The Gregg Allman Band, also known as Gregg Allman & Friends, is a Southern rock/blues rock group that Gregg Allman established and has led since the 1970s, during periods when Allman has been recording and performing separate from the Allman Brothers Band and has chosen not to perform exclusively as a solo artist.
1988's
1988's "Just
Before The Bullets Fly" is the second of The Gregg Allman Band. If you're
an Allman Brothers fan, of course this will be a good addition to your
collection. On the other hand, if you're not a Brothers fan, this is still an
excellent album to have. What's the difference, you may ask. Well, first of
all; the producer, Rodney Mills. The sound on this album is far clearer than
most Brothers albums. Secondly, and no offence to Dickie Betts; Dan Toler (once
a Brothers member) is doing such a terrific job of his guitar playing. All
through the album, in fact. The music? Typical Gregg Allman blues with hints of
funk (Thorn And A Wild Rose, Island ).
Essentially, the album is I'm No Angel, Pt. 2, with the same glossy mixes and straight-ahead rock & roll. This isn't a bad thing, in theory, and the execution is solid. It's just that the songs aren't there. There are a couple of moments that work namely, the opening punch of "Demons" and "Before the Bullets Fly" but most of the tunes aren't terribly memorable, and the ultra-slick production doesn't help matters. Given this tepid effort, it's little wonder that it took Allman nearly ten years to deliver a sequel. This album was recorded just prior to the great Allman Brothers Band reunion that started in 1989, which has produced 5 suprisingly wonderful ABB albums. Although this album has some great songs on it, the majority of the music is overproduced - including synthesizers taking the place of real backup horns. Some of these songs he still plays with his current solo band (Slip Away, Before the Bullets Fly) and they have an honest, roots-type R&B sound to them when performed in concert nearly 10 years later. Too bad he didn't record these songs that way.
03. Slip Away (William Armstrong, Marcus Daniel, Wilbur Terrell) - 4:31
04. Thorn and a Wild Rose (Tony Colton, Dan Toler, Bruce Waibel) - 4:14
05. Ocean Awash the Gunwale (Gregg Allman, Tony Colton, Dan Toler) - 4:53
06. Can't Get Over You (Billy Burnette, David Malloy) - 3:28
07. Island (Gregg Allman, Tony Colton, Johnny Neel, Dan Toler) - 4:17
08. Fear of Falling (Gregg Allman, Tim Heding, Jeffrey Townsend) - 3:35
09. Night Games (Gregg Allman, Tony Colton, Dan Toler) - 3:53
10. Every Hungry Woman (Gregg Allman) - 4:33
Genre: Southern rock
Length: 40:11
Producer: Rodney Mills
Hammond
Tim Heding – Keyboards, Background Vocals
Dan Toler – Guitar, Keyboards
David Frankie Toler – Drums
Chaz Trippy – Percussion
Bruce Waibel – Bass Guitar, Background Vocals
Michael Caplan – Executive Producer
Rodney Mills – Producer, Engineer, Mixing
Christopher Austopchuk – Art Direction
Caroline Greyshock – Photography
Jeffrey Dean – Set Design
Mike Gallo – Electronics
William Perkins – Direction
Essentially, the album is I'm No Angel, Pt. 2, with the same glossy mixes and straight-ahead rock & roll. This isn't a bad thing, in theory, and the execution is solid. It's just that the songs aren't there. There are a couple of moments that work namely, the opening punch of "Demons" and "Before the Bullets Fly" but most of the tunes aren't terribly memorable, and the ultra-slick production doesn't help matters. Given this tepid effort, it's little wonder that it took Allman nearly ten years to deliver a sequel. This album was recorded just prior to the great Allman Brothers Band reunion that started in 1989, which has produced 5 suprisingly wonderful ABB albums. Although this album has some great songs on it, the majority of the music is overproduced - including synthesizers taking the place of real backup horns. Some of these songs he still plays with his current solo band (Slip Away, Before the Bullets Fly) and they have an honest, roots-type R&B sound to them when performed in concert nearly 10 years later. Too bad he didn't record these songs that way.
01. Demons
(Gregg Allman, Dan Toler, David Toler) - 3:28
02. Before
the Bullets Fly (Warren Haynes, John Jaworowicz, Williams) - 3:4103. Slip Away (William Armstrong, Marcus Daniel, Wilbur Terrell) - 4:31
04. Thorn and a Wild Rose (Tony Colton, Dan Toler, Bruce Waibel) - 4:14
05. Ocean Awash the Gunwale (Gregg Allman, Tony Colton, Dan Toler) - 4:53
06. Can't Get Over You (Billy Burnette, David Malloy) - 3:28
07. Island (Gregg Allman, Tony Colton, Johnny Neel, Dan Toler) - 4:17
08. Fear of Falling (Gregg Allman, Tim Heding, Jeffrey Townsend) - 3:35
09. Night Games (Gregg Allman, Tony Colton, Dan Toler) - 3:53
10. Every Hungry Woman (Gregg Allman) - 4:33
Released:
1988
Label: Epic
RecordsGenre: Southern rock
Length: 40:11
Producer: Rodney Mills
Credits
Gregg
Allman – Keyboards, Tim Heding – Keyboards, Background Vocals
Dan Toler – Guitar, Keyboards
David Frankie Toler – Drums
Chaz Trippy – Percussion
Bruce Waibel – Bass Guitar, Background Vocals
Michael Caplan – Executive Producer
Rodney Mills – Producer, Engineer, Mixing
Christopher Austopchuk – Art Direction
Caroline Greyshock – Photography
Jeffrey Dean – Set Design
Mike Gallo – Electronics
William Perkins – Direction
