Mclemore Avenue

Booker T. & The MG's | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 7, 1991)
• Original Release Date: 1970
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Stax
• ASIN: B000000ZKD
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,060 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #34 in Music > R&B > Soul > Memphis Soul
  • #56 in Music > R&B > Soul > Southern Soul

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent. That's the way it should be! April 6, 2001

By Eric J. Reiter

Format:Audio CD

Okay, okay. Enough with the Booker T. In-Jokes..

This record means business. No fooling around. Split into 15-20 minute medeleys that make you wonder why the Beatles didn't do it themselves (came close on "Sgt. Pepper," a record with almost no deadspace..).. The music.. oh the music...

It's so skillfully crafted; and done with care, at that! It's amazing what Mr. T. Jones can do with his hands and some keys. For that matter, it's amazing what Mr. Cropper can do while revisiting "I Want You," or the guitar work heard in "Because," which is radically different than the Beatles' version (hard to harmonize with no voices!!)

All in all, it's MORE than just a tribute album, it's a very skillfully done proving disc, letting everyone know that, yes, it IS "Abbey Road," and NO, it is NOT conventional!

quack

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Funky Memphis Beatles! April 5, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Audio CD

An odd but great album. Releases like this are common now in this era of "tribute" albums, but in the late 60's something like this was uncommon. Booker T. Jones (organ, piano) and Donald "Duck" Dunn (bass) were big Beatles fans and cooked up the idea of covering the Beatles' "Abbey Road" album in the MG's laid-back funky Memphis soul style. It sounds like a bad idea, but it works. The stripped-down, propulsive MG's arrangements bring an edge to these familiar songs that makes them sound brand new. This isn't the best MG's album, but it's close.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Familiar songs, new music April 12, 2002

By P. H PICOT

Format:Audio CD

I really do love the Beatles, and every little bit of what they do, but Booker T & the MGs' cover of Abbey Road stands on its own legs. It is an album you will play 3 times for every time it occurs to you to play Abbey Road. If you like the Beatles, this an album you will want to own, and if you like Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Al Jackson, Jr., and Donald Dunn (yes, "Duck"), you will be glad you own this CD. Either way, get this one.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars "...Here Comes The Sun King..." August 30, 2011

By Mark Barry, Reckless Records, London TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Audio CD

(Like "Electric Mud" by Muddy Waters) "McLemore Avenue" by Booker T. & The M.G.'s divided fans and critics alike at the time of release - and has done so ever since. Some call it a masterpiece - even visionary - while others see it as little more than an opportunistic cash-in that only half worked in Stax's otherwise impressively individualistic canon of releases. More than 40 years after the event - I think it's fair enough to call it a bit of both - good and bad (much like this new reissue actually). Here are the details...

Released May 2011, Concord Music Group, Inc 0888072328747 breaks down as follows (59:03 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 4 are the album "McLemore Avenue" released April 1970 in the USA on Stax Records STS 2027 and July 1970 in the UK on Stax SXATS 1031

Tracks 5 to 10 are all Beatles covers - 5 and 6 are "You Can't Do That" and "Day Tripper" from the 1991 CD comp "Soul Men"; 7 and 9 are "Michelle" and "Lady Madonna" from the 1969 album "The Booker T. Set"; 8 is "Eleanor Rigby" from the 1968 album "Soul Limbo" - while track 10 is a PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Alternate Take) of "You Can't Do That".

The new 12-page booklet has very knowledgeable and affectionate liner notes by ASHLEY KHAN (author of books on the recording career of John Coltrane and Miles Davis). You also get the original artwork and production credits, a collage of 2 photos on the inlay beneath the see-through tray and the disc itself pictures the group too. But it's a shame the booklet doesn't go any further - there's no new photos, no memorabilia - not even a picture of the lone 7" single of "Something" (US or UK). It makes the inlay feel workmanlike at best - even a little dull - when it should have spread its wings a little. But the big news is the SOUND......

I bought and recently reviewed another title in this new "Stax Remasters" series - "Be Altitude: Respect Yourself" by The Staples Singers and I duly raved about the fabulous sound quality on that after years of lacklustre reissues in jewel cases and repro digipaks. This is the same. 24-bit remastered from the first generation tapes by JOE TARANTINO at Joe Tarantino Mastering in Berkeley, California - the audio quality is truly GORGEOUS - absolutely incredible clarity that will make you reassess every song.

To the music - it probably seemed like a good idea at the time - "McLemore Avenue" would cover the recently released "Abbey Road" album by The Beatles (September 1969) and do it all in that distinctive Booker T & The M.G.'s instrumental style. They even aped the famous UK album sleeve and wittily called it after the street on which the Stax Studios resided in Memphis. They also realigned the 17-songs of the original LP into four new tracks - three lengthy Medleys and one straight up shorter cover of "Something" (which was actually released as a 45 on both sides of the pond to some success). The problem for me is that of the four tracks only two really work - "Something" and the "Because/You Never Give Me Your Money" Medley. The playing and clever interpretation on each is superb. On the other two however - I feel the band sounds way too close to a poor man's Procol Harum without the vocals. But again I must reiterate that if you have any affection for these songs, you 'need' to hear them on this stunningly good new remaster.

Of the five bonus covers - the best is undoubtedly Track 5 - the first version of "You Can't Do That" (from "A Hard Day's Night") - it's really excellent. Unfortunately the cuts of "Day Tripper", "Michelle" and "Lady Madonna" don't fare so well - barely rising above a bar-band doing cheesy Lounge versions of famous Beatles songs - it's not good. The last track is an (Alternate Take) of "You Can't Do That" which is a lot rougher than the first and not as good either.

Too sum up - I wasn't prepared for two things on this reissue - the truly astonishingly remaster by Joe Tarantino - and secondly how it transformed the listen and made me reassess what I had formerly thought of as an anomaly - an LP on Stax best avoided.

If you're a fan of the record - this is no-brainer - it's an absolute must-own. If you're like me and aren't particularly bothered, I'd still say give "Something" and the "Because/You Never Give Me Your Money" Medley a try on iTunes - you'll be more than impressed.

Perhaps more to the point - if the rest of this mid-priced Stax Label re-launch sounds 'this good' - then I'm gonna purchase the lot - regardless.

Recommended.

PS: titles so far in the 2011/2012 "STAX REMASTERS" series are (all reviewed):
1. Green Onions - BOOKER T. & THE M.G.'s (1962)
2. McLemore Avenue - BOOKER T. & THE M.G.'s (1970)
3. Woman To Woman - SHIRLEY BROWN (1974)
4. Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get - THE DRAMATICS (1972)
5. I'll Play The Blues For You - ALBERT KING (1973)
6. Be Altitude: Respect Yourself - THE STAPLE SINGERS (1972)
7. Taylored In Silk - JOHNNIE TAYLOR (1973)
6. Do The Funky Chicken - RUFUS THOMAS (1969) Read more ›

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Instrumental Beatles by B & MG's Cool August 23, 1998

By A Customer

Format:Audio CD

If you are a BTMG fan and a Beatles fan, you cannot beat this CD. I have all the BTMG material and playing this in wax, when first released, was a lot like the experience of playing Sergeant Pepper the first time.

It is beautifully done. Very few albums I own are as good as this. I'm very glad it came out in CD. GREAT!!!!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars wow !! June 24, 2011

By K. D. Serle

Format:Audio CD

The chances are, if you are reading this review you are already a fan of Booker T & MG's and possibly already own a copy of this album and trying to decide if it worth buying this "HD" copy. I have quite a few "remixed" cd's in my collection and this is the best I have heard. Very clean with nice bass definition.
I would say that the extra tracks are not as good as the main titles, but still not bad.

So - do yourself a favour - buy it - now!!

Just as a reference - listening with, Onkyo 715 compact cd/tuner/amp & pair of TDL bookshelf speakers on stands.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Forgotten Gem January 15, 2009

By Craig Young

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I first acquired a vinyl copy of this album a couple of years after its release, in 1970, after stumbling across it at one of the many record shops I used to frequent. Always a great admirer of Abbey Road by The Beatles, it was immediately visually intriguing, for obvious reasons. Having long ago lost track of that initial copy, it wasn't until I bought the Booker T & The MGs "Time Is Tight" box, that I remembered just how brilliant this album-long Abbey Road tribute was.

It consists of instrumental covers of Abbey Road, more or less in its entirety, albeit not in corresponding sequential order. It is everything and more anyone familiar with the legendary Stax house band's sound might expect: soulful, organic, inspired and, above all else, so tight - it's obvious these guys have played together before.

McLemore Avenue - the address of Stax studios - is one of those albums you can put on when you feel like listening intently to masterful musicianship, alone in the dark, perfectly positioned between the speakers; or when you feel like moving to that wonderful MGs groove; or just as pleasant, yet almost always engaging, background music. If you're a Beatles fan, and have somehow managed to miss this album, you have an unexpected treat in store.

Frustratingly, copies of McLemore Avenue appear to be difficult to find. This Japanese reissue, is an expensive option, especially given that it is not one of those limited edition, vinyl replica paper sleeve items, as you might expect. It is one disc in a standard jewel case. The sound is everything you would expect, however, and I am pleased to now have a pristine CD of this much-loved album.