Record Reviews

ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND ~ WIPE THE WINDOWS, CHECK THE OIL, DOLLAR GAS MUSIC ON CD 14192 (Barcode: 600753959527) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1972 - 1975 Released: 2022 This is a reissue / remaster of the live album by the iconic American Rock group The Allman Brothers BandFind albums by this artist, released originally as a 2LP in 1976. It presents the group in the first years following the tragic deaths of their guitarist Duane AllmanFind albums by this artist and bassist Berry OakleyFind albums by this artist. The lineup of the band included the four founding members: vocalist / keyboardist / guitarist Gregg AllmanFind albums by this artist, vocalist / lead guitarist Dickey BettsFind albums by this artist, drummer / percussionist Jai Johanny JohansonFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. JaimoeFind albums by this artist) and drummer Butch TrucksFind albums by this artist, and new members: keyboardist Chuck LeavellFind albums by this artist and bassist Lamar WilliamsFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven tracks, taken from their album “Brothers And SistersFind albums with this title” and earlier albums. The newly remaster album offer a far superior sound quality to the original release. The album was poorly received at the time of its initial release, mainly due to the imminent comparison to the legendary “At Fillmore East” live album, which remains as one of the undisputable best live Rock albums of all time. However, the music and the performances on this album are all first class, as was always the case with The Allman Brothers Band and additionally it is a great document of the miraculous survival of the band, following their disastrous / catastrophic fate earlier on. Overall, this is superb live Classic Rock album in every respect, which emphasizes both the Blues roots of the group and their sublime Rock improvisations, which are most evident on the expanded tracks. No less important are the great songwriting abilities of Greg Allman and Betts, who wrote most of the material the group performed. This is a wonderful ride down the memory lane, which again and again states that “they don’t make music like this anymore”. Pure gold for Classic Rock and Allman Brothers Band fans!

Updated: 20/01/2023Posted: 20/01/2023

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

ROLLING STONES ~ BLUE & LONESOME (DELUXE EDITION) POLYDOR 602557149463 (Barcode: 602557149463) ~ UK ~ Blues Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the twenty-third British studio album (and twenty-fifth American studio album) by The Rolling StonesFind albums by this artist, separated by eleven years from their last studio effort "A Bigger BangFind albums with this title" form 2005. It features twelve covers of Blues standards, which makes it the first Stones album to comprise entirely of covers. In addition to the quartet Stones lineup: vocalist and harp player Mick JaggerFind albums by this artist, guitarists Keith RichardsFind albums by this artist and Ronnie WoodFind albums by this artist and drummer Charlie WattsFind albums by this artist, several other musicians participated in the recording sessions, which took place in London during just three days in December of 2015: bassist Darryl JonesFind albums by this artist and keyboardists Chuck LeavellFind albums by this artist and Matt CliffordFind albums by this artist. Eric ClaptonFind albums by this artist plays guitar on two tracks and Jim KeltnerFind albums by this artist plays percussion on one track. The Deluxe Edition contains no additional music in comparison to the standard edition, but is beautifully packaged and includes a hardcover book about the sessions and the origin of the songs and glossy photographs of the band. For The Stones this album is a symbolic closing of a circle. They always were and never stopped to be a Blues band, even when they ventured into other territories, some closer to the Blues like Rhythm And Blues and Rock And Roll and others more remote, like Psychedelic Rock and Pop. But overall, they always had the Blues deep inside their musical guts, which probably is the main reason why they managed to survive and carry on for all these years, now in the sixth decade of their odyssey. The album presents all the "usual" qualities every Stones´ album is blessed with: honesty, directness and no bullshit attitude, which made them always different from most other superstar groups, who came and went away over the years. As Jagger says in the album´s book, The Stones could have recorded this album in 1963 or 1964, and I wish they would have done so, as we would now have that recording to compare with the one made over fifty years later. But listening to the early Stones albums today is good enough to reach the conclusion that five decades made them better in many ways, but more importantly did not blemish any of their basic qualities, which make them what they are. Although "white men can´t jump" might apply to some areas of life, but The Stones phenomenon is a living proof that white musicians can play the Blues with the same emotional and spiritual depth as the forefathers of the idiom. After all it´s not about the color of your skin, but about the color of your soul! And the rest is history…

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 10/03/2017

CD 1 Digibook Box Set Recommend To A Friend