Search - Gary Us Bonds :: Dedication / On the Line (Reis)

Bonds Rocks!

Brett Eidman | NY | 05/27/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Gary U.S. Bonds is a true rock'n roller. This CD collection is awesome. You can't beat the oldie but goody sound mixed with New Jersey shore. It's in my top 10 of favorite CD's of all time."

Great, Great Two-Fer

Bob C. | 04/24/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These are two great Gary U.S. Bonds albums produced by Bruce Springsteen. The E Street band is all over these albums as well as other related Jersey shore musicians. But Bonds is not overwhelmed by the Asbury Park musicians and these albums are uniquely his own. "Dedication" is probably the better of the two but "On The Line" is well worth having. Several of Bonds' early 60's soul contemporaries, Chuck Jackson and Ben E. King appear on "Dedication" as well as Ellie Greenwich."

DEDICATION is the real keeper

D. Dwyer | California | 06/29/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Gary U.S. Bonds' comeback album, DEDICATION, was produced and backed by Bruce Springsteen in pretty much every way: his band members are all over it, his sideman and compatriot Miami Steve/Little Steven wrote the brings-the-house-down "Daddy's Come Home," and so on. Steve's contribution may be the best song on the album, too, which is no small feat when your ringers are Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Lennon/McCartney, and so on. Bonds is in great voice here (though you can hear him cough during the shouter-reworking of "Like a Buick 6") and just plain sings the hell out of everything. This album alone would be worth five stars.



ON THE LINE, the follow up, is much closer to a retread than anyone probably would've preferred -- it comes off as a lukewarm, slightly strained Southside Johnny album. Great party music (like Clarence Clemmons' first solo album) because, in the background, it doesn't demand anything or need to command much -- just sound good, like a bar band should. Up front, though, it is noticeably weaker, though not embarrassing, really. Three stars."