Track Listing

1. Wasted Words
2. Ramblin' Man
3. Come and Go Blues
4. Jelly, Jelly
5. Southbound
6. Jessica
7. Pony Boy

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #176807 in Music
• Released on: 1990-10-25
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
Their first full studio album without guitarist Duane, 1973's Brothers and Sisters doesn't match what came before it but would probably be considered a masterpiece if it came from most other bands. The Allman(s) move away from their rougher blues rock toward a groovier Southern rock, a shift that reflects the increased influence of Dickey Betts and new pianist Chuck Leavell. Betts contributes chestnuts such as "Ramblin' Man," "Southbound," and the classic instrumental "Jessica," plus the acoustic finale "Pony Boy," which showcases his work on Dobro. Gregg's impact is not nearly what it once was, although his "Come and Go Blues" and "Jelly Jelly" hit the mark. Original bassist Berry Oakley passed away during these sessions and is heard on just two cuts. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews

Wasted Words
I enjoy the music on this album very much. Duane Allman had been the leader of this band until his untimely death. His brother, Gregg was left to pick up the pieces and keep the band going. In addition, Berry Oakley died during the making of this album, appearing on only the first two tracks. Against such adversity the band develops one of the defining albums of 1973. Gregg Allman really does hold his own with superb playing and by contributing two great songs true to the tradition of the Blues. JELLY, JELLY is a soulfull tune influenced by T Bone Walker and the Chicago Blues. It is Richard "Dickey" Betts who really comes up with the goods by stepping forward with a bona-fide hit, RAMBLIN' MAN, and the remainder of the songs as well as playing guitar which now defines Southern Rock. Whether he is playing Dobro in the style of the Mississippi Blues Singers on PONY BOY, or a firey lead on SOUTHBOUND, trading licks with Les Dudek while singing on RAMBLIN' MAN, it is Betts who defines the sound of this Allman Brothers' CD. JESSICA is possibly one of the best travelling songs ever written, and it is Dickey Betts' melodic, distinctly southern guitar playing that will stick in my mind as I fondly remember this CD. Anything else I would write would just be WASTED WORDS. If you are interested in US Southern Rock of the early seventies, or in great guitar music which is based on American Folk Blues, this CD will be interesting to you.

the new allmans at their peak
Ok, no duane. no berry. but man! what an album. Jessica is the best song i have ever heard. ramblin man is...ramblin man, also one of my all time (top 3) favorites. Southbound rocks in a way that only the band that brought one way out, jessica, ramblin man, and mountain jam can. every other song is very very good filler material, but not quite to the extent that the three previous studio albums were. this album has some of the best songs the allmans ever came out with, but they are quite different than the original band, more country than their earlier blues period-when duane was around. this is a MUST HAVE for an allman brothers fan, but after you get "eat a peach", "beginnings", and "the fillmore concerts". Overall, it is their fourth best album, but better than 99% of the stuff that other bands put out.

i say that this is the new allmans at their peak because they will use this style for the next decade and a half. when they reemerge in the 1990's, they go back to their blues roots, though it is not as good as anything they made before 1975.

Yep!
Brothers and Sisters is one of the all-time best records!

I've been a fan since the beginning so I know my ABB. The previous reviews seem to be about the album's content which I won't dispute except to add that brother Richard Betts was an integral part of the band and can't be separated from their legacy. He influenced a generation of guitar players and has contributed some of the most amazing guitar solos in recording history. I just want to be clear that while some may have felt he stood somewhat in the shadow of brother Duane, I believe he certainly stands on his own as a great musician, singer and songwriter responsible for many of the Allman Brothers Band's best tunes and most memorable guitar lines.

What I mainly want to comment on here is the Remastered version of Brothers and Sisters. I was sorely disappointed in the sound quality as compared to the record album. Unfortunately, they "cleaned it up" to the detriment of the music. Here are the specific problems I spotted. The worst offense is the amount of emphasis inflicted on the vocals: it makes brother Gregg's vocal too bright and clean sounding (when he had probably just smoked an entire pack of cigs prior to cutting each track to get some more gravel in his voice as Cat Stevens used to do), and the same vocal-tinkering makes Dickey sound like a 12 year old boy, unlike the LP which is an accurate recording of how their voices sounded.

The other problems I have with this Remaster is the snare drum and cymbals are also sonically enhanced to the point of causing ear fatigue ... it stresses me out, man! The LP was mellower AND you could hear the tambourine. Also I miss the beautiful rumble of Chuck Leavell's honkytonk piano ... now all sparkly clean (and sounding more like a toy) on this Remaster. Finally, some of the rhythm guitars on this CD Remaster sound a bit Disco for my taste (with that bright top end): the LP guitars were perfect, however. Shocking difference.

Apparently Johnny Sandlin is a darn good record producer and I think he should have been consulted for this Remaster! It reminds me of the poor remastering job done on another great, early '70s album, Relayer, by YES. Like Brothers and Sisters, they turned an album I was used to listening to from the '70s into a '90s-sounding album. Why? You could hear everything fine the way it was ... unless your ears don't work anymore. These great albums are from their time and they should be celebrated as such. This particular era was the best for music in my opinion, it had a particular sound, and there is no disgrace in that whatsoever. Mastering engineers need to learn about preserving "the vibe" of an album instead of always trying to "correct" things that don't need correcting! "Flat" sound always gives the proper balance, unless the whole point of the reissue is to put a different spin on the music. Then it should be marketed as such. Maybe the ABB can revisit this mastering process for the digital 24-bit release and create an Ultimate Version before the master tapes completely lose their dynamics. Please consider restoring the album's vibe, guys. It deserves as much.

But for the surface noise, I'm happy with the LP version, though I may still have to track down a pre-Remastered edition of this great album for archival. The casual or new listener may not mind the sonic "enhancements" offered in the Remastered version, especially if it is bound for a sound-crusher like an iPod, but those who are already familiar with this album might be a bit surprised with the new take on things. I would like to dedicate this review to brother Berry Oakley ... it's wonderful to hear him one last time.