ALLMAN BROTHERS CRITICAL SOUNDBITES

“…tearing into muscular 12-bar blues and inventive ballads that hark back to, but never imitate, the band’s Eat A Peach heyday.  Note dusts off several durable Allman themes—‘Firing Line,’ the first single, wonders when a wayward soul will put his life back together, and ‘Desdemona,’ built around Allman’s dejected-drifter vocals, appreciates the steadying force of a woman.  Just as important, the album gives both guitarists room to shine…And the entrancing 12-minute jam ‘Instrumental Illness’ features episodes of simmering tension culminating in dramatic peaks that can teach the jam kids a thing or two about pacing.”  ***½

 
“This masterful 11-track set includes nine terrific new songs, on a par with the Allmans’ long-established canon…Best of all is Gregg Allman’s burnished voice—as smoky as Kentucky’s best sour mash…Pain never sounded so good.”  “A”

“…one listen will convince you that the Allmans are really hitting a new peak… it’s so good that it should immediately silence and skeptics who are hung up over the Allmans’ old days.  The band is revitalized and has finally found the right chemistry between life-time members Gregg Allman, Butch Trucks, and Jaimoe, and relative newcomers Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, and Marc Quinones… Every song is a keeper…”

 “Warren Haynes returns to trade meaty guitar riffs with youngster Derek Trucks, nephew of drummer Butch Trucks, who anchors the bluesy rock with two other percussionists.  Gregg Allman remains a compelling and soulful belter and mood-conjuring keyboardist.”

“Where the CD soars is in its jams.  All the cuts feature pitched and erudite playing.  As one of the granddaddies of jam bands, the Allman Brothers is also one of few acts that can wade into oceanic solos without losing melodic ground.”

“What’s amazing is that despite these lengthy meanderings into improvisation, the noodling bowl isn’t overflowing with wasted notes.  Instead, this collection lives up to its name and the Allmans’ musical legacy, honoring just about every American music form, from rock to jazz, country and the blues…In all, the disc is very consistent, spiking during the nine-minute ‘Desdemona,’ a showcase for Gregg Allman’s gritty vocals and his B-3 Hammond organ work.”

“The Allman Brothers Band unleashes its first set of new tunes in almost a decade…and clearly has prepared for the occasion.  Restoring these blues-tinged country rockers to prominence in the jam band world, the set comes alive with sturdy songs like ‘Desdemona’ and ‘Maydell,’ signature chiming guitar lines… and super-stretched reveries.  Nothing surpasses the 12-minute ‘Instrumental Illness.’” “A”

“[Warren Haynes] is keeping hope and tradition alive.  His slide guitar work, and his dual leads dual leads with [Derek] Trucks conjure up the band’s Eat A Peach glory days.  And Gregg Allman’s gruff, world-weary growl will have you insisting that you’re listening to vintage Allmans.  Hittin’ The Note is the year’s leading candidate so far for most aptly named record.” ***½

“Returning guitarist Warren Haynes–the best axman to pass through the band since Duane Allman–plays with a steely, tensile power, while youngblood Derek Trucks (drummer Butch Trucks’ nephew) counterpoints with mellower, more even-keeled lines…The other pieces are in place as well: Gregg Allman’s gruff, soulful vocals and cool Hammond organ, Oteil Burbridges’s melodic, groove-laden bass work, and the rhythmic sizzle of three percussionists.  The freewheeling ‘Instrumental Illness’ lets the guitarists riff, climb and, well, hit the note for another dozen minutes.”

 “…Hittin’ The Note is a surprisingly strong effort.  It often approaches and sometimes reaches the level of Allman recordings of yore…the jams take flight and take shape in a lyrical, expansive yet rational manner that sets a good example for younger jam bands.  The record starts off with a jolt.  There’s the pointed, hard-driving blues-rocker ‘Firing Line,’ the tasty blues ballad ‘High Cost Of Low Living’ and ‘Desdemona,’ a slow-cooking blues with a wrenching guitar solo that ranks with classic Allman songs.  ‘Old Before My Time’ is a gripping, soulful ballad, and a lilting, slow-blues take on one of the Rolling Stones’ spookiest songs, ‘Heart Of Stone,’ provides another treat…The Allman Brothers Band is a live and kicking, and that’s good news.” ***

“Practically ‘Note’ perfect…Allman’s voice is in fine form, and Hittin’ features more songs that fit his style than any ABB record in a long, long time.  His vocals on ‘Desdemona’ and a cover of the Rolling Stones’ ‘Heart Of Stone’ fairly bleed with the force of a lifetime of singing the blues.  The band has always made its impact by blending the blues with serious jazz chops, and that formula is in full effect here, with Trucks’ and Haynes’ guitars meshing…And in the end, this is as much Haynes’ CD as anyone’s: With his playing, his writing and his soulful singing, Haynes has established himself as one of the most important Southern rock musicians of the past quarter-century.” ***½

“Hittin’ The Note shows off Allman’s under-recognized talents as a singer, songwriter and organist…

“But the Allmans have been through hard times before and as Hittin' the Note reveals, you can never count them out. And with one of the world's best bassists (Oteil Burbridge), one of its best slide guitarists (Warren Haynes), and Southern rock's best-aged icon (Gregg Allman), why would you?…Running 75 minutes long, Hittin' the Note is largely comprised of the epic blues-based jamming for which the band is best known. Standout tracks include opener ‘Firing Line,’ ‘Desdemona,’ and the jaw-dropping, 12-minute improv adventure ‘Instrumental Illness,’ each proving this act is still evolving. In particular, the jazz-infused style of second guitarist Derek Trucks calls to mind Grant Green, as well as his Allman forebearers, and allows the group to cover a bit of new ground…Hittin' the Note stands as testament to the power of the blues and a remarkable achievement for a group that continues to show incredible strength in the face of ongoing adversity.”

“Very rarely is a legendary band able to come up with new, credible material. Jam band progenitors the Allman Brothers have done better than that, tapping into some of the spark that made them one of the most influential American bands of their time…the ballad ‘Desdamona’ is as inspired as ‘Melissa,’ and Gregg Allman’s singing has never been better.”

“Those who are fond of the Allmans' more open-ended explorations can dig into ‘Instrumental Illness,’ a 12-minute assay that delivers plenty of cat-and-mouse interplay. The heads-down, no-nonsense boogie crowd will likewise find sustenance, in the form of the snaky opener ‘Firing Line,’ as will those who groove to the sort of roadhouse balladry that Gregg Allman has all but perfected over the decades. (‘Desdemona,’ for instance, conjures up images of the Allman classic ‘Melissa.’) Thanks to the gritty bass playing of Oteil Burbridge (and the three-man percussion section), the Allmans have more spring in their step than they have any right to–and that bounce proves pretty contagious here.”