Ah, my favorite band of all time, the Allman Brothers. I have been fortunate enough to see them in concert twice and have followed some of their concerts via a website they have called Moogis (www.moogis.com) which allows people to view some of their concerts from a spring marathon of shows they do in New York City each year. Go check it out, but, it is subscription based. Not trying to endorse anything per se. That's the disclaimer. Anyhow, their 2003 record "Hittin' The Note" (which is the latest album they've done as a band while individual members have put out more recent projects) is still a record that holds up to this day. Once the band parted ways with their now retired from touring former guitarist, Dickey Betts (after some major disagreements), they were able to spread their wings and fly freely on Hittin' The Note. This is when the guitar tandem of Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks REALLY began to take off.
Both of them contribute some stunning playing on this album and this is an album that influenced me in many ways to pick up a guitar and play. It also showcases the Allman's trademark dual drummer setup as well as bandleader, Gregg Allman's deft keyboard work as he makes his Hammond B3 sing on most of the tracks, coupled with his gruff, but still very soulful vocal delivery. Warren Haynes also takes lead vocals on a couple of the songs and like Allman, his voice is rough, but sweet. He really showed his affinity for soul music beginning on this record and that carried over to his latest solo album ("Man In Motion") which was highlighted here some time ago.
A lot of the songs here paint vivid pictures, especially the ballad, "Desdemona" which is the third cut on the record and has become a staple of the Allman Brothers catalog. Their vibrant cover of Freddie King's "Woman Across The River" (also a concert favorite), is a scorcher. "Old Before My Time" is an autobiographical number in a way. One has to wonder, because in reading about this album, I read someplace that Gregg Allman had said it took only two weeks or so to cut the entire record and that the band would cut at least one track a day!
That's pretty amazing. Other highlights on the album include songs like "Who To Believe", the Warren Haynes (co-written with keyboardist/harmonica player/songwriter, Johnny Neel), number, "Maydell", "Rocking Horse" (a real live jam type number), and some other songs at the back end of the album, cement this record as one of the best the Allman Brothers has done. Pardon me if I am showing bias towards this band. But, I am also reiterating that point Allman made about it not only being cut quickly, but it was probably one of the best records the Allmans have done since Gregg's brother (legendary slide guitarist Duane Allman), was alive.
Casual and diehard ABB fans are encouraged to listen to this one. It's a modern statement of the music of a band that has survived relatively intact for 42 years and is still going strong. Hopefully they can make it a few more years in terms of touring and maybe, just maybe, put out one more new record in the not-too-distant future, that will be just as rewarding to listen to as "Hittin' The Note".
Track listing: Allman Brothers Band, "Hittin' The Note"
1. Firing Line
2. High Cost of Low Living
3. Desdemona
4. Woman Across The River (Freddie King cover)
5. Old Before My Time
6. Who To Believe
7. Maydell
8. Rocking Horse
9. Heart of Stone (a Rolling Stones cover)
10. Instrumental Illness
11. Old Friend
*Note. I have recently graduated from college. But, I have to say, during my early years as a confused, struggling and stressed out college student, the Allman Brothers' music was a definite stress buster and comfort to me, negotiating tasks that had to be done.
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