Search - Savoy Brown :: Looking From the Outside

Bad Recording Kills A Band At Its Concert Peaks

BluesDuke | Las Vegas, Nevada | 11/17/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Savoy Brown really did deserve better in the long run. Especially the second edition of the group, which boasted Chris Youlden as the lead singer - they were a far more elemental blues group than the boogie-till-you-woogie reputation with which they were rather unfairly cuffed. And it's this edition of the band (the first edition can be found only if you are willing to shell for someone's straggling copy of the import "Shake Down" - but it's worth it for the original Savoy Brown Blues Band lineup, underrated singer Bryce Portius, and an engaging guitar tandem of Kim Simmonds and Martin Stone, not to mention a blood-sauteeing sound) which still shines the brightest.



Forget the horrid recording (worth a two-star docking) and just taste the band. The four cuts featuring Youlden live up to the band's reputation as an in-person rave-up of the blues; the remaining cuts (same lineup minus Youlden, and with a little freer style and sound, not to mention rhythm guitarist Lonesome Dave Peverett singing more than passably for a guy who was about to abscond with the rhythm section to create Foghat) end up making the original "Looking In" album look even better than it did in the first place. The material is excellent concert fodder, and the band loosens up so deftly you forget they were about finished.



When Simmonds regrouped a year later, with a new lineup and a harder-rocking sound, the results were mixed at best (though "Hellbound Train" - the cut, not the whole album - was a last gasp of the original Savoy Brown power). Here's where the real legacy of Savoy Brown ends, and it's a lovely way to punctuate a story which deserves better."

Lonesome Dave - I'll Miss You

Richard M.Judice | Hazlet, N.J. USA | 08/10/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"What a thrill it was when I received this album for my birthday a couple of week ago! This is my favorite Savoy Brown line up .Lonesome Dave Peverett (later the lead vocalist of Foghat), who took over lead vocals after Chris Youlden left the band , is in great vocal form on cuts 5 thru 10. The best song on this CD is " Louisiana Blues " . Lonesome Dave's singing on this Muddy Waters' song is intense and his rhythm guitar playing up against the great Kim Simmonds lead guitar work is magical. Most of the songs on this CD are more Rock than Blues oriented but I get a rush every time I hear these songs . I only wish Dave was still around so this incarnation of Savoy Brown could do a reunion tour. The sound quality is fair to good but the spirit of this CD is excellent."

Looking back... with fondness

bruceski | FLA United States | 06/23/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of 2 recent releases of live material from the 70s versions of Savoy B. These releases are mainly for fans of the band as the sound quality is just OK. I, for one, am still very glad this stuff was made available. Looking From the Outside features 4 songs with Chris Youlden on vocals (the 1st 4) and the rest are from the Looking In line up. This is the first time many of these songs have been available in live versions and it documents what a dynamic band Savoy B was during this time.I've always wished the Looking In line up would have stayed together longer and this demonstrates what a nice blend they had. And Chris Youlden, well there was just something special about him... The Savoys were always little more rock oriented live than in the studio and you get the sense that these guys really liked playing live (altough you must get the Jack the Toad Live CD with Jackie Lynton on vocals to really get a feel for what a band having fun sounds like)."