Search - John Mayall :: Thru the Years

Okay collection, MUST for Peter Green fans

Charles A Galupi | Euless, Texas | 08/12/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Another collection of out takes from Mayall's period with Decca [UK] and London [US] circa 1964-1968, features another pile of "lost" tracks, two early tracks with Roger Dean on guitar, one with Bernie Watson, the treasure, 8 with Peter Green [icluding 3 tracks without Mayall credited to just the Bluesbreakers, at the time, Green, John McVie and Aynsley Dunbar] and three tracks featuring Mick Taylor. Being out takes, the quality varies from track to track, so don't expect totally polished complete performances. Of the first three tracks, "Crocodile Walk" is good, "My Baby Is Sweeter" is unremarkable and "Crawling Up A Hill" is fair, sounding like a ? and the Mysterians/ garage band circa 1965 that hasn't quite worked up to "Psychotic Reaction." Now for the Green tracks. "Mama Talk to Your Daughter" is the JB Lenoir song, Green playing subdued and pretty sraight blues. "Alabama Blues" features just Green playing and singing. "Out of Reach" introduces Green's soon to be signature reverb; this song is the forerunner of Fleetwood Mac's "Love That Burns." The Bluesbreakers tracks,"Greeny" is a jazzy instrumental, with tasteful work by Green; "Curly" is a heavy rave up, probably influenced by Cream; "Missing You" is is a nice track with good harmonica [!] work by Green, a track I am sure Rory Gallagher copied. The Boss [Mayall] is back on "Please Don't Tell" with a good harmonica solo by Mayall and the Bluesbreakers cooking behind him. Green's solo shows real fire. "Your Funeral and My Trial" is another cooker, but it's pretty unremarkable. On the three Taylor tracks, the first two have the horns that many said "ruined" Mayall as he tried incorporating jazz. The first cut "Suspicions [Part I]" is okay, Taylor ripping off some great guitar work. "Knockers Step Forward" is an almost psychedelic instrumental, something you might hear on one of the hip episodes of 'Adam 12' or the girls would dance around in the day glow paint to on 'Laugh In.' But having said that, it cooks really nicely. "Hide and Seek" is Mayall back to roots, an almost Cream liek fairly straight blues. It's a fair album, probably essential to Peter Green fans [self included] for those cuts. Not a BAD introduction or overview of Mayall, but I would recommend the Bluesbreakers featuring Eric Clapton or A Hard Road [with PG] first."

Great blues

The Thinker | 07/05/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I just ordered this album. I had it as an LP back in the 70s. I loved it then, and it will be good to hear it again. I particularly like the instrumental "Curly," which is just a good blues on electric guitar; nothing complex, but played with feeling. No one else has mentioned it, and no one else seems affected by it. (?)"