Customer Reviews

Time Is Tight

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I would actually give this set 4.5 stars. I have been waiting for a comprehensive collection from this band for a long time. The only reason I am not giving it five stars is the live cuts at the end of disc 3 with the exception of the Albert Kings numbers, are unnecessary. Especially since studio versions of some of these songs are already on the set. These songs are from the period after the band reformed WITHOUT Al Jackson, Jr. on drums. If live versions were selected they could have been chosen from the classic period. Rob Bowman and Bill Belmont would have been better served to add more studio rarites, either non-lp sides or unissued tracks. Ace currently has an excellent import cd entitled "Play The Hip Hits" which includes unissued and rare cover versions from their classic period only one of which "Fannie Mae" appears on this set. The liner notes inside that cd state that there are also unissued cuts written by the band still in the vaults. This being said "Time Is Tight" is an great box set. I have many box sets and I play this one more than most. I like the fact that the first disc concentrates on the period when the band was distributed by Atlantic. The second disc starts after this distribution deal had ended. The discs themselves contain most of their "hits" along with familiar covers and cool album tracks. However "Booker-Loo" & "Red Beans & Rice" were omitted from the "Greatest Hits" cd. These discs illustrate what a tight band that the MGs were. Steve Cropper is an excellent but underrated guitarist. Al Jackson Jr. is a steady and funky drummer. Donald "Duck" Dunn is an inventive bass player while Booker T. Jones is equally adept at organ or piano. It is easy to see why these musicians were/are in such demand to back their more famous contemporaries. In summary if you are a fan of instrumental music or funk/soul this is an essential purchase. It is also great music to play in the car while cruising.

If you're a serious Booker T & the MGs fan you'll probably want to get this set BUT, because of ONE HUGE FLAW, it stands FAR from being definitive; THE TITLE TRACK IS THE WRONG TAKE!!! I cannot imagine how this could have happened. (And I can scarcely believe that I don't see this glaring flaw mentioned in any of the other reviews!) The bass line ---arguably the most definitive element of the song--- is ENTIRELY DIFFERENT, which makes it interesting from an oddities/rarities perspective, but... "Time Is Tight" is one of my favorite cuts from this band and one of the main reasons I bought this set. I'm a professional bassist and it's one of the first songs I learned to play, one of the songs that played a significant role in my most formative years; I know it intimately. What a HUGE let-down it was when I discovered that the famous version of the song was not included and, after dropping fifty bucks, I still had to go out and buy "The Very Best Of..." to scratch the itch! And, while I'm a it... I have a compilation from the late '60s that has many cuts missing from this set. I'd much prefer to have some of those, rather than the 'live stuff. So, in summary; Hard-core fans only... Those willing to buy additional CDs to fill out the collection.

I would actually give this set 4.5 stars. I have been waiting for a comprehensive collection from this band for a long time. The only reason I am not giving it five stars is the live cuts at the end of disc 3 with the exception of the Albert King numbers, are unnecessary. Especially since studio versions of some of these songs are already on the set. These songs are from the period after the band reformed WITHOUT Al Jackson, Jr. on drums. If live versions were selected they could have been chosen from the classic period. Rob Bowman and Bill Belmont would have been better served to add more studio rarites, either non-lp sides or unissued tracks. Ace currently has an excellent import cd entitled "Play The Hip Hits" which includes unissued and rare cover versions from their classic period only one of which "Fannie Mae" appears on this set. The liner notes inside that cd state that there are also unissued cuts written by the band still in the vaults. This being said "Time Is Tight" is an great box set. I have many box sets and I play this one more than most. I like the fact that the first disc concentrates on the period when the band was distributed by Atlantic. The second disc starts after this distribution deal had ended. The discs themselves contain most of their "hits" along with familiar covers and cool album tracks. However "Booker-Loo" & "Red Beans & Rice" were omitted from the "Greatest Hits" cd. These discs illustrate what a tight band that the MGs were. Steve Cropper is an excellent but underrated guitarist. Al Jackson Jr. is a steady and funky drummer. Donald "Duck" Dunn is an inventive bass player while Booker T. Jones is equally adept at organ or piano. It is easy to see why these musicians were/are in such demand to back their more famous contemporaries. In summary if you are a fan of instrumental music or funk/soul this is an essential purchase. It is also great music to play in the car while cruising.

The greatest drummer who ever lived, Al Jackson, Jr., the coolest, most persuasive bass player in the world, Donald "Duck" Dunn, the absolute superior guitar playing of the one and only Steve Cropper, and the special genius of organ/piano man and all round musical prodigy, Booker T. Jones made up a virtual "dream team" of music. Besides laying down perfectly tight, unbelievably soulful backdrops for some of the greatest artists of the 20th century, they recorded some of the best music ever made and in instrumental form to boot. This is a great box set. You get the hits from "Green Onions" to "Hip Hug-Her" to "Hang 'Em High" to the amazing "Melting Pot". You get great rarities like "Hole In the Wall" (originally released in '65 under the moniker The Packers), and the beautiful, superb "Meditation" (a Booker T. Jones masterpiece, as brilliant as anything ever done from Mozart to McCartney). And you hear the band's versatility on their remarkable range of covers. I wouldn't do much editing; however, I would replace a good bit of the pre-Dunn era material, except a few, like the great "Soul Dressing", with later outings. And one could argue that the entire Melting Pot album, along with the entire McLemore Avenue album merit greatest hits status. Also, soul fans will no doubt cringe at the sound of Neil Young whining his way through the Cropper penned "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay". Why this was picked to finish the collection, still baffles me. All and all, though, a fine showcase for the greatest band of all time.

Booker T in the liner notes for this box set says "We are extremely conscious of the sound of our music." No kidding! Even though the instruments rarely change among these selections, the range is stunning. No emotion is left unearthed, no nuance abandoned. One example - their cover of the Beatle's Abbey Road reveals layers of funk, blues, and gospel that are impossible to see in the original. I like it better! One of those rare sets that works equally well as foreground and background music.

I very much agree with Kevin's review, although the book-like format isn't too bad (does anyone besides me miss the album-cover sized boxes?).

With "Time Is Tight", you receive the best of both worlds: plenty of quantity -- each disk is at least 78 minutes -- and loaded with quality from start to finish. One of the gems (of many) here is the 8-minute-plus "Melting Pot" which hits that grindy, smoky-bar groove that makes you boogie instantly. There isn't a bad moment to be found anywhere, including the unreleased tracks. And ending with Neil introducing the MGs after "Dock Of The Bay" is a classy touch. Without any hesitation, "Time Is Tight" receives my highest recommendation!

The Band does no wrong . they were /are the best .My question is why put inferior live tracks on here .. when so much is missing? ..Aw Mercy , Plum Nellie (one of the most greasy distorted organ grooves of all time)Studio version of Red Beans And Rice ,Booker-Loo, One Mint Julep from the 'And Now' collection (this CD is very highly priced on Amazon should you want it for your collection).a couple more...Foxy Lady , Born Under A Bad Sign ,from Soul Limbo album , and 'The Beat Goes On' from 'Doin Our Thing' which is also fetching astronomical prices as I write this .. I am just scratching the surface here ..I look forward to the day when we get a really well thought out collection put together by someone who cares about the MUSIC .I was at The Stax -Volt Show in Manchester U.K. in 67' So I know this music quite well .

I have grown up listening to Booker T and the MG's. My brother brought back a huge stereo from Thailand in the 60's (Vietnam War) with a collection of awesome soul records including Booker T. The sound from that stereo and the soul music pumping out of those speakers were about as close to heaven as a 6 year old could get. In 1967 I became a gigantic Booker T and the MG's fan and have been ever since. I own all the originals on LP's and have since collected them all on CD's. I thought I had heard it all available from them but this box collection proved I hadn't. It spans many years and has B-Sides from 45's which I don't have and live cuts as well. The box set is the best start or compliment to your existing great Booker T and or Stax/Memphis Soul collection.

I've owned this box set for over a decade and this still remains a favorite. The first two CDs mix up the "greatest hits" with plenty of unreleased gems like the blissful "Sunday Sermon." With the third CD combining all unreleased material and live tracks where the band backs up Albert King, Boz Scaggs and Neil Young, the listener then receives the full picture of Booker T & The MGs as accompanists. A very fine booklet with some great information about the band, recording sessions and anecdotes give the first-time listener plenty of details about the band and their legacy as *the* house band for Stax.

At the current price -- $19.99 -- this is a bargain! For anyone who enjoys instrumental soul music played with the utmost of taste and where the players leave plenty of room for spaces, you cannot do better than Time Is Tight.

Of course Green Onions is here. It's a Greatest Hits boxed set after all. The title track is worth the price alone. Don't recognize the name? If not you'll know the tune for sure when you hear it. The Blues Brothers helped make it a comeback monster in their movie (why wouldn't they, half of their band is half of this band). You'll recognize plenty of the other tunes on this set even if they weren't all hits for these guys. As an extra treat the third disk contains live performances of some of these hits that are truly enjoyable even with the presence of Neil Young (not a big fan). To quote an advertisement slogan from about the same time as these songs, "Try it, you'll like it".