Customer Reviews

Cycles

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It took the Doobies about a decade to shake off the stigma of Michael McDonald. With "Cycles" they came back with the kind of rock sound that long time fans had been yearning for. The singles, "The Doctor" and "South of the Border" are great and there are several other tracks which make you feel like the boys had never been away, just taking a long break. A worthy addition to any Doobies collection.

I loved this album when it came out and I still do. "Cycles" came out at a time when a lot of older band - "Little Feat" among them - were finding their footing again and people were realizing these bands still had some great music in them. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

The original lineup (well, the Toulouse St. lineup to be fair) of the Doobie Brothers finally got back to together to release an album in the summer of 1989. The result is, in my opinion, their best work. There is really no weakness throughout the album. The Doctor was the huge hit, of course, reaching #9 on the pop charts and #1 on the Rock charts. The followup single was no slackoff itself, as it reached #45 on the pop charts and #3! on the Rock chart. South of the Border also fared well on the rock charts. Musically however, this album flows together so neatly, and each song is so thoughtfully catchy that there are no songs to skip over. Time is Here and Gone is one of the most amazing songs you will ever here - it's message and it's music echo so very true. In fact, lyrically, this album is no doubt the most mature the band ever did. But the music is what makes the Doobs - roaring guitars, sweet acoustics, and their lush, trademark harmonies. This album shows the best of all worlds. So pop it in and be reminded that "Music is the doctor...of my soul".

Now, don't get me wrong, most Doobies purists will cite "Toulouse Street" or "What Were Once Vices" or "The Captain and Me" as THE essential offerings from these American music legends. "Cycles", the first Tom Johnston album since 1975's "Stampede". Johnston left in '76 for "health" reasons. It was later revealed that TJ may have had a substance abuse problem of sorts. He made a minor contribution to "Takin' It To The Streets", but was abruptly upstaged by former Steely Dan session-man Michael McDonald. McDonald's unusual baritone? made for a day-night takeover of the once southern propelled boogie of the Johnston era. Original Doobie Pat Simmons seemed quite isolated by the McDonald takeover. His impact was almost non existent during MM's reign. But what happened was a bit of music history. "Minute By Minute" made the Doobies millions of dollars and earned them album of the year and a few grammies in the process. But Doobie purists were appauled by the change in direction and the loss of one of rock's most recognizable voices in Tom Johnston.

Cycles restores all that was lost and does more. The band ends up making a seemless collection of well honed Doobie material with Johnston making an amazing comeback. "The Doctor" may be nothing more than a recycled "China Grove", but man that's some good recycling! And if the record company (Capitol) was hungry for a "single", they got a beauty. But this album is so much more. "One Chain" immediately refocuses the old fans on the legendary DB harmonies and the band-ly brotherhood that went south during the McDonald era. What's nice is whether its Simmons or Johnston, the philosophy is similar; acoustic guitars, layered electrics and a fierce backing vocal brigade. "Take The Highway" is a great example of this. But it continues on "South of The Border" and the Isley remake of "Need A Little Taste of Love". There's richness to this music that recalls the band's past while moving them forward. Rodney Mills does a nice job maintaining the Doobie sound while updating the production values all at the same time. Gone is rawness of their earlier work. The result is a lean to an R&B sound that works wonders with these mostly TJ compositions. I challange any Doobie fan to find a DB album that is this good from start to finish. The one that comes closest is 1991's "Dangerous". Another forgotten gem produced by Rodney Mills and featuring the biker anthem title track. Get these two in tandem and enjoy a great musical comeback by America's best band, according to me.

Simply put, Michael McDonald ruined the Doobie Brothers. What had been a good rockin' band was transformed into a bland popish group with none of the soul of the original band. This disc, the first recorded by the band since the departure of McDonald and his tasteless influence, is a return to the good time rock for which the band was originally known.

If you liked the Doobies pre-McDonald, then you'll love this disc. If you like the Michael McDonald Doobies, then disconnect from the internet and turn on your local adult pop radio station - there you'll get the same lame, withering, worthless pop that makes people vomit on elevators.

This particular Doobies album got me through Desert Storm in a tough situation. Again, it got me through an accelerated EMT course when I got home, and they were cramming my head with so much information I thought it would explode<G>!!! This album makes me FEEL GOOD. I will always love it.

CYCLES, which is the Doobie Brothers' first CD after getting back together, is a great one, recapturing the gritty ambience which disappeared with Michael McDonald's arrival in early 1976. The big hit here was "The Doctor", but there are other great songs here as well, including a remake of the Isley Brothers' "Need A Little Taste Of Love." The fact that the band members believe that the young Australian tourist jailed in Indonesia since 2005 for drug-smuggling was unjustly convicted makes CYCLES an essential purchase for both your ears AND your conscience.

This comeback of the Doobie Brothers lacks Michael McDonald,so I'm only giving four stars. The original Doobie Brothers members reformed in 1989,after a seven-year split. McDonald joined the band in 1975 shortly before original frontman Tom Johnston's exit

the following year. The DB's had broken all ties with their original record label,Warner Brothers after the disbanding. This triumphant comeback was originally released on Capitol. The songs on this album are very good,I must admit. McDonald(in '89) was enjoying success as a solo performer. I believe McDonald decided not to rejoin the DB's. The DB's originally formed around 1969 or '70 and one night caught the attention of a WB producer who patronized the bikers' bar the band was playing at at the time. So the DB's got their first contract with WB and on to success they went.

This goes to the a**hole L Brown and all the other idiots who don't know anything about real soul. I'm a (true) Doobie Brothers fan and I'll be the first to admit that all of their albums (which I own, excluding the ones after Michael McDonald's departure) are classics. I love Tom Johnston but but Michael is truly a better singer. The albums with Michael are are nonstop listening. As oppose to maybe two or three that were not up to par pre-McDonald. I'm a black man and I would put McDonald as one of my top ten vocalist of all time. His voice is so unique and has aged well. If you love straight ahead classic rock (like I do) but can't hear anything else - well then the Michael McDonald led Doobies may be a little out of your league. So try to advance your musical knowlegde. And remember - keep the long train runnin!!