The Allman Brothers Band Album by Album Thread (Part Two)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by PHILLYQ, Dec 18, 2014.

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  1. alchemy

    alchemy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sterling, VA
    Great thread. It is moving too fast for this ol man.

    Not sure if this was addressed or answered earlier.

    Of the Fillmore East recordings releases:

    At Fillmore East (1971)
    The Fillmore Concerts (1992)
    At Fillmore East Deluxe Edition (2003)
    The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings (2014)

    What was the release where the guitars were remixed? If I recall correctly, one of the releases Duane guitar was mixed down.

    Is that correct? And which release?
     
  2. reb

    reb Money Beats Soul

    Location:
    Long Island
    MONO fold- for AM radio broadcast.
     
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  3. frank3si

    frank3si Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Castle DE USA
    I believe that was said of The Fillmore Concerts - I haven't listened to that one in a long time so I can't say whether I agree or not.
     
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  4. jmrife

    jmrife Wife. Kids. Grandkids. Dog. Music.

    Location:
    Wheat Ridge, CO
    I have never heard Highway Call; I look forward to the review.

    Kind of odd, since like many here, ABB is my #1 band.
     
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  5. ian christopher

    ian christopher Argentina (in Spirit)

    Location:
    El Centro
    Love the playing on Highway Call. Looking forward to reviews of the first two Great Southern discs. Bougainvillea is one of my favorite tunes ever.
     
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  6. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    IIRC and as another member stated, it was the Fillmore Concerts that were remixed. I will mention the reissues of The Fillmore Concerts when we get there.
     
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  7. reb

    reb Money Beats Soul

    Location:
    Long Island

    I've given this some thought, but I don't think this is the case. He became famous known as Dickey with the success of Fillmore East. The change to Richard I think was to distance himself from that era and establish his new role as co-leader/solo artist. Highway Call was not successful, nor were the next two ABB albums. So after 4 years of Richard ('73,'74,'75,'76) He once again goes by the name that made him famous- Dickey Betts (and Great Southern.)-1977
     
  8. Exile On My Street

    Exile On My Street Senior Member

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Speaking of Fillmore, I exchanged my Blu-ray box for the CD box of the full recordings. I haven't played it yet but it's a beautiful package, nicer than the Blu-ray version.

    @alchemy: I'm pretty sure the remixed version you're speaking about is The Fillmore Concerts as Rose River Bear said. And if I'm not mistaken it was more than just remixed but re-edited. I could be wrong but I do remember making a decision to stay clear of that one after reading some reviews.
     
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  9. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    This week I received the Beginnings SHM-SACD and I'm playing it right now. It sounds excellent with that nice analog feeling to it :). Gregg's vocals and keyboards are right there floating front and center. Both Duane's and Dickey's guitars seemed to be also floating out from my speakers. The top end is nice and detailed (cymbals especially) without any hint of brightness. In Memory of Elizabeth Reed is playing now with the volume cranked! A very wide and deep soundstage as well. A very worthwhile purchase :)!

    Bill
     
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  10. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    [​IMG]
    Richard Betts-Highway Call

    Released September 1974
    Produced by Johnny Sandlin and FRB

    "Long Time Gone" (Betts)
    "Rain" (Betts)
    "Highway Call" (Betts)
    "Let Nature Sing" (Betts)
    "Hand Picked" (Betts)
    "Kissimmee Kid" (Vassar Clements)

    Personnel

    Dickey Betts - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, dobro, lead vocals
    Vassar Clements - fiddle
    Chuck Leavell - piano
    Tommy Talton - acoustic guitar
    John Hughey - steel guitar
    Walter Poindexter - banjo, background vocals
    Leon Poindexter - acoustic guitar, background vocals
    Frank Poindexter - dobro, background vocals
    Stray Straton - bass, background vocals
    Johnny Sandlin - bass
    Oscar Underwood Adams - mandolin
    David Walshaw - drums, percussion
    Jeff Hanna - acoustic guitar
    Reese Wynans - harmonica
    The Rambos (Buck, Dottie, and Reba) - background vocals

    Long Time Gone
    Upbeat road song in F#...somewhat unusual key. Has a bright sound. Standard Country chords but Dickey knows how to dress it up just right. Awesome intro and travelin' lyrics along the way. A fine country two step tune to open the album. Grab your partner and two step your blues away.

    Rain
    Another upbeat song about not letting the blues get you down. Classic Dickey solo in the break. No blue notes on this one....you're in the country. Fine vocal harmonies. Pedal steel is a nice touch.

    Highway Call
    Fine ballad in G about the good ole' days and about the road. Awesome chorus.

    Let Nature Sing
    A song about the pastoral life in the country. Vassar Clements is terrific on the dobro and fiddle. Jon Hughey's pedal steel fills in the gaps among the pickin'. A long coda with fine harmonies and playing from everyone. Some birds chirping in the end.

    Hand Picked
    A fabulous road instrumental. A little bluegrass and a lot of country. Dickey plays a cool solo in the first break for him. Vassar Clements is awesome on the fiddle as usual. Chuck Leavell knows how to fill in the gaps without overplaying. The pedal steel from Hughey brings a smile to your face with a little chicken pickin'. Another memorable theme from Dickey weaves in and out of the whole affair and ties it together. Great instrumental. Leavell plays a fine solo when it comes to his turn. Some first rate ensemble playing all the way to the end.

    Kissimmee Kid
    Vassar Clements tune. Changes key just right to add flavor to the song. Dickey plays a dreamy solo in his first break. A fine closer.

    I love this album even though it is short. It never fails to bring a smile to my face. The playing is first rate...how could it not be with players like this. The album is an extension of the easy going sound that Dickey achieved on Brothers and Sisters. Economical guitar lines are the way on this album. I don't mind a bit....a real break from some rock guitar I listen to. I like the album right up there with Laid Back. Get this album if you don't have it.
     
  11. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

  12. rrbbkk

    rrbbkk Forum Resident

    Years ago I chatted with Johnny Sandlin's wife Ann. She said "Laid Back" was Johnny's favorite album. He assembled the musicians and recorded the backing tracks and Gregg simply came in and sang over them ala Sinatra. At the same time they were trying to get everybody into the studio in a coherent shape to do "Brothers & Sisters." Johnny never knew who was going to appear from day-to-day or in what condition they would be.
     
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  13. Exile On My Street

    Exile On My Street Senior Member

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    I have been listening to this album since yesterday so I'm not sure how much depth I can bring to this review so I'll just give a few 'impressions', as you will, and my thoughts so far. Other than the opening track, "Long Time Gone" I have never heard any of these songs and it's quite understandable why that particular track was chosen for the "Dreams" box as it's the closest of all the songs to the Allman Brothers sound. It's upbeat, catchy and a nice opening track for an album that, similar to Gregg's, has one foot in the Allman camp but another foot totally outside of their respective work within the band. I wasn't too impressed with the other three songs on the first half initially. The playing was tight, there is some fine ass pickin' going on (pardon my lack of musical vernacular) but nothing that grabbed me until we got to the last half of the record, which is all instrumental, "Hand Picked" and "Kissimmee Kid", both tunes kept me engaged for their entire length, running I think for about half the record.

    The weird thing here is that although the first half didn't reel me in initially, none of it was bad and the musicianship is, frankly, outstanding, so I found myself wanting to hear the record again...and then again...and again..Until I really began warming up to "Rain", the title track and "Let Nature Sing". This, of course, is a good sign. Music is a funny thing and I guess this is my brain telling me there is something good, really good going on here so don't give up on it yet...And I haven't. Gregg's album immediately became a favorite of mine and this one is slowly creeping under my skin the more I play it. I enjoy this type of music so it surprises me that only a few cuts stood out for me early on but overall it keeps getting better with each play and I'm happy to finally have it in my collection.
     
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  14. pool_of_tears

    pool_of_tears Searching For Simplicity

    Location:
    Midwest
    Fair warning, get the d 1980's Polydor cd (mastered by Tom Ruff) and NOT the 2001 Cd, mastered by Kevin Reeves (brickwalled to the max). Or get the Capricorn vinyl.
     
  15. reb

    reb Money Beats Soul

    Location:
    Long Island
    Yup, I found a remastered cd years back in the used bins. Took a listen on the local stores system before I purchased it. Promptly put the disc back in the bins. I only have this on vinyl:

    Promo copy of course...:D



    With Poster:

    [​IMG]
     
  16. John Fell

    John Fell Forum Survivor

    Location:
    Undisclosed
    I never cared much for Highway Call.
     
  17. Exile On My Street

    Exile On My Street Senior Member

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Somehow I knew that was coming. :D
     
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  18. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    The word from Capricorn, during this period ( which of course was only questioned when the change occurred, then we just all accepted it after that) was a " newfound maturity " on Dickey's part. The change back was after he simply decided " aw the hell with it."

    In 1974, Charlie respected Dickey's wishes when he wrote The South's Gonna Do It.
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2014
  19. reb

    reb Money Beats Soul

    Location:
    Long Island
    Certainly can relate. When asked - I state my name is Robert. No one that knows me though will use that name. Bobby or Bob will be with me forever. I'm not giving up though...:D
     
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  20. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    A little too country and no blues?
     
  21. John Fell

    John Fell Forum Survivor

    Location:
    Undisclosed
    That is correct Frank.:uhhuh:
     
  22. John Fell

    John Fell Forum Survivor

    Location:
    Undisclosed
    I don't care for it much when people call me Johnny. However, I have been called worse. :biglaugh:
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2014
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  23. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    He certainly steered clear of any blues tones on the album. His voice is really not cut out for a blues growl.
     
  24. John Fell

    John Fell Forum Survivor

    Location:
    Undisclosed
    In addition to rock, I am a blues and jazz fan as well. That is part of the reason I like the Allman Brothers Band, because they mix those elements into their music.
     
  25. reb

    reb Money Beats Soul

    Location:
    Long Island
    Gentlemen,

    Enjoy the rest of the thread, see you later I'm gone (for now). End of the line till '79.:-plnktn-:
     
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