Sunday, November 20, 2016

CD Odyssey Disc 940: Allman Brothers Band

Not having a car isn’t usually a big deal in the city, but every now and then there is a strange inconvenience. The most recent was the realization that there are no stores in the downtown core that sell vacuum cleaner bags. Undeterred, I took a long walk to a place out of town that sells them. Added bonus – I was able to listen to this next album.

I did all this on Friday, but I delayed posting the review because I figured Band of Heathens deserved a bit more exposure than their career has afforded them so far. I’m giving like that.

And now…another music review!

Disc 940 is….Idlewild South

Artist: Allman Brothers Band

Year of Release: 1970

What’s up with the Cover? Six heads and a whole lotta hair. You don’t get this much hair these days, but don’t despair Allman Brothers Band; I am keeping that tradition alive as long as I can.

How I Came To Know It: Sheila bought me two Allman Brothers albums for Christmas one year, taking a chance that I would like them. She was right!

How It Stacks Up:  I have two Allman Brothers albums, this one and their 1969 self-titled debut. Both are awesome, and it is hard to pick between them. I’ll give “Idlewild South” first place, though.

Ratings: 5 stars

When a band is heavily influenced by the blues, sometimes it takes an album or two for them to shake that and find their own sound. Led Zeppelin is an example of this. But if the band is truly great their sound quickly evolves into something greater than its musical inspiration. Led Zeppelin again, is an example. So is the Allman Brothers Band’s sophomore masterpiece, “Idlewild South.”

This record is more smoothed out than the Allman’s debut, but this doesn’t make it lesser, it makes it more nuanced and interesting. Hearing this record I could feel its echoes through my music collection. Molly Hatchet and Tom Petty have been influenced by this blend of blues, rock and a hint of prog, and the music world has been made the richer for it. I even hear elements of Blue Oyster Cult in some of the guitar licks and organ, although I suppose it is the opposite that is happening.

Gregg Allman has a wonderful rock tone to his voice that sounds deep in his chest and has plenty of both range and power. The sheer musicianship of the record sometimes overshadows him and it is worth pointing out what a signature rock voice he has.

Every member of the band is at the peak of their ability and they know how to play off one another whether they are employing hard hitting riffs or smooth almost jazz flavoured noodle fests.

Never is this more evident than on “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” a seven minute long instrumental that never lets your ear get bored. This song has it all – changes in tempo and time signature, multiple guitar solos, an organ solo, and near the end, a drum solo to boot. All of it is awesome. The song even has tambourine. Yes, that works too.

The band doesn’t totally abandon their blues roots, nor should they, since the innovative blend of the blues into these songs is part of what makes each one wonderful. They go all-in with a cover of Muddy Waters’ “Hoochie Coochie Man” (the only song sung by bass player Berry Oakley). This song isn’t as raw as the original but it is just as powerful and truth be told, I like it better. A big part of the blues is authenticity, and the Allman Brothers bleed authenticity. If you are looking for the deliberate disconnect so common in a lot of modern indie music, look elsewhere; these guys mean every note they play and every note they sing.

The record ranges all over and while only seven songs and 30 minutes long it feels like you’ve taken a journey across the universe; the musical universe anyway.

The album opens with “Revival” which has a celebratory hippy vibe, and then morphs into the blues-rock number “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin.” “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’” reinvents the blues in yet another direction, with guitar licks that scream with a pre-metal complaint that reminded me of Nazareth. Or was that the other way around again?

The third song, “Midnight Rider” has one of the simplest and most classic guitar riffs ever. It is perfectly matched by Allman’s throaty voice telling the world about how he has one more silver dollar in a way that demands you sing along and help speed the titular character on his way. This is a song that as soon as you hear the first few notes you start nodding and smiling and saying “oh, this song!” because it is so classic it is tattooed into your DNA.

Near the end of the record, “Please Call Home” delivers a heart-breaking love song that made me think of every seventies and eighties rock ballad that would follow. It may be Allman’s greatest vocal on the record, if only because he is exposed here and out in front of the production, protected only by the artfully placed guitar licks of the legendary Dickey Betts.

The fact is that this album made me not only appreciate the Allman Brothers, it gave me a new appreciation for large swathes of the other rock music in my collection. These guys are amazing spirit guides through the growth of hard rock, prog rock, southern rock, and a host of other sounds. This is foundational rock that remains a joy to listen to, forty plus years after it was released.


Best tracks: All tracks

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