future was toast).

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Desert Blues

Gear costume: Kind Of Bird, Nobody Knows

Active compensatory factors: It had been a long road of recriminations and band break-ups between the late seventies and late eighties but the band got there eventually. 

Surprisingly, by 1991 The Allman Brothers Band was again home to four original members - Butch Trucks, Jaimoe, Dicky Betts and Greg Allman. By now, Warren Haynes was filling Duane's guitar spot, plus there were two new members on bass and congas/percussion.

Most importantly, this sounds like the original band in terms of spirit and musicianship thanks to the interplay and chemistry between these musicians. Helps a lot having those four originals and Greg's vocals.

Generally, the songs return to a kind of lengthy jazzy improvisation that was the calling card from 20 years before. 

I think it's a forgotten gem in their catalogue. It was forgotten a bit by me too as I launched a tad prematurely into The Marshall Tucker Band before concluding the Allmans' saga with this album.

Where do they all belong? That's it for The Allman Brothers - a staunch pillar of southern rock.

Ain't wastin' time no more (The Allman Brothers Band) (LP 111)

The Allman Brothers Band Eat A Peach (CD and double vinyl - Capricorn, 1972) *****

Genre: American pop/ rock

Places I remember: RCA record club catalogue/ Real Groovy/ The Warehouse Hastings.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Blue Sky (5 plus minutes of blue sky brilliance from Dickey Betts and Duane Allman; first solo is Allman's, then Betts).




Gear costume: Mountain Jam

Active compensatory factors: This album had such an aura around it as I was growing up. First awareness of it came in a record catalogue and it was clearly different from a Hollies/ Merseybeat/ Bubblegum pop context.

This was grown up music. A double album. With ONE song spread over two sides. A picture on the cover of a truck with a giant peach. Wowsers. 

I had to wait a while, until I was more grown up, before I could appreciate its richness.

Compared to their previous albums, the interesting thing about Eat A Peach is the breadth of material from acoustic to pastoral to progressive to creative improv jam to southern boogie. All masterfully executed.

It's a peak - not only for the band, but for American music. Full stop.

Where do they all belong? This was the last of the Duane Allman influenced Allman Brothers Band albums, next up was the equally classic Brothers and Sisters album.

Revival (The Allman Brothers Band) (LP 87)

The Allman Brothers Band Idlewild South (CD - Mercury, 1996) ****

Genre: American Rock

Places I remember: HMV in Stratford City Mall (UK)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles:  Appropriately, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed  has a haunting beauty that continues to fascinate me.




Gear costume: Revival is a great opener!

Active compensatory factors: For years I had only a tape of this album. My dad belonged to the World Record Club and it was in the days when they sent out a copy to subscribers for a brief period. The concept - if you liked it you kept and paid for it. By a certain date if you didn't return it you were billed for it! The marketing ploy being that people are too lazy to send it back, so they eventually pay for it! Well, Graham Purdy didn't fall for that trick. Before he sent this juicy slice of southern rock back, I taped it onto his reel-to-reel.

Certainly wasn't his cup of tea!

Ever since then my Allman Brothers collection has grown, but without this, their second album. Until recently! I was in the UK last year and came across it at an HMV in the Stratford City Mall. Since then, of course, I've seen it in JB Hi-Fi in NZ, as the record was comprehensively re-released for it's 45th anniversary. 

It was a great find; it contains some stunning music! 

Where do they all belong? Next up for the bros - the break through live At Fillmore East album.