Review Summary: Creamy Southern goodness
The Allman Brothers come storming out of the gate with their 1969 LP, one of the finest blues rock offerings of a year chock full of them.
The Allmans were already seasoned on the road and hit the studio as a fully formed, multi-headed beast with a united vision. Here is an excellent melding of blues, country and jazz styles, propelled by stellar musicians. Not only did you have the legendary twin guitar attack of Duane Allman and Dickie Trucks, but also Greg Allman's homegrown soulful vocals, and the tight twin drum attack.
Perhaps the greatest magic of this album is the ease with which the band cuts through its virtuosic numbers. The opening track announces the band in all its glory with its twin-guitar lead, organ breaks, and blistering guitar solos. Yet despite all this, it remains a tight blues shuffle. Likewise, for all the dual-guitar wizardry and the dual-drum solos (!) on Black Hearted Woman, the song remains tight, controlled, almost casual.
Anyway who the hell cares about the rest of this review. Get this album. Tandem guitar/keyboard riffs aplenty, awesome creamy slide guitar, solos everywhere, plus atmospherics and minor key shenanigans when the time is appropriate. They cover a lot of ground for a bunch of supposed Southern hicks. Plus it has “Whipping Post”, an amazing song with an amazing vocal. When Allman talks about being tied to that post and whipped upside down, you really believe the guy.
