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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another Great CD from the unique Eclectic Alabama 3!, November 10, 2007
From the first notes of Fly, with the Haunting chorus of "Fly With Me" you know that you are in for another great ride from the masters of acid/house/techno/blues/country/gospel rock. In fact there are no other groups that produce such a cacophony of sound and make it all blend seamlessly together. The first single "Lockdown" is a good song also, but my favorite is "Monday Don't Mean Anything" which is especially prophetic after I recently got laid off. This cheery song rocks with Jamaican Errol T adding a happy groove to the song. Then a (semi-)serious song a tall tale of an alligator wrestler name of Amos Moses-a fun twangy remake of a Jimmy Reed blues song. "Are You a Souljah" with its rap middle-adding another musical genre to the eclectic mix-Are you a Souljah of Love? I am-RonPaul2008.org! This is followed by the most country-like song on the CD-"The Klan". A humorous mash-up of Gil Scott Heron's ditty about another seriously twisted group. Hooked is a love song of sorts, "Locked up, tangled up, hung up in your love, "got me hooked baby", strung out, coming down smack down in the middle of your love, "got me hooked baby".
The title song, "The Middle Of the Road", is a spoof of all the self-important figures of modern day rock making fun of the Eagles, James Taylor, Don McLean, David Crosby imploring to let it go, let the music save your soul! "Walk It (All Night Long)" bounces along joyfully if not purposely. "Way Beyond The Blues" references the Great Escape, but is more of a palate cleanser than a good song in its own right. It is more a sad song about having the blues, than the genre of music known as the Blues.
"Holy Blood" is a rich lilting haunting gospel vision entwining the Blood of Christ with the blood spilled in holy wars through the ages. "Sweet Joy" is a joy with its chorus "If you were the only girl in the world, and I was the only boy, we walk down desperate avenues, singing songs of sweet joy", "sweet joy"...but I don't see the point of the 2 and a half minute silence before the hidden end of sweet joy, and it does not add much to the song anyways...guess it is better skipped.
All in all I will be putting "Monday Don't Mean Anything", "Amos Moses", "Holy Blood", and "Sweet Joy" on the MP3 Player (I Don't support the Applenopoly), and I can't help myself from listening to the CD over and over again. Like most of their CD's you hear more every time you listen to it!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Next Effort..., November 7, 2007
Generic A3 qualifier: given their amazing and often none-2-subtle stylistic variations, it becomes hard to know what to expect from ANY Alabama Three disc. This work does not disappoint and provides yet another chapter in the ongoing creative palate that is the A3. That said, much like Exile on Coldharbour Lane, this work is best appreciated after multiple multiple listening sessions and while the HIGH price may sting at first you will not regret owning this work. Should you be new to the A3 - consider Exile as the first purchase if you seek a single disc [available used in many locations] and then sample from the interim works... they are all very good, wonderfully unique and without exception quite accessible. Since there is little difference in price, consider purchasing directly from the record label... Mr. Bezos is rich enough.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Damn interesting album..., November 14, 2007
Having first heard "Le Peste" and then "Last Train to Mashville" I didn't really know what to expect from this album... and that's a lot of what I got, the unexpected.
I guess the success of "Woke Up This Morning" gave who or whatever is A3 some budget to work with production. Real horns, real strings [and if they ain't real... damn good job of making them sound real!!!]. Great arrangements, great depth to the lyrics... I haven't found the songs quite as gripping or with quite as much depth as I found on "Le Peste" and "Mashville"... but "Monday Morning" and "Fly w/Me" are absolutely gripping.
While there isn't a turd on the album, and it's great driving music to have envelop you [or at least me] in the car... I found myself wandering in and out of the songs... something would catch me here... and then my mind would wander off for a while when all of a sudden something else would grab me by the throat and pull me back in.
While not the masterful work I have grown to love on "Le Peste"... maybe when it's been in as 'heavy rotation' in the car as "Le Peste" has been over the years this too will be a work I will never want to be without.
Fabulous recording that seems to be made for people who either make records or love music... this ain't kid stuff... it's too damn fine!!!
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by Alabama 3 
