Customer Reviews

Low Country Blues

5 star:		(77)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

In the liner notes for "Low country blues", Robert Gordon writes "A river runs through the blues, and Gregg Allman continues to navigate it. This album deposits Gregg at a fresh place on the bank. He's a traveler, sometimes riding with the current, swimming upstream when he prefers".
This new release is proof of the success of Gregg's journey. When I received my copy of "Low country", I sat uninterrupted through all twelve tracks. Twice. Some musical projects are memorable for well written songs, thoughtful sequencing and great instrumentation. Others are so complete, so satisfying that you just don't want to listen to anything else for a while. "Low country" falls into the latter category.
Ace producer T-bone Burnett is also responsible for B.B. King's latest, the wonderful "One kind favor".That disc kicks off with a very dark version of Blind Lemon Jefferson's "See that my grave is kept clean". The opener for this disc, Sleepy John Estes' "Floating Bridge" is a song similar in format, but where "Favor" is a plea, "Bridge" is a bitter recollection. Both songs, and on both cds, the presence of Dr. John's masterful piano is as important as that of the stars.
"Little by little" is a Junior Wells staple that starts off with a funky B-3 intro by Gregg, then features more of the good Doctor with great guitar fills by Doyle Bramhall II. "Devil got my woman" shows Burnett's greatest strength as a roots music producer- the ability to take a Skip James song from the 1930's and remake it in 2011-without sacrificing any integrity. Gregg's vocals are almost ethereal, with dual guitar interplay between Bramhall and Colin Linden on Dobro.
"I can't be satisfied" is one of Muddy Waters' most beloved compositions, and Gregg and company do this song justice while showcasing the groove created by drummer Jay Belrose and bassist Dennis Crouch.
"Blind man" is the first appearance on the disc of trumpeter Darrell Leonard's horn section. Leonard has been recording for years with tenor sax player Joe Sublett as the Texacali Horns. Here they're augmented by Lester Lovitt and Daniel Fornero on trumpet with Thomas Peterson and Jim Thompson on baritone and tenor sax. The horns appear on five other tracks giving the disc a powerful classic r&b punch, especially on B.B. King's "Please accept my love".
The sole original on the disc, "Just another rider" was co-written with Gregg's partner in the Allman Brothers, guitar master Warren Haynes. Very reminiscent of another Allman/Haynes collaboration, "The high cost of low living"(from the Brothers' 2003 "Hittin' the note"), the song seems to address the same protagonist as the earlier track. On "High cost", Gregg admonishes "using up all your good friends" and on "Rider", you can almost see him shake his head as he sighs "seems like a long time- since you had any peace of mind".
"I believe I'll go back home" is an old public domain number with Mike Compton adding mandolin to the mix, while Magic Sam's "My love is your love"is enhanced by the beautiful female chorus arranged by Bill Maxwell. The closing traditional, "Rolling Stone" is one of the many highlights, again featuring Colin Linden's Dobro in a soft acoustic jam.
This fine recording belongs to T-bone as much as it does to Gregg. Production is excellent and choice of musicians couldn't be better. Gregg set out to make a recording he could be proud of. With "Low country blues", he just may have made the album of his life.

Gregg Allman has been making records both solo and with the Allman Brothers since the 1960's. He has never made an album like this before. With one original tune ("Just Another Rider") and a few familiar blues covers ("I Can't be Satisfied". "RollingStone" "Little by Little"), the main focus of this new CD is less familiar acoustic and electric blues songs.Producer T-Bone Burnett and Allman selected songs that are well suited to Allman's talents.
Gregg's voice is still in top form and he has the backing of a top notch band here, including Dr. John and Doyle Bramhall II. The backing is more sparse on this CD than a typical Allman Brothers CD, spotlighting the vocals a bit more. Of course, fans of the Allman Brothers Band and Gregg's solo work will love this and he may even make a new fans if some people who are not fans listen to "Low Country Blues".

I love all the old blues musicians and I am a big fan of the Allman Brothers, but mostly of the Duane Allman era albums. Not that I dislike the current incarnation, its just that I tend to lean towards the early albums when listening. I must also say that I was never a huge fan of Greggs solo albums. But Low Country Blues is hands down a great album. There is not one song that I would consider to be filler. The production on the entire album is outstanding. Each instrument adds as much to the song as Greggs voice. The entire album is laid back with a steady infectious groove. The songs are fairly short and concise, none overstaying their welcome in a too long jam session. Gregs voice fits these songs like he was born to sing them (which, with his voice, he certainly was born to sing the blues). I've seen another review of someone complaining that this was a T bone album with Gregg simply singing on it. The fact of the matter is I don't care who did what or why. This is probably my favorite blues album to be released in the past ten years and these traditional songs have only been elevated by the work of everyone involved on this project.

on a side note, Best Buy is selling this album including a t shirt of Gregg Allmans 1974 tour. It is more expensive than buying just the regular album, but I thought it was a cool addition.

I was quite excited to hear that Gregg Allman was putting out another album. I really enjoy The Allman Brothers Band and have liked several of the cuts from his solo projects.

However, after several listens, I am sorry to say that I am disappointed with this album. Originally, I thought there was something wrong with my speakers or stereo, but, after a while, it became apparent that it was how it was produced. To my ears, it is muddy and distant not unlike old blues albums....again, not my taste.

I have always found his vocal to be the highlight as he wails through a good, juicy blues or rock song. Seems to me, you would want it to be as clear as possible to feel his emotion.

In reading the other reviews, some (even some of the high ratings) complain about this as well but then others laud the album as "his best", "outstanding" and "earthy, deep blues". So be it....a matter of taste.

In the past, I have cherry-picked songs I liked from his albums to add to other blues compilations. So, if you would like to explore previous Gregg Allman tunes but don't like this project, consider these recommendations:

Best Album: Before the Bullets Fly (most cuts)

Best of other cuts: House of Blues, Rendevous with the Blues, Love the Poison, Wolf's a-Howlin', Come Back and Help Me (Searching for Simplicity); Queen of Hearts, Midnight Rider, Please Call Home (Laid Back); Sweet Feelin' (Playin' Up a Storm); I'm No Angel (same album title); Turn On Your Lovelight (his Tour album).

Of course, you can hear some outstanding Gregg Allman vocals on several Allman Brother Band albums. My favorite albums are Live at Fillmore and Hittin' the Note.

This is a very different kind of Gregg Allman album. Laid back and most definitely not too slick. The instrumentation and arrangements are loose and live sounding. T-Bone Burnett produced it in his inimtitable style. It sounds like they just opened a mic in the room and played. No overdubs, no frills, no multiple takes, and stripped down playing. Sonics are in the same vein as a 1940's or 50's recording which sounds like it was recorded with analog tape and run through tube equipment. If your playback system is not up to snuff, it can sound a little thick and muddy through the bass. And Gregg sounds like he's 8 feet away from the mic. Very enjoyable altogether though. Old and rootsy blues with a broad selection of covered material which is not too mainstream or well-known. I rank it up there with Gregg's finest, although I wish he had played a bit more B-3 organ on the album. This album grows on you and it leaves you wishing for more. A good sign I would say.

I ordered this CD when it first came out and popped it the player in my car. I had gotten back into a lot of Allman Brothers music as part of a jam band period (that I'm still in). I was ready for some up-tempo ABB-like stuff and this just was NOT it. So, back in a pile it went.

But for something different last weekend I played a House of Blues collection of Chicago Blues and it really hit a chord (as this music always does when I'm ready for it). So then, back this goes in the player and "wow." Gregg Allman still has a lot of power in his delivery, and this is a very tasteful, respectful take on some real blues material - some of it familiar and a lot of it not as much.

But so well done...and so worth a good listen.

Gregg didn't make this album to fill it with "hits". And even though there are only a couple of newly written songs on the album, it isn't even a traditional album of covers. What it is is Gregg Allman delivering the blues, using his past to push this album into the fore. These are blues so thick you have to wade through them. You can feel it the instant the album starts, the air gets thick and heavy, there seems to be smoke wafting in the air, the voice doesn't seem to have a hint of falsetto and the songs evoke an imagery that is easy to relate to. Gregg has always been known for the blues, but this is the "mo' betta'" version from way down in the back country where only the locals go.

This is by far one of the best recordings that Gregg has ever done. When asked to assess his work Gregg speaks about the album "coming from the heart" and when you listen to this, you know he's right.

I suggest that you click on the Amazon link and grab yourself a copy. An' when da' mailman come, prepare to haf a serious case o' dem ol' blues.

This is a very good album from an "old lion" like Gregg is. The sound is very...old-style I'd say, full and warm, it reminds me of a time when music was not just a piece of plastic with a good song and ten fillers. That's the reason I call it an "album" not simply a "cd". There's a fantastic band playin' here, with Doyle Bramhall, Mac Rebennack etc. And "Just Another Rider", written together with Warren Haynes is simply beautiful, the peak of this "Low Country Blues", to me.

The songs are good choices for Gregg's voice, and his voice is better than it's been in a long time, but the early 1960's monaural production doesn't fit. Gregg is a product of the 1970's and this album would be much better produced in simple clean 1970's style stereo. Performance = A+, Production = F T-Bone Burnett ruined this effort. Tom Dowd is rolling over in his grave.

Once again the unimaginative and dogmatic - but fashionable - producer T-Bone Burnett has gotten his hands on another icon in American music and imposed his one size fits all "sound" on him. This time it is Gregg Allman. What a huge disappointment after waiting all these years! T-Bone has applied his usual muffled, muddied retro sound on iconic bluesman Gregg Allman - a square peg in a round hole if ever there was one. First, it sounds as if the band is playing underwater (i.e., the typical T-Bone Burnett sound). Second, stylistically the rockabilly sensibilities of Burnett simply don't mesh with the blues sensibilities of Allman.

A great producer should have the ability and creativity to enhance the natural attributes of a recording artist. T-Bone is utterly lacking in this ability and repeatedly from artist to artist simply imposes his same tired, formulaic approach. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. This time it doesn't.