Coming Up for Air

Davy Knowles | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 16, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Blix Street
• ASIN: B00274SI2E
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,438 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good........Not Great, July 6, 2009

By 

Paul "Pinetop" (Clinton, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Coming Up for Air (Audio CD)

This album is quite good and seems to get better each time I listen to it. However I enjoyed the first album a great deal more. I was hoping for something bluesier and heavier like the first few tracks on the first album. This album is more polished and perhaps more melodic but I don't think that is what the fan base for this group was looking for. Good album but a notch below the first effort (IMO). If you get the chance, see this band live, Davy is awesome.Coming Up for Air

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hard to Meet Expectations, September 5, 2009

By 

MrTwistoff "hobbesclarity" (Colorado, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Coming Up for Air (Audio CD)

Unfortunately Davy Knowles (and the original Back Door Slam) set the bar way high on the first CD. That makes it really hard to meet the expectations of fans, and I think this CD shows that.

While, from a Producer/Manager perspective, I'm sure the result is seen as well done - it expands the repertoire of the band, showing greater skill in other techniques/styles etc, from the pure blues guitar fan perspective this one does fall short of the mark. It doesn't live up to the great stuff you see on YouTube that he's done (i.e great work with Govt Mule). However, working with Peter Frampton as Producer, it makes sense that he would be advocating to expand style - and become more available to a wider audience.

However, that approach can't help but disappoint the band's loyal fans. With a new band behind him, you have to wonder what the backstory was and if it had to do with moving away from their roots.

A wiser move may have been to expand the base by including blues legends, or bringing in more funk/ragtime/acoustic sensibilities a bit. This does take a slight pop bend to it.

I'm not saying I don't like the CD, it's just that I like the first one A LOT more. If you're a fan of the first, you may have to adjust expectations to get this second one - although the track "Tear Down the Walls" excels just as the first CD did.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Guitar God In Training, July 3, 2009

By 

Denny K "Denny" (DC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Coming Up for Air (Audio CD)

No..not as good as the first..the first was much bluesier and his live performance (saw him at the Memphis In May celebration in 2008) was what drove me to get the albums...so if given a chance...check out the live show.
I am just waiting for him to break thru.