At Fillmore East by the Allman Brothers Band (Vinyl record album review)

Album name: At Fillmore East

Group name: the Allman Brothers Band

Year: 1971

Number of discs: two

Label: Capricorn Records

Collection: Brenner / Gessner

Distinguishing characteristics: “G” written inside album cover, indicating that my father owned it

Buy it on Amazon: $43.89

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

I may have listened to this at some point, or to some later version of it, but I don’t remember specifically when that would have been. It will be the fourth Allman Brothers record that I’ve reviewed, and the previous three were:

Idlewild South (1970): 3/5

Eat A Peach (1972): 5/5

The Road Goes On Forever: A Collection of Their Greatest Recordings (1975): 5/5

What I expected

Blues, country, rock.

What it was actually like

This was entirely jam music, which was not difficult to figure out because it consisted of only seven songs across four sides, and jam music really is not my favorite. It also contained none of my favorite Allman Brothers songs. Despite that, I thought it was really good.

Side one was all electric blues classics with guitar solos. Statesboro Blues was intense enough to make me feel like I was eating in a barbecue restaurant, and Done Somebody Wrong was more danceable, but I did not like the slower and less fun Stormy Monday as much as the other two.

Side two was another cover, You Don’t Love Me, a great jam with excellent guitars and organ.

Side three was much more jazz, with two instrumental jams, Hot ‘Lanta and In Memory of Elizabeth Reed. I thought the latter was the best song on the record, with guitars that made me think at times of Santana.

Side four was Whipping Post, which was pretty good when it maintained its fast tempo, but not when it slowed down.

Grade

4/5: would listen again