Customer Reviews

Power in the Blood

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Not since I first heard the Beatles (as a teenybopper back in the early 60's) has the discovery of a new group and sound been so exciting as being "converted" by A3. One listen to Exile on Coldharbour Lane should do it for anyone. 90% of you will probably immediately order La Peste; the other 10% will probably be struck by lightning within 24 hours. A3 is that mighty a force.

And Power in the Blood is as magnificent as their previous two collections. Slightly evolved perhaps, but so was La Peste. They just keep getting better and better. With A3, you always know and love who you're dealing with.

Ah, but I gush. You will too.

Yes, it is true that Power in the Blood is not as good as Exile on Coldharbour Lane, but honestly I can count the number of albums I own that are on one hand.

Power is definitely more towards the techno edge of spectrum that the band established in Exile, just as La Peste was tilted more towards the blues. It's almost as if they looked at Hypo Full of Love and said, "How bout we do an album that's all like this?" And that's essentially what they've done here, they've created a bunch of tracks with incredible, head nodding, toe tapping beats and magicked up the usual combination of gritty, mean street lyrics combined with gospel stylings.

If you're just starting with Alabama 3, pick up Exile on Coldhaurbor Lane. After you've listened to that for the three months that it'll take for you to get it out of your cd player on repeat you won't need anybody to tell you to pick up La Peste and Power in the Blood. But when you're getting ready to make that decision I'd just like to reassure you that this album is yet another release from A3 that's a joy to listen to all the way through and well worth your money.

Now the only thing we need is a US tour so the American Converted can see A3 live. Then... you and me baby gonna get, rehabilitated.

The latest disc from one of the best hybrid outfits out there proves once again that DW, Larry Love, et al are NOT GETTING THE CREDIT THEY DESERVE!

Although this disc is a little more subtle in places and slightly a whole lotta weird [otherwise it wouldn't be an A3 disc i suppose] compared to the previous more concrete efforts, if you liked either La Peste OR Exile on Coldharbour Lane this one should find a place in the library

Why only an import, though ? ? ?

This third album from Brixton's finest,sounds like a call to arms.Great production and excellent songwriting,coupled with a contagious energy,make this album an essential purchase for any fan,as well as being an accessable starting point for those unfamiliar with the band.

Fantastic! This album has been available in the UK since October and ever since I bought it I haven't take it out of the CD player. It shows what a fantastic effort the group have put in to keep true to their roots yet apply a lick of paint to their music to keep it fresh. I'm trying to recommend individual tracks but with the exception of the last track it is ALL excellent, different and totally mind-blowing. Enjoy!

Those who worried the band was getting too serious with La Peste can relax: Power in the Blood brings back the deranged satire of Exile on Coldharbour Lane wihtout losing the sophistication displayed on La Peste. While the album has its weak spots--notably a smattering of pickin'n'grinnin' ditties like the oddly-misnamed cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska"--the record meets the high standards set by the band's first two releases.

Tracks of note include the title cut, a throbbing fight song for marxist revolution; 'Woodie Guthrie,' a twangy indictment of right-wing orthodoxy--one can almost smell the bluegrass; 'Let the Caged Bird Sing,' a prison song worthy of David Allen Coe; and 'Lord Have Mercy,' a boy-done-wrong-and-broke-momma's-heart tale whose lyrics would do Steve Earle proud. The band even manages the seemingly impossible, expanding their range with such gems as the Sealesque 'Reachin',' and add a touch of Barbados rum to their Tennessee Whiskey with 'Bullet Proof.'

This is an excellent and innovative record from one of the most underrated bands in music today.

the band that is best known for doing the "Woke up this Morning" song for the Sopranos. Called Alabama 3 in their native U.K., had to change their name to A3 in the U.S. when country act Alabama put up resistance. While their first album is a lot of fun, with funky songs like "Mao Tse-tung Said" and "You Don't Dance to Tekno Any More," this one is a little less memorable. Nevertheless, some of the songs are well produced and funky. Between nearly every other song is a short number that seems to connect "main" songs, and one of them is a rambling version of "Badlands," which is probably my favourite Bruce Springsteen song.

Opening song "Two Heads" is really funny, then it kicks into "Power in the Blood" and all sorts of stompin' hootenanny. "Year Zero" is under-produced, silky voices, with the lyric "every winner is a villain, every loser is a hero." Talking tautologies now. Correct pronounciation of Ibiza, but it won't save "The Devil Went Down To Ibiza." Hubert Selby Jr. does a spoken word intro to "The Moon Has Lost the Sun," a so-so song (but nice to hear his voice nonetheless).

after a somewhat muddy showing in la peste, alabama 3 returns and shows their true colors. the group has evolved, not surprisingly, and seems to be venturing into more of an r&b direction with songs like reachin and year zero (which, by the way has a fantastic first minute-and-a-half and then descends into an impenetrable mess of poorly written lyrics). they have welcomed guest artists for some songs, such as bulletproof, which has very powerful words and melody.
after exile, alabama 3 lost direction for a while in the name of artistic expansion. however, power is a step in a truly new and fresh direction. last train to mashville promises to be an interesting listen.

may take a while, (quite a while in my case) to get all the subtleties but it's all worth it - this album is excellent!

If you are looking for another Sopranos theme song or "She Don't Dance to Tekno Anymore" you will be disappointed by this record. Power in the Blood offers less of the blues/techno tinged grooves of that made me play Exile and La Peste over and over again. Don't get me wrong, this is a good record and a must- have if you're a fanatic like I am. It is, however, much more techno and much less acid-house-gospel.

I will buy anything that A3 puts out, but this is my least favorite so far. There are some great moments on this record, but when you compare it to Exile (one long great moment) and La Peste, it's not as strong. This review sounds kind of negative, but it's not. I would buy this record again. A3 set their standards too high with their first two outings.