1001 Albums Summary

This is a 56 year old album at the time of listening. While the absence of technology is apparent it also provides an outstanding testament that there is little substitute for actual songwriting and musicianship. It does sound like its "time" but you experience moments like the end of "Country Girl" and you hear how that "sound" has echoed forward and STILL is heard in songs released today. Not all of it holds up but enough of it does to be impressive.

I am sorta astounded at how this must have sounded when it came out. I am not sure how the ideas came to be but I hear everything from Gospel, to R&B and the origins of disco and some flamenco flare to boot. Its influential - pretty sure everything this band did was.

I have never been interested in blues that feels like a hot uncomfortable day with someone who coughed too much as a child. I get what it is trying to do. I don't relate. I don't want to hear it.

When they get a good riff they are like delicious food - you want to stuff your face with it. However listening to the whole album does reveal the weaknesses of the sound being repetitious on the "album tracks" and while it is clearly blues influenced - it gets a bit overwrought - this might have been less of an issue in 1969 where it was likely much fresher as a sound. Probably because of this band its somewhat endemic to anything that wants to "be that sound."