Search - Allman Brothers :: Road Goes on Forever (Exp)

These Guys Wrote The Book

marleyscott | Long Island, NY | 11/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

""I have not come to testify about our bad bad misfortune" sings Greg Allman on the opening verse of It's Not My Cross To Bear. These are the first lyrics recorded by this once powerhouse southern rock band...Prophetic words that speak volumes about a band that suffered more than its share of heartache and tragedy. But along the way they virtually wrote the book and defined what the term Southern Rock meant. I caught the ABB several times during the Duane Allman/Berry Oakley era. Words can do little to describe the electrifying experience of their dual guitar/dual percussion attack. Add the rock solid bottom of Berry Oakley along with Greg's gritty blues inspired vocals and you've got the winningest combination this side of hot dogs and mustard.The Road Goes On Forever chronicles their recorded legacy and provides both first-time listener and Allman fanatic a great overview of their ten-year recorded output on Capricorn Records, from 1969-1979. These selections include an accurate sampling of their studio work from their self-titled debut album through 1979's Enlightened Rouges. But the real gems here are taken from the Filmore sessions, Live At Fillmore East and Eat A Peach. It's on One Way Out, Statesboro Blues, Hot 'Lannta and In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed that they soar like no other band, before or since. As I said before, these guys wrote the book...Sure Skynard, Marshall Tucker, Wet Willie and others picked up the torch and kept the genre alive. But no one, absolutely NO ONE could smoke the roof off a concert hall like the Allmans could. If you doubt me, just cue up disc one, selections 11-14 and crank up the volume. When I hear this stuff it takes right back to The Fillmore East, The Manhattan Center, (on 34th St and 8th Ave) and the old Capital Theatre in Portchester, NY, where I first caught them, as the opening act for Delaney & Bonnie in 1969. Those were truly magical times and they were pure magic in their prime."

Excellent introduction to the Allman Brothers Band

J. E FELL | Carterville, Illinois United States | 10/28/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a remastered version (with 13 bonus tracks added) of a 2 lp set originally released in 1975. In addition some of the bonus material on the second disk is from the 3 lps the band released after this original lp was released but before they signed with Arista. The Allman Brothers Band was the band that started the whole Southern Rock movement. They mixed elements of rock, blues, jazz, gospel and country to form one the most exciting American rock bands of their times. The first disk concentrates on the period before Duane Allman's tragic death. All of the cuts included are great. The bluesy singing of Gregg Allman is highlighted to great effect on "It's Not My Cross To Bear" and the live version of "Stormy Monday" from the essential "Live At The Fillmore" set. The feeling that Gregg and guitarists Duane Allman and Dickey Betts put into these two numbers almost bring tears to my eyes. Other highlights of the first disk are Gregg's "Midnight Rider", concert favorite "Whipping Post" with the sorely missed Berry Oakley's bass intro and smokin' covers of Blind Willie McTell's "Statesboro Blues" and Muddy Water's "Trouble No More". The former highlights Duane's astounding slide guitar playing skills. Live versions of the instrumental workouts like "Hot 'Lanta" and "In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed" highlight the high musicianship of all the band members. The second disk begins with the end of Duane and Berry's tenure through the additions of Chuck Leavell and Lamar Williams to the Dan Toler and David Goldflies period in 1979. Highlights on the second disk include two famous Dickey Bett's numbers the melodic instrumental "Jessica" which features some great keyboard playing by both Gregg and Chuck Leavell and the countryish "Ramblin' Man". Other standouts include a live version of Sonny Boy Williamson's "One Way Out", "Stand Back" and the acoustic duet "Little Martha" featuring Duane and Dickey. The bonus tracks which were added raise this compilation from good to great! Such cuts as "Southbound", a cover of Muddy Water's "Can't Lose What You Never Had" and the live "Come And Go Blues" improve this set. My only quibble is the inclusion of the weak "Win, Lose Or Draw". I would have replaced it with either the instumental "High Falls" from that album, the live cover of John Lee Hooker's "Dimples" from "Live At Ludlow's Garage" or "Leave My Blues At Home". This 2 cd anthology provides an affordable and essential introduction to the spectacular Allman Brothers Band for those who can not afford the box set or many individual disks. I highly recommend "Beginnings", "Live At The Fillmore" and "Eat A Peach" for starters if you enjoyed this set."

Impressive Update ****1/2

Janson Kemp | Dallas, TX USA | 03/08/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you look at the original track listing for the first edition of ABB's "The Road Goes on Forever" retrospective, you get the sneaking suspicion that the record label was fighting the clock. Maybe a deadline kept them from including classic album tracks from "Idlewild South" and "Eat a Peach." Is there any other explaination for excluding excellent southern standards like "Not My Cross To Bare?"



Well, on this 2001 reissue right is put right. The set is expanded to 2 discs and it is the prefect introduction and even a better summary than anything they have done live. That comment may require some explaination to many hard-cores preferring "At Fillmore East," but for those of us not raised on southern rock, 30-plus minutes of "Mountain Jam" may require more than just time. On these tracks, the Allman Brothers power is showcased in a closed, controlled, and focused enviornment, expunging anything occuring outside the magic. The tracks are presented chronologically, a plus for newcomers. I prefer the studio versions of "Trouble No More," "Blackhearted Woman," and even the post-Duane "Ramblin' Man" to the bloated live versions. And yes, disc two dies down a bit after the generous 6 tracks from the classic "Eat a Peach" LP, but what can you say for a band who loses the greatest slide-guitar hand of all-time? This set is orderly, definitive, and near perfect.



Overall: 9 out of 10."