Shakedown/getting to the point
Stuart Jefferson | San Diego,Ca | 05/27/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Two discs approximately 41 min. each. Remastered. Savoy Brown was never as popular as other British blues groups of the sixties-groups like John Mayall,Fleetwood Mac,or any other first run groups. They were more of a second tier group like Chicken Shack or Groundhogs. Savoy Brown became popular in America later on in their career as a "boogie" band-with all the good and bad that entails. Having said that,their first few albums fit in with the '60's blues boom then in fashion in England.
The first album Shake Down was especially immediate-in your face-sounding. The songs consisted mainly of covers written by well-known blues artists like Willie Dixon John Lee Hooker and the like. The instrumental The Doormouse Rides The Rails gives guitarist Martin Stone a chance to shine. The lead singer Brice Portius is adequate-neither great nor bad. The rhythm section is what you would expect from this time. A combination of slow blues and a few shuffles make up this recording. Only on the last song does the group show a tendency to stretch out in a "boogie" like style that they would go on to make popular in America,which is to bad. For those of you interested in British groups in this style I would recommend you pick up this disc. It was never originally released in America and had to be bought as an import.
The second album Getting To The Point,was a continuation of the first as far as the British blues sound. With a new singer on board,Chris Youlden,Savoy Brown's sound became a bit more distinctive. Martin Stone had left to join Mighty Baby and the rhythm section had changed too. Most of the songs are now being written by the team of Youlden/Simmonds (the band's new guitarist). As before it is a combination of fast and slow blues,with an instrumental to show what Kim Simmonds could do.
This album and the next few would follow the same path. Only later would Savoy Brown descend into "boogie" excess that became popular and thus spell the end of their truly blues playing days. All in all I would say buy these two albums if you're a fan of British blues or sixties music from England in general."
If you only buy one
Nicholas Papamarcos | 01/09/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Others have done the hard part reviewing this. All I can add is I was a serious fan of Brit Blues 67-70 and on I bought Getting to the Point when it was 1st released and still listen to it a couple of dozen times a year, which is pretty good for a 43 year old title. And when I found out about Shake Down (in the Rolling Stone ?) I had to search out and pay big bucks for it. Two different bands/sound both some of the best from England"
Excellent
William R. Nicholas | Mahwah, NJ USA | 08/25/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"British blues took many forms in the 1960s, from John Mayall's Howlin' Muddy university to the jazz pump of Cream.
Savoy Brown cut the bread right down the middle. They stuck to basic structres of the genre, but added horns and jazzy sonics.
But more than any type of music, success or falure is in the playing, which creates the soul. Savoy Brown has no superior in this department. They have the most earthy grit and the shiniest polish needed to make thier twelve bars life blood.
No need to go on about this. Buy their records and play them, a lot. You'll feel what I mean. If not, consult your local embalmer--you're bear food.
Every now and again, I try a modern rock band, play the CDs, and they become dust collectors. It is not the writting. It is not the production. It is that these kids think guitar playing starts with Eddie Van Halen. THEY DON'T KNOW THEIR BLUES!
No young axman or women should wonder in to this trap. Go to school. Listen to this."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1