When the last Allman Brothers Band studio album "Back Where It All Begins" was released nine years ago, the initial reaction was," great effort for 1994," which came 25 years after their self-titled debut. With their follow up, "Hittin The Note" more has changed in those nine years than in Michael Jackson's nose. Two band members have joined and left - guitarists Jack Pearson and Jimmy Herring. One who has left and come back - Warren Haynes - and one who has left us forever - Allen Woody. The ever versatile Oteil Burbridge now thunders the four string and another new member has added a graceful psychedelic blues edge - Derek Trucks. Oh, and did I forget to mention that original member Dickey Betts is no longer in the band? Never mind...as history show us the ABB have proven more than any other band that one thing in life you can always be certain of is change. Change in sound though is another story, as nothing has changed...and for the better.
Greg Allman has described
Hittin the Note as the best album the band has made since
Eat a Peach. That was over 30 years ago, so obviously time spent apart produces grand results. The Allman Brothers don't stray into any trendy waters, instead pounding out their flavor of soulful blues songs with a rough southern edge maintaining a full throttle of power. Most importantly, all of these songs tremble with live emotion and rattle with on stage energy - the shortest tune clocking in at five minutes!
The true highlight of Hittin' The Note, "Desdemona," is already a classic, an unearthing blues epic built around a bleeding organ framework with shredding guitar solos and Allman's engulfing soulful vocals. Perhaps the strongest original ABB blues number since "Dreams," it carries the Latin jazz improvisational room to breathe as in "Memory of Elizabeth Reed." The jam on this recording is utterly spectacular and shows the band listens to each other as a team, rather than a solo spectacle. Allman's raspy whiskey drenched voice dominates a majority of the songs that holler with a mix of jazz sophistication and bar room testosterone. They make an immediate impact and allow the twin gun slingers - Haynes and Trucks- to elevate your musical consciousness.
The "in your face" opener "Firing Line" is a straight ahead bullet with a marching beat that delivers a classic five minute Allman Brothers Band steam roll. "High Cost of Low Living" maintains a good clean fun rhythm that carries a chorus that can force feed a member of the clergy to sing along. "Old Before My Time" signifies the inner beauty of aging and reflection and is perhaps a more personal tune than one would expect from the band.
"Woman Across The River" brings Warren Haynes into the mix with a catchy shuffle that takes a smooth Hammond organ solo by Allman. Haynes adds a song from the Gov't Mule songbook - "Rockin' Horse" - one that serves its purpose, but might have been better left off. Although the band has been much more exploratory in their live shows, throwing in a dazzling mix of covers and songs from various studio projects of the band members, nine years is enough time for originality. "Instrumental Illness" is just that - a mountain jam fantastic voyage - built exclusively for the pop impaired. "Old Friend" is an acoustic porch tapper that showcases Haynes within a cottage funk of simplicity.
One thing missing from the album is the sound of Dickey Betts whose herky-jerky vocal style would sometimes be welcoming within Haynes and Allman's similar howls. But things happen for a reason, and in this case it's quite allright.
Hittin' The Note, superbly hits the note as one only the Allman Brothers can pound.
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