Supernatural Review

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(More customer reviews)Okay, I've read something like 400 of these reviews so I thought I'd speak up. I've been a Santana fan since the early '70's. My personal preference is for Santana's old jazz/rock fusion albums, (e.g., "Illuminations"[1974], "Borboletta"[1974], "Lotus"[1974], and the impossible to categorize, "Oneness"[1979]). But "Supernatural"[1999] is definitely Santana's best pop/rock album in at least 12 years ("Freedom"[1987]) and maybe 28 years ("Santana III"[1971]). I felt the band's last studio album, "Milagro"[1992], was too diffuse and self-indulgent to achieve greatness (despite some fabulous individual tracks).
I like almost every track on "Supernatural." The Latin rock tracks include "(Da le)Yaleo," "African Bamba," "Migra," "Corazon Espinado"(featuring Mana), and "Primavera"; in my opinion, any one of the last 3 of these is worth the price of the CD. I'd never heard of Lauryn Hill before I bought this album, but I really love "Do You Like the Way"--I didn't much care for it at first listen, but it grew on me. "El Farol" is a sweet, passionate sort of light jazz guitar solo with typical blazing crescendo. "The Calling" w/Eric Clapton is decent, but not great--though both guitarists manage to put out (all-too-brief) moments of sheer wonder. I don't care much for either "Maria, Maria" w/Product G&B, or "Wishing It Was" w/Eagle-Eye Cherry. The pop tunes, "Love of My Life" (featuring Dave Matthews) and "Smooth" (featuring Rob Thomas) are really great tracks. The dark and brooding alternative rock track, "Put Your Lights On" (featuring Everlast) simply takes my breath away. Be sure to wait for the unlisted track after "The Calling."
My chief complaint with the album is that Chester Thompson's keyboard talents are not showcased enough. The percussion section is given ample room to breathe, especially on "(Da Le) Yaleo" and "Migra."
Santana's unique style turns me into one big goose bump; if the music doesn't do that for you, it's not Santana's fault and it's not your fault, either. Despite several reviewers' criticisms about what they perceive as a commercial bent to this album, I find that commercial bent to be a very positive influence on the band's music; this is an extremely tight, well-produced CD--kind of a rarity for Santana. I don't personally see what is so objectionable about an artist reaching out to a wider audience. The first 3 albums by the original Santana band were smash hits and, frankly, I think it's great to hear the band on the radio again with some new music. Anyway, if you find something sinister or just plain unsatisfactory about a band consciously trying for commercial appeal, then be forewarned because that is exactly what Santana and Arista Records set out to do. I think they did a great job.
If you like this CD, you might want to check out "Moonflower"[1977], "Zebop!"[1981], "Spirits Dancing in the Flesh"[1990], or even "Freedom"[1987]; these are some of the better pop/rock Santana albums, in my opinion.

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A. R. M. S. Concert - The Complete Show (Vol. 1 & 2) Review

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(More customer reviews)My fellow reviewer above described this thing absolutely perfectly. But as an MS victim myself, I DO so appreciate Slowhand, Page, Beck, et al, playing a tribute to ex-Face, Ronnie Lane (who died of MS some years later.) Unfortunately, I do have to force myself to try to do the impossible and just tune out Ray Cooper making a transcontental fool of himself, WAY "over the top" on percussion; however, as a long time Rolling Stones fanatic, I just smile WIDELY, seeing/hearing Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts as part of the rhythm section here. I would say that THEIR presence alone justifies the price of this, but the fact that this concert was done for a MS sufferer and, really, to bring the public attention to/about MS, makes this DVD almost...sublime. And now that I actually own the DVD and can view it at my leisure, I, even more, have to say: Thank you guys, and may God Bless ALL of you! RIP, Ronnie. Doggone shame that Avonex wasn't available back then.

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Lil Band O Gold Review

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(More customer reviews)Looking for the rock in swamp rock? Be prepared to look hard here. Lil' Band O' Gold, billing itself as a Swamp Rock supergroup, turns out to be slightly off base in this release. The CD is heavy with ballads and laments, with sad songs of lost love and mournful dirges taking up slightly more than half the songlist. If swamp blues are what you're looking for though, you'll be satisfied, especially with the wonderful vocal work, both lead and backup, of "First You Cry". C.C. Adcock (who co-produced this recording) provides his usual gritty guitar sound; the mournful pedal-steel work is that of Richard Comeaux. Of the 'up' tunes on this effort, "Shirley" was a surprise, with the innocent lyrics and raw sound of early 60's pop. A Cajun dance-hall standard written by the late, great Dewey Balfa, "Parlez Nous a Boire" ('let us talk of drinking, and not of marriage') gets a kicked-up treatment here, with driving bass line, hard-edged vocals and an intriguing sax opener. "7 Nights 2 Rock", a familiar rockabilly number, beckons you to the dance floor, but could have used another rockin' number as its follow-up, not the undistinguished 'slow dance' of "Dreamgirl". The swamp rock highlights here? "Allons Rock N Roll" and "Cajun Twist" -- both benefit from Steve Riley vocal and accordion work, and great backing by the St. Martin Horns (Dickie Landry, David Greeley, and Pat Breaux). If you're not up and dancing to the "Cajun Twist" cher, your feet must not work.

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Van Morrison, The Concert Review

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(More customer reviews)It's hard to believe this concert was taped in 1989, at the Beacon Theater in New York, long time ago! Van has never been known to age gracefully, but the voice, the high and low ranges, the sounds and mumbles he makes still mesmerize his audiences. Many of the performances here feature his spiritual side with Whenever God Shines His Light; Thank God for Self; I Will Be There; and When Will I Ever Learn to Live in God. He touches lightly on Gloria, and extends Moondance/Fever.
Two influential guests include the blues guitarist John Lee Hooker and jazz pianist, composer, and Mose Allison. Allison has often called the "William Faulkner of Jazz." In 1996, Morrison recorded Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison.
What is not listed as a track is the mesmerizing and unusual duet between sax player and Morrison, doing Common One. The sax play will echo every line Morrison does. Not only is it unique to listen, but that duet is very fun to watch. Now this song was performed on the Astral Weeks Live At the Hollywood Bowl and the DVD treat Astral Weeks Live At The Hollywood Bowl: The Concert Film (Amazon.com Exclusive). As usual the bluesy jazzy sound of the entire concert is a thrill.
Other songs include: Raglan Road; Star of the county Down; In the Garden; Have I Told You Lately; Cleaning Windown; Orangefield; Summertime in England; It Serves Me Right To Suffer; Booom Boom and She Moved Through the Fair.
I don't believe this concert is in DVD format. I don't know why, but sit back and enjoy some rare treats by Morrison in stereo sound. ....Rizzo


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London Sessions Review

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(More customer reviews)Some of the reviews here are waaay too generous, so don't get your hopes up about the quality of this album. One reviewer refers to it as the best blues album of all time: Heck, I can name 10 or 12 other MUDDY WATERS albums that has this beat hands down! Muddy's vocals sound tired, the material is sub-par, and the band isn't particularly good, although Rory Gallagher gets off a few good solos. The organ playing is horrid--and absolutely unnecessary. The album cover art gives a pretty good indication that this wasn't a very serious Muddy Waters blues album. You can steer clear of this one, unless you have all of Muddy's classic stuff and are interested in hearing him on an "off-night."

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By a Thread-Tour Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been a Mule fan since the first album. Seen them twice, once back in the day, the second time a few months ago.
Just got the new album and love it. I love Warren's playing and singing. The band seems to have gelled into a more cohesive unit, and in new bass player Jorgen, I think warren's found his felix pappalardi.
I'm surprised to see the negative reviews here. Really? You guys don't like this?
All musicians change (if they're paying attention to their muse) and warren has taken a turn more towards hard rock, classic rock then blues.
The riffs and songs are groovier and crunchier. That's why I like 'em. The sound of the album is more like a led zep or hendrix record, without being imitative, but with warren's great voice.
The band has evolved and grown and changed. Warren's tone has changed, on this record. You want blues, listen to the Allmans. (who i love as well.)
You want crunchy, funky, groonin' guitar tone and playing, buy this CD!
I can't believe you guys don't love this!


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2009 release, the first studio album in three years from the critically lauded Rock outfit. Recorded largely at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studio in 2009, the album s origins are apparent from the first track, 'Broke Down On The Brazos', named after the nearby river, with a deep Texas stomp for the backbeat and featuring the trademark guitar-work of ZZ Top founder Billy Gibbons.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Sanctuary Review

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(More customer reviews)Sanctuary was a turning point for the J. Geils Band. The album embodies musical and production sophistication not found in previous albums by the band.
What makes the album outstanding is that despite the new-found polish the band acquired with this record the grit, rhythm, pathos and plain old fun which is a trademark of "the bad boys from Boston" still is everpresent.
The song "One Last Kiss" received great radio play at the time it was released and is an upbeat blue-inspired rocker of love lost.
"Sanctuary", the title track features Peter Wolf's vocal at their most expressive and some wicked harp by Magic Dick.
The song "Teresa" is simply one of the best pop songs I've heard by any band. Again Wolf's vocals are at their most expressive; they are plaintive and heart rending, matching Seth Justman's piano.
"Wildman" and "Jus' Can't Stop Me" are great party rave-ups, while the inclusion of ! "I Do" a neat sing-along tune with terrific harmonies, origally on the album Monkey Island, rounds out Sanctuary.
I'm glad this album is out in CD format. The quality of the digital version will highlight the production value of the album while none of what made the J. Geils Band famous in the first place will be lost. If you want to laugh and cry, dance and sing then you should purchase this CD!

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1995 U.K. reissue on BGO of their 1979 EMI album, remasteredfrom the original master tapes & with extensive sleeve notesand faithfully restored artwork. Unavailable on CD in the U.S., it features nine tracks, including the top 40 hit 'OneLast Kiss' and 'Take It Back'.

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Grace Potter and the Nocturnals: Deluxe Edition (CD & DVD) Review

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(More customer reviews)Well since this is the deluxe edition with DVD I'll comment on that first. Personally I think it's a great bonus. It's six songs performed live in Burlington, Vermont right on the lakefront, which is the same place they played just last night. There's a few cuts from this album, as well as their past hit "Apologies" which I love, and a cool cover of "White Rabbit". Plus A few interview bits here and there. I think this is a Best Buy exclusive kind of thing. For the album itself, it may be a little more produced than some fans want, but it's still a good listen. Bluesy, rockin' and sexy. I don't think "Tiny Light" was the best choice for first single but it's ok. Most of what's here I enjoy, but my faves are "One Short Night" and "Hot Summer Night". Gotta have a couple songs about nights on here, being the Nocturnals and all. With the DVD, four stars.

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Deluxe edition includes bonus DVD featuring six live performances plus behind-the-scenes interviews.
Track listing:
CD
1. Paris (Ooh La La)
2. Oasis
3. Medicine
4. Goodbye Kiss
5. Tiny Light
6. Colors
7. Only Love
8. Money
9. One Short Night
10. Low Road
11. That Phone
12. Hot Summer Night
13. Things I Never Needed
Bonus DVD
Live in Burlington, VT
1. Apologies
2. Paris (Ooh La La)
3. White Rabbit
4. Medicine
5. One Short Night
6. That Phone

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Ali Farka Toure Review

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(More customer reviews)I've owned the CD for nine years, and it has always stayed close to me. This is to my mind the best album available of Toure's music. As stated in the editorial review, it is bare bones acoustic. Ali's voice and guitar cut straight to the soul. He is accompanied by sparse but tasteful percussion.
I recommend this above the Talking Timbuktu album. It is a classic that belongs in every collection.

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No Description AvailableNo Track Information AvailableMedia Type: CDArtist: TOURE,ALI FARKATitle: ALI FARKA TOUREStreet Release Date: 03/23/1989

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Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live Review

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(More customer reviews)If you like the blues at all, you'll be absolutely blown away by this live performance. Just the first 15 seconds thrill: Muddy Waters' deep deep vocal tones with an abrupt break to the familiar guitar/drums/bass/harp riff of his classic, "Mannish Boy." (And that's not even the best song on the CD.)
The audience is totally into it, both on this song and the entire album--screaming, yelling, whistling, shouting--making this almost as exciting as "James Brown at the Apollo," and certainly among the best live blues ever recorded. The sound quality is excellent, credit the mix to Dave Still at "The Schoolhouse and Hit Factory."
The group is unbelievably talented and plays with great empathy: Muddy Waters on vocals and guitar, "Pine Top" Perkins (piano), James Cotton (harp), additional guitar from Johnny Winter, Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson, and many others. I don't hear any softening of Muddy Waters' voice; he is as authoritative, soulful, and unique as ever. Muddy Waters set a very high (probably unsurpassed) standard for anyone who followed. It's sheer delight to hear his inventive singing and slide guitar so well recorded and backed.

Perhaps the most memorable concert I ever attended was a late 1970's performance at the Roxy in L.A. As Muddy Waters walked up to the stage, I felt a sense of transcendentalism, as if History were climbing the stairs. And then he tore the roof off. Although only about 40 minutes long (and with notes limited to personnel descriptions), the music on this CD recaptured some of that experience for me.
Along with "Mannish Boy" and the great "She's Nineteen Years Old," other Morganfield compositions (there's one number written by Sonny Boy Williamson) include "Streamline Woman," "Baby Please Don't Go," "Howling Wolf," and "Deep Down in Florida." 'Wolf' features Waters' bee-stingingly intense slide guitar, one that can righteously cut through the thickest, meanest heart and soul. With just a few perfectly played notes, Waters' slide guitar dredges buckets of emotion. "Gainesville'--perhaps the best song here ("Yeah I believe I'll go back to Gainesville...just to see an old friend of mine.")--has amazing solos by "Pine Top" Perkins, Johnny Winter, and James Cotton, who blows some of the purest and most stirring harp notes in blues.
This is the liturgy of the blues, the thick ooze of the traditional and the familiar wrapped with enough personal style to uncover new emotion. Powerful, raw, and spine tingling, this is the blues as only McKinley "Muddy Waters" Morganfield could play it.

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Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live -Muddy Waters
This product is manufactured on demand using CD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.

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Blind Faith (Deluxe Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)Now often overlooked, Blind Faith was guitar god Eric Clpaton's first move after Cream imploded at the end of 1968. Joining forces with the multi-talented Steve Winwood(vocals and keyboards), who has just left Traffic, seemed like an unbeatable idea, and the addition of drummer extraordinaire Ginger Baker and bassist Rick Grech made Blind Faith seem like a "can't miss" project. Six months later it was over. Rushed into the studio by greedy and insensitive managers and then sent on a long and chaotic tour, Blind Faith never had a chance to gel as a band. After one promising album, the original supergroup broke up.
Judged a disappointment at the time Blind Faith's one and only album has some very fine moments. Clapton had yet to develop the confidence needed to be a convincing lead vocalist, so he deferred to Winwood, who was at his peak as a singer. Clapton's guitar work is simply magnificent, as he is already maturing beyond his work with Cream and pointing towards his renaissance with Derek & the Dominoes that began a year later.
Polydor has remastered "Blind Faith" using state-of-the-art technology, and reissued it with outtakes and jam sessions from the original 1969 recording sessions. The original album is a revelation; the sound as crisp and full as is imaginable. The clarity is astounding, and even if you think you know every note of this album, you will be pleasantly surprised by what you hear on this new version. Songs like Winwood's "Can't Find My Way Home" and "Sea of Joy," and Clapton's "Presence of the Lord" have aged very well and sound better than ever.
The outtakes are a mixed lot. A couple have appeared on Clapton and Winwood's anthologies, and several others have circulated for years on bootlegs, albeit with inferior sound. These tracks are interesting but not essential.
The jams, alas, are largely a waste. Playing riffs for ten or fifteen minutes while waiting for a musical idea that's worth keeping is not my idea of fun for the listener. These tracks are not even built around a reliable and basic format like 12-bar blues. There are some fiery moments - how could there not be with these musicians - but, like the three CD "Layla" box a decade ago, most of the unreleased material is disappointing.
Still, fans of Clapton, Winwood and their various bands will probably want to own this set. The remastered "Blind Faith" is a gem, and stakes a viable claim for the album as one of the best of its era.

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Crossroads 2: Live In The Seventies Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the perfect box set for the casual Clapton fan or the serious without a live set. This is a great introduction to Clapton's to most of Clapton's mandatory songs (minus the Cream songs) that were recorded during the 70's at various venues. The sound quality is perfect with no deteriation from the recording at all.
There are some amazing rocking versions of songs. This set was taken during his drugged out depression phase when his solos rocked the hardest and his blues were the saddest.
Disc One- A great intro for the set with a fun Hand Jive. The highlight of this disc is the great "Cant Find My Way Home" with some of Clapton's cathiest lyrics to date.
Disc Two- The best disc of the set and one my single most favorite discs OF ALL TIME- worth the price of the set by itself. The 4 and a half min Layla is the best version of Layla ever hands down. Clapton tears through the riff with an amazing solo that shows of his best skills and his full range. Guaranteed to have you air jamming every time. The I Shot The Sheriff jams like no other. Clapton just gets in a groove with some finger pickin that cant be beat. Badge goes through its usual first half before Clapton just puts on an all out assault on the laws of rockin. The solo flies through many phases and has to be heard to be believed. Follow this up with a 24 min "Why Does Love Have To Be So Sad" with Santana. This is my all time favorite Clapton song and it needs to be heard multiple times before its complexity can be unraveled. The easiest way to describe it would be like a battle between Santana and Clapton where they are playing off of each other in alternate dueling commraderie. Fantastic!!
Disc three- the second best disc with multiple winners. The two best are Core with its powerful emotion and the always solid Cocaine.
Disc four- my least favorite of the discs but some decents ones hidden away. "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" is another cathy tune that not all casual classic rock fans have heard.
Bottom Line: anyone interested in Clapton, classic rock, or kick-... guitar shreddin should go out and get this set.

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Nature of the Beast Review

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(More customer reviews)I have had the good fortune of living near Spady. The River Street Jazz Café, where Spady routinely plays and has recently celebrated his 15th year playing there, is only a few miles from my parents' home in Exeter, PA. Also, my guitar teacher back there has studied and gigged with Spady, so this is the story as I've been told.
After listening to this album, it's no wonder why he was given a deal. Spady received accolades here in the states and in Europe. But sadly, his use of drugs, as noted in songs like "Nature of the Beast" and "Change My Way of Living", unraveled his career. Spady's band eventually left him after he would fail to appear at out of state gigs and he would be in and out of jail on a regular basis. Spady still gigs frequently in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area, where he is regarded amongst local musicians as the hippest cat that'll ever grace the stages at local bars.
In light of his unfortunate demise, there's no doubting his talent. Spady has upstaged the likes of Buddy Guy at blues festivals and has earned the respect of legends like Robben Ford. He has flaked on gigs in prominent New York night clubs and still gets booked because he's such a huge draw. During breaks in his sets in NYC it isn't uncommon for him to be hassled for his autograph from people with British and French accents, some people not even speaking English. Although "Nature of the Beast" is a great album, it's really nothing compared to him live. When you see him live and he plays his super-funky version of "Se La Vie", then turns it around into "Cissy Strut" and finishes the trio with his original "Riding in Fast Cars", you're left breathless and wanting more.
"Nature of the Beast" shows Spady's potential. This is more of an R&B album, more than it is a blues album, as seen with tunes like "Baby Baby Baby", "A Good Fool is Hard to Find", and "Bad Axe". Spady takes some good solos in this album, but his rhythms really make the album, along with some great help from the band. Unlike many other blues musicians, Clarence uses many influences in his playing. He has bits of every type of good black music in his playing, from traditional blues, to jazz, to funk, to gospel, to R&B. Clarence is so good that he never gives it 100% when he's being recorded because he doesn't want anyone copying his licks. One must take that into consideration when listening to this album.
All in all, this is a wonderful album and is enough to give me my Spady fix while I'm away from home. If you're in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area of PA, be sure to see if he's playing. A live experience will send you to heaven, and you'll leave knowing exactly what I mean when I say that his album really is nothing compared to him live. Even in light of the fact that he gigs as a three-piece now, with Bob O'Connel on keys and Sharon Smith on drums, he always pulls it off better than the album, no easy task. And lets's hold on to some hope that maybe, just maybe he'll change his way of living and record another album and follow up on it this time. There's no doubt in my mind that if he wanted it, Clarence would be the next big thing, the next SRV, the next Robben Ford, the next guitar hero.

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Lilith Fair: A Celebration Of Women In Music, Volume 3 Review

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(More customer reviews)I was give Volume 2 and I thought it was good. I decided to go see how Volume 3 was. I loved it! In my opinion even better then the Volume 2! It has a wide variety of songs that all sound great. i loved Sarah's "Black and White". It's amazing!

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Twenty Review

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(More customer reviews)Robert Cray hails from the BB King school of guitar playing.. and I have every single release from RC .. and they are restrained glory in every sense of the word. Then, suddenly in a song, he busts out with some very good guitar playing that catches you off guard.
This particular recording is very complete, and very gospel sounding, in a lot of places.. but yet RC's voice is very gospel sounding in itself.. so I really think that is where a lot of the gospel comparisons come into the mix... and lets face it... a lot of guitar players play guitar and will sing as well.. but in RC's case.. his singing is as every bit of (dare I say even better) than his fantastic guitar ability. This can make for a very pleasureable experience.
This cd does cut fray into the political arena, but robert sings like someone who means what he has to say and is not really trying to paint an overtly political statements... very heartfelt song.
The guitar playing on this CD... there is as much guitar playing on this CD as one would like to hear. RC uses the guitar so much in phrases, and catches so much melody.. and when he does break out in solos, they mean something.
I must admit, this RC cd is a lot better than his past couple... and they were good too, but this one is better.
Enjoy, Have fun.

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Robert Cray and band raise their profile recently with standout appearances in Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival film and DVD as well as Robert’s stunning performances in two in Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival film and DVD as well as Robert’s stunning performances in two segments of Martin Scorsese’s film and just released DVD, Lightning In A Bottle. The band started the year with their 1,000th performance as a unit and now the five-time Grammy winner (11 nominations) delivers Twenty, a set whose title track is a poignant commentary about the US war in Iraq.The Robert Cray Band’s album Twenty was released on a week bookended by the May 24 birthday of one of this generation’s most eloquent protest songwriters, Bob Dylan, and by Memorial Day, May 30. The dates are significant when one considers the subject matter which defines the album’s title track, "Twenty."While Cray has generally focused his writing on personal relationships, his song "Survivor" as well as co-producer and bandmate Jim Pugh's "Distant Shore," both on Cray's 2003 CD Time Will Tell, were also inspired by concerns about what was, at the time of their writing, an impending war in Iraq.Robert Cray is a five time Grammy winner who grew up on military bases in the U.S. and abroad. His father served in Vietnam so Robert has personal knowledge of the effect on a family when one of it’s members is serving abroad. On May 24 – the album’s street date -- TrueMajority.org, a non partisan, non-profit, grassroots education and advocacy project founded by Ben Cohen (Ben & Jerry's), offered the song a streaming audio to its entire online community of 575,000 Americans who are committed to getting government to reflect our values of justice, compassion and sustainability. The release of Twenty, Cray’s fourteenth album, will be backed by an extensive worldwide tour by The Robert Cray Band (beginning on the week of release with a May 26 San Francisco benefit for Music In Schools Today.) The tour will continue across the U.S. and Europe throughout the summer.

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Try Me One More Time Review

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(More customer reviews)After a 17 year recoding hiatus, Bromberg is back with this enjoyable set of mostly blues and folk standards. Imagine David Bromberg sitting in your living room singing and picking his Martin M-42 Signature Edition guitar. This album is great fun for Bromberg fans, with the liner notes as entertaining as the music. Ultimately, David does not "make these songs his own" in the way that he has done previously with other blues standards (e.g., "Statesboro Blues," "Dehlia"), but the album as a whole is quite enjoyable. David fingerpicks most of these tunes, breaking out the slide for two of the album's highlights, the title track and Blind Willie McTell's "Love Changing Blues." He also does a nice job with a somber and reflective reading of Elizabeth Cotten's "Shake Sugaree." Notice how the album cover is modeled after David's first solo album? Maybe this release will renew interest in the first album, and maybe someone will put that one back in print. If you're a Bromberg fan, I recommend this album without hesitation. If you're new to Bromberg, check out Midnight on the Water first.

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Three long-awaited words: David Bromberg's back! Roots music fans will rejoice in the release of "Try Me One More Time," thefirst new CD in 17 years byguitarist/vocalist David Bromberg, a master practitioner of folk, blues,bluegrass and other musical genres. This new recording is undiluted David:one man, one acoustic guitar, and a repertoire of mostly traditionalmaterial performed with the intimate, assured touch of a musician who hasnothing to prove.Originally a "must-have" session man for everyone from Bob Dylan to Dionand subsequently a hard-touring bandleader and recording artist with anenthusiastic following, Bromberg gradually phased himself out of thecontinual record-tour-record cycle starting in 1980. "I got burned out," hereflects. "And I didn't want to be one of those musicians who ends up`phoning it in.' Music was too important to me to treat it that way."So he switched his focus from performing to studying, moving to Chicago in1980 to learn violin-making. Based in the Windy City until 2002, when hemoved to Delaware to open a violin shop, Bromberg has continued to tourperiodically, but has mostly stayed away from recording studios, with1990's "Sideman Serenade" his last album until now. On "Try Me One More Time," Bromberg harkens back to the acoustic folk andblues music of his early days on the mid-'60s Greenwich Village folk scene,a period when he guided the blind gospel-blues singer Reverend Gary Davisto concerts and churches in exchange for guitar lessons. Bromberg performstwo of "the Rev's" compositions on his new CD - "I Belong to the Band" and"Trying to Get Home" - as well as songs written by Robert Johnson,Elizabeth Cotton, Tommy Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, sometime Brombergemployer Bob Dylan ("It Takes a Lot to Laugh . . ."), and songs from thetraditional realm, including two exquisitely rendered instrumentals ("BuckDancer's Choice," "Hey Bub"). The title track is Bromberg's first recordingof a song he wrote more than 30 years ago. In liner notes as conversational as his distinctive, low-key vocals,Bromberg maintains that this CD is the first record he's made where he"wasn't trying to impress anybody . . . I'm just doing the tunes."Nonetheless, the outcome can't fail to delight listeners who appreciate anunderstated virtuoso playing and singing the music he loves.

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Anthology 1967-1971 Review

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(More customer reviews)The tight playlists of Classic Rock radio has shortchanged the legacy of numerous bands, especially those whose reputations were minted in the emerging era of underground FM radio. Today's skyrocketing radio station values have left no time for the extended jams that were TYA's calling card. As such, an entire generation of rock fans knows the band only by their 1971 (air-time-friendly 3'44") hit "I'd Love to Change the World," and the occasional VH1 snippet of their breakout performance at Woodstock. What these fans haven't heard are the riches available on the band's albums, of which there were more than a dozen.
Hip-O's 2-CD collection gathers cuts from eight of the band's original albums (leaving out only 1972's "Rock & Roll Music to the World" and 1974's "Positive Vibrations"), plus a pair of singles and a track from Woodstock, creating a superb overview of the band's original run. This is both a splendid introduction to the band and a well-procured collection of tracks for the TYA fan.
1967's eponymous debut lays out TYA's blues base on four covers, "I Want to Know," Al Cooper's "I Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes," Willie Dixon's "Spoonful," and Sonny Boy Williamson's "Help Me." Even at this early stage Alvin Lee's guitar shows itself to be the incisive instrument that would be showcased in longer jams on later albums.
The 1968 single, "Portable People," is an uncharacteristically genteel A-side for TYA, with a B-side, "The Sounds," that leans heavily towards the psychedelic. Their other non-LP single from the era, "Rock Your Mama" is a straight-ahead blues affair, with a B-side, "Spider in My Web," that takes the sound low and slow. (It's a bit mysterious as to how the seven-plus minute "Spider" was fit onto a 7" 45!).
The live jam "I May Be Wrong, But I Won't Be Wrong Always" from 1968's "Undead" LP gives Lee, keyboardist Chick Churchill, and even bassist Leo Lyons the opportunity to display their chops. The following year's "Stonedhenge" finds the band experimenting with their blues on the psychedelic boogie "Going to Try" and the jazz-tinged organ-and-guitar of "Woman Trouble." Though not their most artistically consistent album, as excerpted here, their experimental directions show some dividends. "Boogie On," recorded during the "Stonedhenge" sessions, was shelved until the 1972 odds 'n' sods release "Alvin Lee and Company," and is featured here in its entire 14-minute glory.
1969's "Ssssh" showed TYA's mastery of the electric twelve bar blues on "I Woke Up This Morning." Recorded shortly before their breakthrough performance at Woodstock (captured on this set by the blistering "I'm Going Home"), "Ssssh" features a seven-minute jam of Sonny Boy Williamson's "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" (with new, on-the-nose lyrics), and the quieter, down-tempo "If You Should Love Me." Throughout, Lee's intricate guitar playing is a textbook of British electric blues.
The jamming continued on 1970's "Cricklewood Green" with "Love Like a Man" and "50,000 Miles Beneath My Brain." The jazz-based "Me and My Baby" shows the band's improvisational abilities extended outside their signature electric blues-rock. A pair of tracks from 1970's "WATT" finds the band continuing in the same direction with the high-voltage "I'm Coming Home" and the slow-to-boil boogie, "My Baby Left Me."
1971's pop-chart breakthrough, "A Space in Time" featured the band's only major radio hit, "I'd Love to Change the World." True to the single, the album's tracks were shorter, with acoustic playing taking more to the foreground. Still, the band's electric blues roots showed through on the fine "One of These Days," and provided plenty of room for Lee's guitar pyrotechnics.
TYA's blues-soaked rock 'n' roll jams were perfectly attuned to dance halls like the Fillmore, as well as an FM radio industry that was not yet challenged for airtime. Their relentless touring (nine US tours between 1968 and 1979, and twenty-eight by 1975!) made them a popular concert draw and steady record sellers. Hip-O does an superb job of highlighting both their album and live recordings on this double disc set (clocking in at an amazing 156+ minutes!), augmented by a fine essay from Dave Thompson and tightly organized discographical info.
With the length of many of TYA's best tracks, a single-disc anthology (such as "Essential" or "Very Best Ten Years After Album Ever") simply can't cover enough ground to properly explain this band. The only routes deeper than this 2-CD collection are their individual album releases, many of which are now available as remastered imports with bonus cuts. As a starting point, however, you couldn't ask for too much more than these two discs.

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