Idlewild South in Bloomington, MN

If you're going to listen to
the Allman Brothers
, make sure you have the first four records. The band made
The Allman Brothers Band
,
Idlewild South
At Fillmore East
, and three-fourths of
Eat a Peach
with its original lineup, before
Duane Allman
's fatal motorcycle accident in 1971. The
Tom Dowd
-produced
, their second album, comes off with a little less ferocity than their debut -- which is perhaps the result of reaching for new sounds the second time around. "Revival," the album's opener, introduces
Dickey Betts
as a composer. The countrified flavor of his songs gives an indication of where the band will head in the post-
Duane
era.
Betts
' other contribution to
is the instrumental "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed," a centerpiece of the
Fillmore East
recordings.
Gregg
's "Please Call Home" and "Midnight Rider" are built around piano and acoustic guitar, respectively, and have a different feel than the band's usual twin Les Paul-and-Hammond sound. That sound is showcased in the balance of
's tunes, however: the funky blues of "Don't Keep Me Wonderin'" (with
Thom Doucette
on harmonica) and "Leave My Blues at Home." The album is also notable for the rollicking version of
Willie Dixon
's "Hoochie Coochie Man," with the only vocal bassist
Berry Oakley
(who died in a motorcycle accident one year after
) ever recorded with the group. Though overall it packs less punch than
is all the more impressive for its mixture of chunky grooves and sophisticated textures. ~ Rovi Staff