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Midnight Rider
Queen Of Hearts
Please Call Home
Don't Mess Up A Good Thing
These Days
Multi-Colored Lady
All My Friends
Will The Circle Be Unbroken
Between 1969 and 1973, the Allman Brothers Band released four studio records and a live set regarded today as Southern rock classics, enduring the deaths of guitarist Duane Allman and bassist Berry Oakley in the same intense period.
Remarkably, Allman’s grieving brother Gregg found time to record 1973’s Laid Back, an introspective, slow-burning album he’d later call the pride and joy of his solo career.
"From time to time, the other Allman Brothers would show up and we would have these jam sessions,” keyboard player Chuck Leavell told us. “I think they were helpful for the band. It was playing music for the sake of playing music.”
A dark reworking of the Brothers’ Midnight Rider opens, Allman’s plaintive vocals moaning over acoustic and slide guitars, embellished with strings, horns and gospel-tinged backing vocals to dramatic effect. The lush instrumentation is present throughout, creating an enveloping late-night feel, melancholic moments like Allman’s affecting take on Jackson Browne’s These Days balanced by the rambunctious gospel of Will The Circle Be Unbroken.
Every week, Album of the Week Club listens to and discusses the album in question, votes on how good it is, and publishes our findings, with the aim of giving people reliable reviews and the wider rock community the chance to contribute.
Other albums released in October 1973
- For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night - Caravan
- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
- These Foolish Things - Bryan Ferry
- Cyan - Three Dog Night
- Selling England by the Pound - Genesis
- Moondog Matinee - The Band
- Suzi Quatro - Suzi Quatro
- Time Fades Away - Neil Young
- Wake of the Flood - Grateful Dead
- Live in Europe - Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Montrose - Montrose
- Hat Trick - America
- Pin Ups - David Bowie
- Quadrophenia - The Who
- Frampton's Camel - Peter Frampton
- All American Boy - Rick Derringer
- Ashes Are Burnin - Renaissance
- At the Rainbow - Focus
- Full Sail - Loggins and Messina
- Gone Crazy - Grin
- Inside Out - John Martyn
- The Joker - Steve Miller Band
- Mystery To Me - Fleetwood Mac
- Marjory Razorblade - Kevin Coyne
- Nine - Fairport Convention
- On the Road - Traffic
- Please Don't Ever Change - Brinsley Schwarz
- Sweet Revenge - John Prine
- Takin' My Time - Bonnie Raitt
What they said...
"He covers his own Midnight Rider in a more mournful, dirge-like manner, and Jackson Browne's These Days gets its most touching and tragic-sounding rendition as well. Although Chuck Leavell and Jaimoe are here, there's very little that sounds like the Allman Brothers Band – prominent guitars, apart from a few licks by Tommy Talton (Cowboy, ex-We the People), are overlooked in favour of gospel-tinged organ and choruses behind Allman's soulful singing." (AllMusic)
"Gregg still doesn't know the difference between drawling slowly and singing soulfully, and it isn't tragedy that makes him sound so doleful; it's a limited formal imagination. That said, it must be admitted that he puts a lot into These Days and Midnight Rider, and that the reason you can listen to such originals as Please Call Home and Multicoloured Lady isn't the writing. (Robert Christgau's Record Guide)
"A masterpiece of a set from an underrated member of one of the nation's top bands, featuring exceptional displays of vocal and instrumental talent in many musical areas. A reworked, haunting version of Gregg's by now almost standard Midnight Rider is better than the original, while the beautiful Jackson Browne cut, These Days, gets as fine an interpretation as has ever been rendered, with Aliman's voice showing striking sensitivity." (Billboard)
What you said...
Adam Ranger: Hmm. I don't believe this is the best solo album he's done. His voice is a slow drawl that barely seems to form words at times, almost like a drunk slurring the words. That said, the album is not without its charm at times.
I like this slower version of Midnight Rider, for example. It works quite well, and kudos for not doing a like-for-like cover of the Allman Brothers Band's version.
Overall, though, the album does little for me. Too laid back for me. And this makes most of the tracks forgettable rather than soulful. It's not bad, but not a classic that I will be in a hurry to replay.
Mike Canoe: Most aptly titled album ever?
Gregg Allman's first solo album is certainly laid back, with a warm and open sound. The musician's list is a who's-who, and the playing is at the highest level, but this album reminds me that the best blues instrument is the human voice, both Allman's and the many, many backing vocalists. Allman's voice is gently melancholy, which pairs fantastically well with the female harmonies.
I'm guessing this is the version of Midnight Rider that I'm familiar with, and it's still a (laid back) banger. His version of These Days is beautifully sad, with the mournful pedal steel nearly stealing the show. I get chills every time Allman sings the line 'All my friends came to see me this year', and who can stay unmoved by the rousing gospel of Will the Circle be Unbroken?
I really don't know much about Allman's life beyond the tabloid headlines, so I'm not sure what's autobiographical here and what's just good storytelling, but for my metaphorical money, this is the best Allman-related pick we've had.
Mark Herrington: I’ve never heard this before, but it was a smooth listen, and much of it reminded me of other artists I enjoy. I heard hints of many of my old albums long sat in my loft.
I enjoyed most of it, particularly Midnight Rider, Queen Of Hearts and These Days. The gospel and honky tonk elements also injected a variety that maintains the interest.
It’s funny how some of our selections spark off thoughts of other albums not listened to for a few years. I’ll be revisiting a few of those early Eagles albums, Jackson Browne, Dan Fogelberg and others after this. A reasonable score for this one.
Evan Sanders: This is such a nice album, and a pleasant contrast to the guitar-driven jam band sounds of the Allman Brothers Band. The songs are all enjoyable, and I especially like his slower take on Midnight Rider, the blues-jazzy Queen of Hearts, These Days, and the closing cover of Will The Circle Be Unbroken. Is it a classic in the pantheon of best albums ever? No, and I don't think that was ever the intent. It's Gregg Allman showing his musical skills outside of a more well-known band. It's a nice companion piece to his final album, Southern Blood. 7/10
Robby Jackson: An album the man had to make, and I had to listen to. Beautifully made. I really liked Queen of Hearts, with the horn section.
Chris Elliott: Pleasant enough to listen whilst you walk the dog - but utterly forgettable. I can remember the things I didn't like, but not one track I'd actually go back and listen to again.
The cover of Will The Circle Be Unbroken is quite possibly criminal - bad doesn't even begin to cover the travesty. A gospel spiritual that became a "country" staple - with every ounce of emotion removed - his monotone vocal I didn't mind elsewhere, but here it just adds to the whole nails-on-a-chalkboard experience. To be fair, it's only one track, but it's a truly horrible track that scars an otherwise harmless album.
Gary Claydon: Late-night music. Turn the lights down, put your feet up, whisky chaser in one hand, beer in the other. Then rock back and let it ease over you. Introspective, moody and melancholic, with its mix of elements from smoky backroom blues, R&B, gospel and country. Highlights are These Days with its wonderful steel pedal guitar, and perennial favourite Midnight Rider. The version here is quite possibly my favourite of all the ones I've heard, though there are so many out there it would be impossible to be definitive (plus I have a soft spot for Theory Of A Deadman's beefed-up version).
Laid Back doesn't exactly stir the blood, and it's one of those albums that I find myself drifting away from mid-listen, but, regardless, it's still a pleasingly mellow slice of Americana.
Hermen Dijkstra: It’s a more than wonderful album! One of my desert island discs.
John Davidson: Great music for sitting in the sun with a cold beer. Mellow, slightly melancholic and smooth without being slick.
My only real foray into Greg Allman's discography is At Fillmore East (which is rightly revered). This doesn't top that, but it;s still a very enjoyable slice of soulful, southern-leaning blues.
Greg Schwepe: A few years ago, I finally did a deep dive on the Allman Brothers catalogue. Pretty much bought all their stuff (there’s a lot!) to fully supplement my compilation CD, a copy of At Fillmore East, and what some might call their worst album, Brothers Of The Road. And then I realised there was a whole other world of side projects and solo albums I could buy and geek out to as well. Tons of material by various members, especially Dickey Betts and Gregg Allman (and I never even got started on the Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks stuff. Too much!).
And one of my many purchases was this week’s selection of Gregg Allman’s Laid Back. This is a mix of various styles, and if you instantly think “Oh, this is Southern rock,” you might be a little surprised. A little blues, a little jazz, a little honky tonk, a little gospel.
This album just hits the sweet spot for me. Allman’s voice and keyboard playing is soothing, calming, and… laid back. You also get a couple of reworked versions of ABB songs in Midnight Rider and Please Call Home.
Is this an Earth-shattering solo album from a prominent member of a famous band who went and did the solo thing? Probably not. If you’re a fan of the Allman Brothers and somehow need a little break from wrenching every note and solo from At Fillmore East, is this a nice way to get a Gregg Allman fix? Yep.
The coup de grace is the gospel album closer Will The Circle Be Unbroken. The acoustic piano picks up speed verse by verse. Pretty soon, you’re clapping and singing along in your choir robe all the way to the end! Hallelujah! 7 out of 10 on this one for me.
Philip Qvist: While I'm quite familiar with the catalogue of The Allman Brothers Band, particularly their first five albums, this album is a new one to me. While l wasn't expecting Eat A Peach Part 2, I wasn't expecting a varied album like this either, complete with quiet country-flavoured songs competing with gospel and jazz-influenced songs, along with saxophone and electric piano solos.
When Gregg Allman named his debut solo release Laid Back, he wasn't kidding. Don't expect to find anything resembling Whipping Post or Jessica here. Even the opening track Midnight Rider is much more subdued than the Allman Brothers' version.
I guess Gregg was using these sessions as a coping method following brother Duane's tragic death, while gaining some control again in the studio, and all in all, it worked. A special mention must go out to his soon-to-be bandmate, Chuck Leavell, for his contributions on Laid Back.
For sure, this is no At Fillmore East or Brothers And Sisters, but I don't think that was the purpose here. Not essential but definitely not disposable either. A 7 this week.
Final score: 6.90 (30 votes cast, total score 207)
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