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The Allman Brothers were one of the greatest southern blues/progressive rock bands of the day. My initial feeling when I hear these two classics is that I feel like I'm walking alone beside a field just enjoying life and feeling good while taking a walk and absorbing some sun and great vibes. I believe Brothers and Sisters should be remembered more for the classic it really is, and because of the popularity of the two big hits from the album, more people should have reviewed this album here on amazon than what's present so far.We're talking about an album that feels like it was created to be loved by absolutely everyone, no matter where on the planet you happen to live, which is probably why the album has a slight commercial vibe through most of it. Of course "Ramblin' Man" and "Jessica" have been played on classic rock radio for years, and with good reason- these are classic songs that *never* get old. What's amazing to me is how, despite the two horrible tragedies the band had to go through back in the early 70's, the one positive that came from all this is that we have an album that's still remembered today, over 35 years later, and I have a strong belief this album will be remembered many more years from now and will be a perfect example to future generations how the blues/southern rock style is supposed to be done- exactly like this. Remember the great Allman Brothers Band.
"Come And Go Blues" is a classic Allman's take on the blues. The resulting music features strong singing and songwriting by Dicky Betts, as well as rolling keyboards by Chuck Leavelle, who had last played with the band on "Live From the Filmore" release. The Allman Brothers had just lost their guitar virtuoso and co-founder Duane Allman, and were soon to lose their bass player, Berry Oakley, who only contributes two songs to this release. "Southbound" a tale of returning home for these Southern rockers, has great guitar and tight drumming. "Wasted Words" showcases Betts on slide guitar. The single, "Rambling Man" is still a Betts standard, with guitar leads contributed by Les Dudek. "Jessica" is an instrumental standard, and the often overlooked "Pony Boy" is lead by Betts's slide and dobro playing. This is not as powerful as some of the earlier Allman Brothers releases, but is still worth owning.
Duane Allman was, without question, the slide guitar genius of his day, and a brilliant blues man. This album shows the remaining band picking up the pieces from tragic loss and showing not only that they could go on, but that they'd continue to reach the soaring heights of their perfected craft. This is more than an album: It is a classic statement of faith in each other and allegiance to the groove.
This album was always a favorite and I couldn't believe the great value here. Almost every cut is a classic.
I have this one on vinyl and have wanted the mp3s for some time. This is a very courageous effort from ABB for reasons I do not need to rehash. A musical triumph and a very special deal from Amazon. Thank You.
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