Customer Reviews

To Mum From Aynsley & The Boys

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

 

 

This is one of my old favorites! The lyrics are not the best part of it (looks like mr. Dunbar or whoever wrote the lyrics was pissed with his girlfriend), but the music effort is very good. Borrowed introduction from JS Bach's Fantasia is totally unexpected, but fits right into the blues. Victor Brox's voice (he later sang Caiafas on JC Superstar 2LP with Ian Gillan) is one of the few low voices found in pop music, and though he is not doing much singing here, at least, this is Brittish blues with somebody who has voice (heh, heh). Somewhat monotonous toward the end, but overall very interesting.

JAZZ/BLUES HAS NEVER BEEN MORE FUNKY, PAINFUL AND WELL PLAYED THAN ON THIS RECORDING. THE BAND IS IN TOP SHAPE AND IN ADDITION WITH JOHN MAYALL PRODUCING, THE RESULT IS PURE MAGIC.

Aynsley Dunbar's Retaliation was an incredible band that set many standards for the British Blues movement. Aynsley went on to play with Frank Zappa, Journey, Jefferson Starship, Jeff Beck, David Bowie and many others, recording over 300 albums. This is one of his earliest efforts, and best.

This is the same album I dragged from England to LA to Vancouver BC all before 1975. Even had it on a boat moored on Hornby Island. Loved this. Some how some where many years ago it disappeared, though not surprisingly considering what a gem it is.
It is not remastered but in its as is/was format and what a sound. I am listening to this and it thrills me just like it always did. What can I say. Its a uniquely satisfying lineup. It opens with a slo blues with this quiet low sonorous love song. Utterly romantic and sad with a hint of bugle-like-man-standing-down/ spanish flair. Which doesn't give any hint of what is to come. Run You Off the Hill breaks through all that instantly with blues done with a jazz bassline very solid & soft. The voice is beautiful accusing, the guitar carries you right in, then the organ makes the final run. Which practically spills over into the next more up beat Let it Ride. By now the basic desperate undercurrent is set. And you get that syncopated drum driving the whole number with an utterly unforgettable organ soloing every bit of the way. Then super quiet with this prickly/sad organ evoking Nostrademus risng from the dead or something which down tones to the best blues slo riffs ever. At this point the music has a sort of spell over you, even though it is blues and you know how it goes and know the way here, it just takes you deeper. No wonder John Mayall produced this. This song itself ends off wonderfully. Next Down Down and Down gets this restrained & syncopated drum treatment and pulses through your whole body. The desperate heartbreaking song lets you know this is blues then the organ comes in again to take everything that one notch further towards jazz. Followed by a break tangential piano floating over moving drum rolls. It crescendos gently then falls into quiet jazz and soon its over. Transition. Sugar on the Line gives a flat almost atonal delivery that gets a great bass and drum momentum and forms like the prequil to the last track which has jazzy/blues piano great drumming, and has got lyrics to be a near perfect song.
How this just disappeared from the fan fare and escaped public notice amazed me back then. One of the best albums ever.