[.ca] V2 Anthology

The Bottom Of Who's Barrell?????:
Duane Allman Vol. I is awesome but by no means did they scrape the bottom of the barrell to come up with some simply down-home, behind the scenes jams with Delaney & Bonnie. Duane and Delaney were fast friends in the days he toured with them. And how about that Mac Rabenack classic "Walk On Gillden Splinters" by Johnny Jenkins, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks and Company. And wait a minute....How about the firey live "Midnight Cowboy"....Bottom of who's barrell????? There's some classic Southern Rock contained here and by none other than THE Chief Architect of Southern Rock: Brother Duane Allman !!!!! And don't you forget it brother!!!!!

Of course it's a 5!:
There will always be songs on here you like less than the others, or less than on =An Anthology= \ovol. I\c, but this cannot =not= be a 5. C'mon, man! You have Duane singing "Dimples" live with the Brothers in 1970.04 (also on =Ludlow Garage=); what a tight performance, and such aggressive guitars. This is one of Duane's smokingest short solos (not even two minutes) ever--it just cuts and pushes until hits a searing, one-of-a-kind peak. Duane doesn't just let it all hang out--his soul is blasting forth out of him. Plus, you gotta love the history splayed out here (though not in chronological order). For example, you have Duane singing on a couple lighthearted cuts from his 1969.02 sessions with Berry Oakley at Muscle Shoals, a month before the Allman Brothers Band was born. I say "lighthearted," but at one point in "Happily Married Man," Duane seems to about to choke on what perhaps is the true tragedy of the situation, before getting the wind back in his sails, so to speak--or carefree bluster, rather--and rollicking out. It must be admitted, though, that this one never got its guitar solo overdubbed in the middle! This album shows well the wide range of Duane's talents as a session man, from the Delta blues of "Come On in My Kitchen" with Delaney and Bonnie to the funky soul jazz of "Push Push" with Herbie Mann--and a ton of R & B in between. I'm not convinced that all that guitar on Otis Rush's "You Reap What You Sow" isn't Otis, though--I've found the Otis tape, and all the soloing is Otis (97% sure). Would this be the number one Duane album--to take to Mt. Desert Island, Maine, or to give to an Allman Brothers neophyte, or to give instead of chocolates next Valentine's Day--before =At Fillmore East= or, say, =An Anthology=? Or =Layla=?! Probably not, but you gotta have it, and so do they.

Loved Anthology I:
Should have known. Am a big Duane Allman fan and was very satisfied with Anthology I. On this disc IMHO felt that the folks who put this together were less concerned about the quality of the recordings selected. You always have to be wary about " Volume II" of anything even when it comes to Duane Allman, who along with Lowell George of Little Feat, are my favorite slide guitarists. In retrospect should have stopped and remained happy with Anthology I and the Fillmore discs.

Dedicated to a Brother:
Volume II holds true that teamwork aside, Duane's briefest of fills totally complemented the action. Therefore, solve the puzzle for what Rick Hall overlooked when Duane recorded an original composition that sounds like it has tongue-in-cheek honesty: "Happily Married Man." His rhythm guitar sounds like it's waiting for something to develop, galloping joyfully alongside Berry, Paul Hornsby, and Johnny Sandlin--but when it's time for a starburst solo...there's nothing but the same chords. More fun abounded when Duane sat in with Aretha Franklin; King Curtis was back beside him. Lady Soul drowns her sorrow when she cries, "It Ain't Fair," and she could make a glassblower's lungs look weak. The real charm is David Hood's bass, which skips along beside Curtis's sax. Duane does play sidekick, but with deliberate slow-as-ketchup lines. This CD reminds us that "You Reap What You Sow," and Otis Rush knows the Laws of Karma. Duane buzzes like a huge angry hornet, but Otis's Cobra Recordings shows that he could do 6-string surgery. Ronnie Hawkins and friends come to the rescue, as Carl Perkins's "Matchbox" sparks up everyone, Duane chirps and glides again, and the house was rockin'. Wilson Pickett was also nearby, "Born To Be Wild." There's no standout artist solo here (except for Pickett), which makes the song fit so well. Speaking of fast cars, Duane's Aladdin's Lamp wishes for a customized set of wheels in "No Money Down" must have been a salesman's nightmare, and Chuck Berry was the co-signer of this loan. More a novelty song (especially with Duane's vocals), his sincere singing makes you expect he found the object of his wishes. The Hourglass reappear with "Been Gone Too Long," a tune that could have been taken elsewhere. Arthur Conley's "Stuff You Gotta Watch" follows, featuring Duane's insect-humming tone. With politeness to LuLu, you tried, dear, but you didn't light the pilot flame in the stove for that "Dirty Old Man." Duane's tingling lead sings on her shoulder, but she doesn't have enough heat to melt butter (Bonnie Bramlett hickory slow-smoked it on D & B's Accept No Substitute.) The first side ends with "Push Push," with Duane joining flautist Herbie Mann, future Stuff members Richard Tee and Cornell Dupree, a syncopated percussive motor run by Ralph McDonald and Bernard Purdie, and Chuck Rainey's bass. This jam really has fine moments; it's more of a subtle, sensuous, recreational ritual, letting the players use touch and tone to mold rich textures. A Johnny Jenkins voodoo-enhanced performance calls for disciples to "Walk on Gilded Splinters." Duane quacks away on slide dobro, and a percolating rhythm section bubbles away with help from Butch Trucks, Jaimoe's timbales, Pete Carr's guitar, gospel-rich backup vocals, and Paul Hornsby's keyboards. Boz Scaggs also shows up, "Waiting for a Train," and Duane's dobro yodels as much as Boz. That twang came in handy when Ronnie Hawkins delivers the news: "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles," and Duane's resonator dances a lively jig. Sam Samudio kept the groove belonging to John Lee Hooker's "Goin' Upstairs" while Duane cross-stitched slide, and reunited with Delaney & Bonnie for a live recording in New York, using an acoustic shuffle. All's fair in love and music at Ludlow Garage in 1970: "We don't do this song very much, but I feel like singin', so I guess that's what we're gonna do," taking the Brothers through a raucous romp on Hooker's "Dimples." Dickey's solo really rasps and files as well as Duane's, and his (Duane's) rough vocals really work here. Duane, aka the Dog, lent his chugging bottleneck to The Duck (Johnny Sandlin) and the Bear (Eddie Hinton). Eddie's lead guitar is overmatched by Duane, so 'enjoy my company while there's time' may be the answer. The final three songs bring Duane back with the Brothers, sawing away on "Done Somebody Wrong,' cutting a funky "Leave My Blues at Home," and "Midnight Rider" closes the Fillmore East as he and Dickey really play up each other's strengths. Duane did that for everyone, so eat that peach for peace-and his music!

4 stars because Anthology 1 is just somuch better...:
If you are looking for one CD that gives you everything you will ever need to here from Duane Allman, then your out of luck. There's no such thing. But if you just want taste of Duane, I would go for An Anthology and Fillmore East. If you come to your senses then and realize that he is the greatest guitar player ever, then get the rest of the Allmans stuff with him. This compilation is optional. Most of this stuff is great, but it doesn't always show just how great Duane was. Get it though, just find it on Ebay, or record it from a friend. Do something to get it for less than the ridiculus price it is selling for. But get it, because nothing with Duane Allman on it is bad. Right?

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