4 comments about Montana Cafe: Original Classic Hits, Vol.21.

1. "Country State of Mind" is my favorite song ever. It is the first song on this CD. I can listen to it over and over. I love both the words and the music. It is about being in the country and fishing. Lots of Hank Jr.'s songs are about the country, and that's one reason why I like his songs so much.



2. Between 1975 and 1983, hank made some of the best country rock records out there. Slowly, over the next five years, he became a joke. This album marks the last remnants of the old hank jr. and gives a frightening look at the hank that will dominate for the next several years.



3. Hank's style of music mixes blues, rock and country in a way that is all his own. This album is a great example of his music, though blues and rock are much more evident on this album than country. Hank wrote or co-wrote seven of the ten tracks here, but his choice of covers is, as usual, outstanding.

   The opening track, Country state of mind, is actually a bluesy song despite its title - very moody. Montana café is a very reflective song. The tempo picks up on the next song. My girl don't like my cowboy hat, which really rocks. The tempo slows again for When something is good why does it change. Next comes a medley of two very old songs - Shine on harvest moon (from 1909) and St Louis blues (only a few years younger). Hank's bluesy covers of these classics may not please everybody but they suit his style and I'm glad he included them. Another cover follows, this time it's the blues rocker, You can't judge a book, from the songbook of Willie Dixon.

   Hank sings about himself in My name is Bocephus - a moody blues rocker. Loving instructor is another great blues rocker. Fat friends also rocks but is more light-hearted. Perhaps the best track of all is the last (and the only one that sounds country) - a cover of his father's Mind your own business, in which Reba McEntire, Tom Petty, Willie Nelson and Reverend Ike each sing a few lines.

   This album has little to do with country music but it is a high quality album that demonstrates Hank at his best.




4. This is some Hank Jr. best work. It got it all, from ballads, to western swing.

5 comments about Creedence Clearwater Revival.

1. With Concord Music Group having purchased the Fantasy catalog, the fortieth anniversary of Creedence Clearwater Revival's debut LP provides a suitable opportunity for a fresh round of reissues. All six of the original foursome's albums (from 1968's Creedence Clearwater Revival through 1970's Pendulum) have been struck from new digital masters and augmented by previously unreleased tracks. Those who purchased the 2001 box set can pick up most of the bonus tracks separately as digital downloads (the two longest bonuses are CD-only). Those who didn't buy the box, and think they'll buy all six reissues may want to consider the box set for its inclusion of pre-Creedence work from the Blue Velvets and Golliwogs, the seventh CCR album Mardi Gras, the 1970-71 live recordings and several box-only bonuses. But for those just wanting to pick up a few favorite albums, these reissues are the ticket. Each is presented in a digipack with original front and back cover album art and a 16-page booklet with photos, credits and new liner notes.
   
   Creedence's self-titled debut finds the band making the transition from blues and psychedelia to the bayou flavor that made them the greatest American rock band ever. The disc opens with a resurrection of Screaming Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You." Fogerty's vocal hasn't the insane menace of Hawkins' original, but his manhandling guitar solo shows how broad his vision of American music was going to be. The same is true for the group's cover of Dale Hawkins' "Suzie Q," extending the rockabilly classic into an eight-minute epic. Doug Clifford's fade-in backbeat gives way to Fogerty's insinuating guitar riff, and a run through of the lyrics leads to an intense guitar jam whose feedback-lined climax dissolves back into the smoke of a fading backbeat. The album's third cover is "Ninety-Nine and a Half (Won't Do)," offered as a harder blues than the original's Stax groove, and with a more ferocious vocal than Wilson Pickett's original.
   
   The originals, all written by John Fogerty, aren't the swamp-rock icons of later albums, ranging from the straight blues "The Working Man" and "Get Down Woman" to the soul-psych "Gloomy" and jamming "Walking on Water." The tune that points forward is "Porterville," where you can hear the seeds of CCR's swampy rock and an aggressive individualism in Fogerty's lyrics. The 2008 CD's bonus tracks include the throwback harmony rocker B-side of the group's first single (originally issued as the Golliwogs) "Call it Pretending" and a 1968 album outtake of Bo Diddley's "Before You Accuse Me" that's less refined than the version they'd record for Cosmo's Factory two years later. Two superbly present live tracks from a 1969 Fillmore show repeat "Ninety Nine and a Half (Won't Do)" and "Suzie Q," the former close to the studio original, the latter a set-closing showpiece demonstrating Fogerty's hypnotizing guitar mastery stretching out to nearly twelve minutes. [©2008 hyperbolium dot com]



2. I play a little. I don't have the best musical ear in the world. I can't sing at all, but I swear the lead guitar throughout the whole album, all those solos that we're heard again and again, like Suzie Q, are out of tune with the rest of the band. You really notice this on a CD instead of a radio or elevator or k-mart store sound system or TV sound track (Apocalypse Now). I find this first LP hard to listen to. I was wondering if technology of some kind can bring the lead guitar solos into tune with the other guitar and bass. Hey, we've just discovered the Doors first LP ran slow since the begining of time, and they fixed it!!!!! (go read a review of the 40th anniversary mix) Maybe that's why Apocalypse Now is so surreal....



3. CCR's first has two standout songs, two very good songs and a couple of good-but not great songs. Susie Q is one of my all-time favorites. It is a moody, almost stalkerish, love song. Lyrically it's quite simple: "Oh Susie Q, baby I love you, Susie Q" for example. But its the music that drives it to be memorable. A brooding, grungy drum beat layered behind Fogerty's great guitar work. "I put a Spell on You" is an excellent remake of an old classic with Fogerty's gruff voice adding urgency to the lyrics. "The Workingman" and "Ninety nine and a half" are good bluesy rock songs. The rest are decent, but not as memorable. Overall, a very good rock n' roll CD.



4. I was only 17 and had just finished walking in a peace march when back in the car this voice came waling on the raido. It was John Fogerty singing I Put A Spell On You. He must have because all these years later I have a mini dachshund that I named SusieQ after the flip side of that 45. Songs like Ninety-Nine and a Half were played on the raido all the time. Ahhhh those were the good old days.And this CD is one of the best from back then!But it and enjoy it



5. This was the debut album by Creedence Clearwater Revival. It established their highly original sound, which was a lot different than any of the other bands that came out of the San Francisco scene (like CCR did). While they did have their sound down, John Fogerty's songwriting wasn't quite as good as it would later be. It's notable that the two chart singles from the album, "Suzie Q" and "I Put a Spell On You" are covers of songs from the '50s (by two guys named Hawkins who were of no relation to each other). The other cover song on the album was the more recent "Ninety-Nine and a Half" by Wilson Pickett. John Fogerty's original songs are good, but he got ever better as he went along. The best original song on the album, in my opinion, is "Walk on the Water", which Tom Fogerty co-wrote with John. This song actually dates from the pre-Creedence days, when the band was known as the Golliwogs. This is a very good album by CCR, but the best was yet to come.

5 comments about Dreams to Remember: The Otis Redding Anthology.

1. As good as Hendrix was at the guitar,Otis Redding was THAT good at singing.This is a great investment especially because it includes the Monterey Pop Festival performances which has the most soulfull recording of a vocal that I have ever heard with "I've been Loving You to Long".What a performance.This collection is great because it also has his earlier songs and the last song he ever recorded two days before his tragic death in a plane crash,"Sittin on the Dock of the Bay".Just think about the peak he was at before he died.He could have done anything with that voice.



2. This is a great CD, with lots of hard to find Otis Redding songs included. Smooth, soulful, and rockin' We miss you Otis!
   
   The Mean Eyed Cat
   KNON 89.3 Dallas, Texas



3. This is one of the best anthology cd's out the music is very soothing and it feels good to be able to sit back and reminisce.



4. This compilation is a defination of Otis capability in expressing different experinciences and feelings for lovers,it is the epitomy of music that did not wane with the time,actually the quality of Otis Reddind music surpasses most of contemporary styles,the only shortcoming is that most of the tracks are short but the double CD's are worth the price
   The man achieved a lot during the short span of his artistry, the world has lost a gem



5. I bought this set a few years ago in a record store because I wanted to hear more by the "Dock of the Bay Guy". I ended up listening to both discs over and over again for the next five days, I couldn't get enough. The only reason you could possibly have for not getting this collection is because you've decided to go for "Otis!" the magnificent 4 disc boxed set.

4 comments about No Reservations.

1. TO CORRECT THE REVIEW ABOVE THE SONGS WERE WRITIN' BY SPIRES AND RICKY MEDLOCKE. THERE WAS A LEGAL ISSUE WITH SKYNYRD'S MANAGEMENT THAT WAS EASY TO SOLVE BY PUTTING JUST SPIRES NAME.(CHECK MY REVIEW ON SKYNYRD'S FIRST AND LAST FOR MORE DETAILS ON THAT.)THIS WAS A GREAT DEBUT BY BLACKFOOT AND IT'S RELEASED ON CD AFTER ALMOST 30 YEARS. LP'S FOR THE ALBUM WERE SELLING FOR 300$ ON EBAY AND OTHER SITES. MAIN SONGS OF INTEREST ARE RAILROAD MAN,BORN TO ROCK N' ROLL,BIG WHEELS,I STAND ALONE. NOT THEIR BEST BUT A GOOD ALBUM, WORTH HAVING.



2. I've been a Blackfoot fan since 1979 and for some reason this album kept slipping under the radar. I was a vinyl collector long before CD's came out and I don't recall ever seeing this one in the store or I would have bought it just because it was Blackfoot. So now after 23 years I finally bought the CD. What a pleasure it was to finally hear these songs written by the late great Jakson Spires. Not only was he an outstanding drummer he was also the chief songwriter for this amazing rock band. 'Railroad Man' is an instant classic written by Mr.Shorty Medlock, Rickey's grand-dad. Lots of good stuff here. Probably my personal favorite is a song called 'Stars'. It about another great band who 'makes it' and in the eyes of a struggling Blackfoot, seems to forget who their friends are. But Blackfoot 'Stands Alone' (another favorite from No Reservations)and will find their success to be just as rewarding as the subject of the song.
   
   I would highly recommend this CD even at the import price.



3. NO RESERVATIONS, Blackfoot's debut album, now out on CD, is great. The opening and closing song, "Railroad Man" is a terrific blues number that just flat out rocks, and the rest of the album is, too. It's highly unfortunate that this album had languished in the vaults until it was reissued on CD in 2004, just in time to coincide with the band's reunion. The fact that the surviving members of Blackfoot, past and present advocate sanctions against countries that convict foreign tourists on false charges, increased funding for law enforcement, and the death penalty or life without parole for aggravated kidnapping makes NO RESERVATIONS an essential purchase for both your ears AND your conscience.



4. The second release from Florida is a rocker. From the opening up tempo "Feelin' Good" all the way through the poignant "Mother" that closes the disc, this one is well worth the price. Medlocke has moved on to be a part of Lynyrd Skynyrd, but Blackfoot lives on with the killer tunes they layed down through the late 70's and 80's. Check out how tight this band was with this release and their first one "No Reservations". Blackfoot has always been one of those feel good, bluesy-rockin' southern bands, not really fitting into the mold of the typical southern rock band. Just buy it and crank it, you'll be glad you did!

5 comments about Black Oak Arkansas.

1. I saw them play in 1971 at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. I was in the 11/12th grade. I still have the flyer that was stapled to the pole outside. This CD is the only one I own and still listen to on occasion. Usually when drinking Jack Daniels and watching young college girls across the street. Just kidding of course...(here that scrub board?)



2. This is the best of BOA's output. period. the next 2 LPs are really good, basically extensions of this body of raunchy rock music. Get Keep the Faith too. Their 3rd release, If an Angel Came to see you, Would You Make Her Feel At Home' has never been released on CD for some reason...but the LP is cool.



3. jerry lee may be able to top this, but that it.
   
   these guys have balls and great licks. i heard them in the 60s, so i'm prejudiced this way. but for that good crzy sounds and fun these guys are worth 5 stars. This is the album to get, it is tight and like SgtPepper, it holds up as one feeling of fun from start to finish. No comp comes close, or other album by them.



4. i am a long haired death metal country boy from arkansas, this is not my kind of music. but, i grew up listening to these guys. yes, Black Oak Arkansas is an actual small town on highway 18 in north east Ark., and as far as i know Jim 'Dandy' Mangrum still lives there. this is the bands' debut album, a great disc of country inspired rock blues, jazzy funk. 'Lord have Mercy on my Soul' is an easy choice for a fave', but i prefer the lively "Uncle Elijah," and the haunting "Memories at the Window." this is a milestone in rock music, don't overlook it.
   in the early 70's when this album came out and the band was in they're heyday, BOA was often on television on NBC's "Midnight Special" on friday nights. on spur of the moment one night about 10 years ago i stopped in a local club late one night, a lean blonde haired dude in his late 40's was sitting in on guitar and vocals with a local band. when he came and stood next to me at the bar, i realized it was Jim Dandy Mangrum. here was a man who was once world famous, still looked like a rock star but had none of the arrogance.
   get this album and enjoy one of the founders of southern country rock groove and boogie



5. Black Oak Arkansas (BOA) caught the Rock world unprepared for thier high decible blend of Rock, Country, Hillbilly, Rock-abilly.... Also BOA added a touch of history and spiritualism to their outstanding lyricism. They paved the way for Charlie Daniels, Leonard Skinyrd, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Marshall Tucker, Alabama..... Well, BOAs contribution to an evolution within the Rock community puts them on the same cloud as Buddy Holly, and the Beatles. Cuts Uncle Elijah, and Lord Have Mercy on my Soul, are but two of the standouts on this album. No production values are missing, or lost. NOTE: BOAs "Singin' the Blues" track is a Rock update from the 1920s. One might say thier style is from all the right places in Hell. The evil sounding vocals - as yet unmatched - sound like Ol' Scratch himself.

4 comments about Five-O-Five.

1. This is one of Hank's more varied albums with a bit of everything - country, rock, blues, hard-rocking songs, plaintive ballads and (of course) his strong opinions on aspects of life.

   The set opens with I'm for love, a song that belies its title - it is one of Hank's classic soapbox songs in which he protests about all sorts of things. This is followed by another hard-rocking song, I really like girls. Hank slows things down for a reflective look at the country music business in The Nashville scene. Next is an outstanding cover of the old Fats Waller classic, Ain't misbehaving.

   My favorite track here, Something to believe in, is a very touching love story. Lawyers guns and money, a hard-rocking song, is followed by the equally hard-rocking This ain't Dallas, in which Hank contrasts real life with what you see on TV. I've been around, a reflective song, is followed by New Orleans, a rocking tribute to a great city. The album closes with Outlaw's reward - again, not what the title suggests, but a plaintive ballad.

   If you enjoy Hank's music, you'll love this album.




2. I LIKE ALL THE SONGS AND PLUS THE NEW CD COME OUT .I LIKE TO ORDER SOME T- SHIRTS. I BE LISTEN TO HIM A LONG TIME.`



3. This is a true masterpeiece from one of country music's living legends.When they say Hank Williams Jr. is a bigger then life figure they will point to this CD as helping to make that image.The CD starts off with "I'm For Love" then glides beautifully through "The Nashville Scene". I'd recomend this CD for ALL true fans of Ol'BOCEPHUS.I'd say that anyone who loves country music will REALLY love this CD.



4. This Cd is without a doubt one of Hank Williams Jr.'s masterpeices.The CD starts you off with "I'm For Love" and glides beautifully through "The Nashville Scene".I truly recomend this CD for ANY true fan of Ol'BOCEPHUS.This is a true and blue bonafied country music masteriece by in my view THE BEST DAMN COUNTRY SINGER ON EARTH.

5 comments about Dickey Betts & Great Southern - Back Where It All Begins Live At The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

1. This is a very good concert dvd of Dickey Betts & Great Southern performing at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, on September 29, 2004. The music is great and is described on the DVD back as a "genre-blending" style of jazz, blues, country and rock. I agree with that assessment. The package is a DVD/CD combo, this review is of the DVD concert.
   
   The line-up consists of Dickey Betts on guitar and lead vocals, Danny Toler on guitars, Frankie Lombardi on drums, percussion, and vocals, Michael Kach on Hammond organ, piano and lead vocals, and Pedro Arevalo on bass guitar. Also, there is a guest performance of Dickey Betts' son Duane Betts on guitar. This band can really jam.
   
   The song set consists of 12 songs and runs approximately 152 minutes. Some highlights I liked include: "Blue Sky", "Change my way of Living"(because the blues is all I see), "Ramblim' Man" (this is a Dickey Betts classic that goes back to 1973 era "Allman Brothers Band"), "Back Where it All Begins", a Robert Johnson classic "Come on in my Kitchen", "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" (this is another Dickey Betts classic that goes back to early "Allman Brothers Band" music, "No one to run With", and "Jessica" (another Dickey Betts classic going back to early Allman Brothers Band music).
   
   Overall this is a very good concert, with great guitar work, including slide guitar play. Also, there are alternating lead singers between Dickey Betts on guitar and Michael Kach on keyboards. The accompany CD is also a bonus item. I think it is a very enjoyable concert dvd to have and watch and therefore I recommend it.



2. Dickey Betts is as drunk as a skunk on this DVD. The faces he makes during his solos are hilarious. The drummer (Lombardi) is all over the place as far as his timing goes and the faces he makes behind the kit will make you laugh even harder. There's once instance during "Ramblin Man" where the drummer (Lombardi) goes so out of time that he throws the entire band completely out of whack. Then Dan Toler turns to Lombardi and gives him a look as if to say "What the hell are you doing back there"? There's also another incident where Lombardi reaches for his boom mic stand to start singing and he knocks the stand over right into his lap which causes him to mess up his timing again. Being a musician myself it saddens me to see this kind of stuff happen but at the same time it's funny to see as well. Overall the DVD has a "feelgood" vibe to it so some of you die hard fans of Betts may really enjoy it. I give this DVD a 2 star rating only because the Bass player was great and basically was the one who tries to hold the entire performance together. The keyboard player wasn't too bad either but I heard him hit a few sour notes as well.



3. Dickey Betts used to be a good showman, and a huge part of the ABB sound. This effort, sadly, is a real let-down. He just sounds bad almost all the way through. The band is not well-rehearsed, and they all embarrass themselves here. The keyboard player is good, and towards the end of the show Dickey Betts sobers up enough to put together some quality licks, but if you're going to be a professional band, you really owe it to your audience to give them the best show you can. Dickey, man-to-man; you can do better than this, and you'd better lay off the booze or it will kill you.



4. First of all: Dickey Betts is NOT drunk at this show!!! In fact, he looks better than he has in many years, and he'd be a fool if he were to show up drunk to this performance that he knew was going to be filmed and taped, and it is filmed and taped on sacred ground- The Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Fame.
   
   I fundamentally disagree with everybody who say that this is a "sloppy" performance. It's not! The band is really tight, but in some songs there are little parts where they don't follow eachother completely. That may well be because they know that they're being filmed and therefore are a little nervous. Who cares? For the love of God, it's a jam band!!! If everything were to be pitch perfect they wouldn't be interesting to listen to at all.
   
   Some viewers have critisized DB on the fact that he plays a lot of Allman songs during this show. Well, I'll ask you: Who did write all those songs??? Dickey Betts did, so why shouldn't he play them? He even say something about the songselection during the interviews to explain why they chose those songs for this show.
   
   IMO this band that have the potential to become just as good as the Allmans used to be a long time ago. They have two great guitarslingers (Dickey Betts and Danny Toler, who used to be with the Allmans too), they have a stunning bassplayer who really knows how to lay down that "seventies" basslines, they have a great drummer with a lot of energy and a piano/ hammondplayer/ singer who sounds a lot like Greg Allman when he was in his twenties.
   
   I urge you to buy this DVD and support one of the greatest guitarplayers and composers of all time within this kind of music. You wont be dissapointed!!!



5. Let me start by stating that I am a Dickey Betts fan. I first discovered Dickey via the Allman Brothers Band, of course, and I remain an ABB fan, too. But I've purchased every Dickie Betts solo effort, with my favorites being the first Great Southern release and Pattern Disruptive. I also like Seven Turns by the ABB, which strikes me as essentially the Dickey Betts album that would have followed Pattern Disruptive, with Gregg Allman added soemwhere during the recording process to covert it to an ABB album. Without knowing, I always assumed that neither Pattern Disruptive nor Gregg Allman's Just Before the Bullets Fly sold very well and that management or record company executives "encouraged" Gregg and Dickey to reform the band. I'm only speculating on that, though.
   
   I purchased this DVD precisely because I am a Dickey Betts fan, and I was hoping for a great performance. I kind of presumed that Dickey would want to show the ABB how great he still is, kind of an "up yours" in response to their decision to fire him.
   
   Instead (and I'm surprised that not one of the earlier reviewers mentioned this), Dickie shows up drunk and gives a terrible performance. Isn't that precisely why the ABB fired this founding member?
   
   The result? Dickie growls/yells rather than sings his vocals. Dickie's timing is off on what should be unison/harmony guitar lines with Dan Toler. Dickie plays unimaginitive and repetitive solos (...yes, he's always been repetitive, but that was countermanded by his creativity...). And Dickie slowed some of the tunes down to a lethargic pace, I presume because when he's wasted he can't play them at their more appropriate and energetic pace.
   
   Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess, but I am surprised that this disc has gotten any ratings higher than 3 stars. For me, it's zero stars, and disposed of.

5 comments about Super Hits of the '70s: Have a Nice Day, Vol. 15.

1. This series has songs that are unavailable on almost all other collections. If you want some of the great "one-hit wonders" from the 1970's, then this is the place to go!



2. With this look at 70s A.M. radio hits, Rhino gives us proto-power pop (Dwight Twilley), a bit of bubblegum (Austin Roberts, David Geddes), country (Jessi Colter), folkie earnestness (Janis Ian), the 70s idea of a 'boy band' (Bay City Rollers), and a foretaste of disco (Hot Chocolate).
   
   HIGHLIGHTS:
   "S-A-TUR-DAY NIGHT!" is still as insistent today as it was then, threatening to resurrect Rollermania if played at good volume. The percolating "You Sexy Thing" also continues to charm. "At Seventeen" is the anthem of "ugly ducklings" everywhere and the frenetic stabbing strings of Jigsaw's "Sky High" make it one of the finest one hit wonders ever.
   
   MIDDLING:
   These two are kind of in the "love it or hate it" category so I chose to make special mention of Austin Roberts' "Rocky" and David Geddes "Run Joey Run". Both feature melodramatic plotlines ('Rocky' dies young leaving the song's protagonist a single father while "Joey" is a single father dodging the shotgun of his would-be bride's father) that ensure not much middleground. I like them both but they're definitely not for everyone.
   
   LOWS:
   Usually I like power pop but Dwight Twilley's "I'm on Fire" leaves me cold. "Fallin' in Love" is a bland followup to the zippy "Don't Pull Your Love" (even if it was the bigger chart hit). Pete Wingfield's "Eighteen With A Bullet" is an unlistenable mess.
   
   3 1/2 stars



3. These songs are all basic throwaway hits. The only reason why I gave it five stars was because it had Rocky by Austin Roberts on it. Its the only cd ive ever found with the song on it. Its one of my all time favorite songs and im glad that I finally found it on cd.



4. I REALLY LIKED THE MUSIC BUT THERE IS ONE SONG I WANTED TO LISTEN TO BUT I COULDNT WHITCH WAS ROCKY BY AUSTIN ROBERTS,AS I WANTED TO KNOW IF IT WAS THE SAME SONG I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR,FOR AGES. THANK YOU SHAYLE



5. How tacky are some of these songs? Well, I can remember hearing these songs being played at SEARS while shopping for clothes (no choice in those days. I lived in the suburbs and didn't yet have a car). The direct memories of denim jackets with sequins, and shorty tops - with sequins, fill me with shivers both warm (memories) and cold (fashion hell), as I listen to these songs. But not all of 'em are tacky. There are a couple of juicy goodies that actually broke the ground of riskless AM radio. "You Sexy Thing" was a hot crossover tune that got white people dancing (one could even say it was one of the first preludes to disco), and that title garnished many a sequined shorty top. Even many a pair of ..... (the seventies were SO fabulously sleazy!). And "Eighteen With A Bullet", despite it's slight '50sish Frankie Lymon feel, had a tight euphoric bite to it, which was a fresh charge in let's face it, what was a pretty stale, generic musical wasteland by the mid-seventies. Even Bay City Roller-mania was a delightful change, despite the fact that their fans all looked like Catholic school rejects (I guess that's where they got all that plaid). Come to think of it, maybe sequined shorty tops weren't so bad after all! Have fun -
   and don't forget to have a nice day! :)

1 comments about The Essential Allman Brothers Band: The Epic Years.

1. This CD chronicles the remarkable resurgence of the Allman Brothers Band in the 1990's. It had been nearly two decades since the band's initial peak under the leadership of Duane Allman. While the Allmans found a way to carry on, surprising nearly everyone with the superb albums Eat a Peach and Brothers and Sisters, the band languished during the late 1970's and early 1980's. When the Allmans resurfaced in 1989, they added guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody, creating a combination that had the ability to finally bring the band forward, with the potential to meet, or even exceed, the heights reached by the original members.
   
   Going into this effort, Warren Haynes was a young, extremely talented guitarist with a penchant for slide guitar that warmed the hearts of Duane Allman fans and provided a challenge to Dickey Betts that made for fantastic interplay between the two. That interplay is possibly the best element of this new collection. Of course today, Warren is regarded as one of the finest guitarist of the day and has recently returned to re-envigorate the Allmans once again.
   
   This collection is an excellent overview of this, one of the most exciting periods in the band's history. Having seen them live many times during the 1990's, I was constantly impressed by how the Allmans kept pushing the music forward while staying true to their original vision. In doing so, they achieved the most rare of all rock achievements, a "comeback" that was not an overly nostalgic event, but rather a dedicated and successful journey with one foot in tradition and one foot in the present. The Allmans have been, and continue to be, without equal in their ability to create this magic.
   
   Of course I would recommned that you buy this CD. You will not be disappointed. The remastering is excellent and the song selection provides a great representation of some of the band's highlights during this time. I would quibble, though, over just a few things. I guess one cannot be an honest reviewer without doing that. Nobody Knows is an absolutely daring, fantastic, menacing song. The live version on An Evening with the ABB is even better than the studio version here. It rivals anything on Fillmore East (I know to some that is heresy). Kind of Bird from Shades of Two Worlds should have been included. It shows an entirely different side of the band, proficiently focused on jazz, as the title implies. Anyway, there are a number of excellent tunes from this time and I would encourage anyone who likes this set to check out Shades of Two Worlds, An Evening with the Allman Brothers Band and Second Set. All are excellent and well worth exploring. Finally, I should just note that the current version of the ABB, featuring Haynes and Derek Trucks is bringing the band to even greater heights. If you don't have them already, Hittin' the Note and the most recent live set, One Way Out, demontrate that today the Allmans have no equal.

5 comments about XXX.

1. i confirm all the positive reviews about this record, this record has indelible qualities for it ; this is a hint of the future of music, and a real foray into the future, not like those pseudo-innovators who invented in fact nothing, this album sounds like nothing which has been done before; for completing its advantages there is a bunch a standout tracks, lousy, distorted fuzz guitar which at times sounds almost like a synthesizer (a kind of sound that you can hear at the end of a Hendrix's song on 'Electric Ladyland' called 'Gypsy's eyes); there is two excellent tracks: 'Pop Chop Sandwich' and 'Sinpusher' (a re-writing of 'Pincushion', Billy Gibbons thought that this live version was an improvement over the studio track released on 'Antenna'); for me this two songs are classics; 'Beatbox' (it begins like an electronica thing before turning into a superb guitar solo), 'Crucifixx-A-Flat' (very bizarre track, i would describe it as a cross between rap and ZZ sound), 'Dreadmonboogaloo' (experimental dance tune, ZZ here experiments with sampling) and 'Made into a movie' (slow blues, a little bit repetitive though but with a nice guitar) are also good tracks; the guitar tone and playing is superb and the drums of F. Beard are a true improvement over the previous releases (especially compared to the MTV eighties stuff), his playing is more subtle and slightly funky; in short, one of the best rock albums of the post-Hendrix's era, this is indispensable for someone who have a good ear.



2. This is the best ZZTop album I have heard. Not a bad song on it. I live in Utah and only hear a few ZZTop tunes on the radio. In my opinion XXX is some of their finer stuff. ZZTop forever!



3. Billy is a god of tone. I've listened over and over to this CD (always) with a big smile on my face. No one and I mean no one rocks like ZZ.



4. Not quite as dirty as Rythmeen. But this album is another true original. The boys' darkest album yet. This one is not as roudy as Rythmeen, but better due to its understated and ominous quality. Another gem from the most underated legends in the music industry.



5. I bought this album when it came out and was incredibly dissapointed. Again, you have to write a set of songs to go along with that great fuzz toned guitar. Plodding, boring and lazy are a few of the words that come to mind when I think of this album. I was a huge fan of Rhythmeen, which seemed like a re-birth of the old Top sound to me. This was a huge step in the wrong direction. So, in my humble opinion if you want a good later day ZZ Top album pick up Rhythmeen or even Mescalaro.