On The Road to Freedom

Alvin Lee, Mylon Lefevre | Format: Vinyl

Product Details

• Vinyl
• Label: CBS
• ASIN: B001B8OAVU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #362,937 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Alvin Lee (of Ten Years After) and Mylon LeFevre are joined here by George Harrison (credited as Hari Georgeson due to contractual issues), Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi (of Traffic / Blind Faith, etc), Ron Wood (Faces & Rolling Stones) and others. George plays some SMOKIN slide guitar on his tune 'So Sad' -- -- -- -- -- --1 On The Road To Freedom 2 The World Is Changing 3 So Sad 4 Fallen Angel 5 Funny 6 We Will Shine 7 Carry My Load 8 Lay Me Back 9 Let 'Em Say What They Will 10 I Can't Take It 11 Riffin' 12 Rockin' Till The Sun Goes Down

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some weak moments, but still an excellent release., November 20, 2003

By 

Dennis Hawley (Asheville, NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On the Road to Freedom (Audio CD)

This side project of Alvin Lee (departing from Ten Years After's no-holds-barred style) contains some of his best work. Those who are only familiar with such monster albums as 'Cricklewood Green' and 'A Space in Time' may find this work puzzling. Hooking up with American gospel singer Mylon Le Fevre, Lee served up helpings of more textured, sophisticated music than TYA. Even overt rockers like 'Riffin' and 'Fallen Angel' exhibit a more "roots-rock" sound than such songs as '50,000 Miles Beneath My Brain'. Using the talents of many big names (including George Harrison and several 'Traffic' members), the result is more varied and intricate than previous works. Even his blistering guitar work shows more finesse than usual with TYA's releases. The songs here range from the interesting-but-mediocre ('Lay Me Back' and 'Carry My Load') to the truly superlative (the title tune, 'The World is Changing' and the country-fried 'Funny'). In my opinion, one of Alvin Lee's best songs (maybe his very best) is the titular 'On the Road to Freedon'; with Mylon Le Fevre providing only backing vocals on this track, it effectively is Alvin Lee and Traffic (Steve Winwood on piano, Jim Capaldi on drums and Rebob on congas). Boy, is it one great song. Searing guitar, solid drumming, tasteful piano, a rousing melody and Lee's vocals never sounding better. It's nice to have this release available after so long.
One other point...I don't agree at all with the negative review published here. I cannot hear any "needle scratching" (and I have a very good quality system). What I do hear is great separation, full-ranging dynamics and clarity. Maybe the reviewer got a bad disc. This is on the Repertoire label, known for their superior quality products (check out their release of 'Broken Barricades' by Procol Harum for a sonic treat).

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Alvin explores a different "Road", November 21, 2003

By 

chris c carter (CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On the Road to Freedom (Audio CD)

Alvin Lee known for his lightning fast licks on guitar, soulful bluesy tunes and amazing live performances throws us a curve ball with the re-release of "On the Road to Freedom".
Originally recorded in the early 70's, it is Alvin's first "solo" recording. Solo in the sense Ten Years After was not involved with this fine work. Alvin joined forces with Mylon LeFevre, and many other noteworthy musicians (George Harrison, Ron Wood, Stevie Winwood plus others) and put out a
a fine piece of music. Much more mellow and melodic than his work with TYA, but with great feeling and depth. Alvin shares the vocalist duties with Mylon, and Mylon also belts out some very nice songs of his own.
Each song utilizes the various artists, with Alvin playing guitar on almost all of the tunes.
It has a variety of music styles as well, with a very country tune "Funny", to an almost gospel like tune "Lay me Back" to a very nice traditional Rock and Roll Jam "Rockin' Til The Sun Goes Down".
So although this is not the typical "Alvin Lee" recording, it is a must have for any fan of Alvin, or any fan of music with depth, feeling and emotion.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No Stranger to Danger, March 6, 2006

By 

Gord Wilson "alivingdog.com" (Bellingham, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: On the Road to Freedom (Audio CD)

I had this as a record, along with a number of other Mylon LPs. Since most reviewers wrote about the Alvin Lee/ Ten Years After side of the duo, I'll write about Mylon's colorful past. Mylon came from the LeFevre southern gospel singing family and was kicked out for having long hair. His rock band, The Holy Smoke Doo Dah Band was the first group to have its own custom rolling papers. He cut an album on Cotillion called Mylon which, along with Larry Norman, invented gospel rock.

He later returned to his gospel roots (but as a rocker) with a band called Broken Heart, and became a music minister. Along the way he released a number of records, few of which have made it to CD. My favorite is an album called Weak at the Knees on, I think, Warner Brothers (before Broken Heart). Mylon has a great sourthern rock voice. He later made a video called "Stranger to Danger" that some people don't like but I really did, in which he rides a motorcycle, which he loves to do. He's worked a lot with Allan Toussant (sp.?) and is, I think, one of the great neglected rockers of our time.