Search - Savoy Brown :: Collection

British Blues/Rock Anthology

J. E FELL | Carterville, Illinois United States | 10/20/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 2 cd anthology compiles Decca material from the years 1967-1978 (14 lps some of which are not in print at present). Savoy Brown was/is the blues/rock boogie band of Kim Simmonds the lead guitarist/part time singer and only original member still in the band. The band's early work is similar to a number of British blues/rock bands from this era such as Ten Years After, early Fleetwood Mac, and Stan Webb's Chicken Shack among others. The band is often unfairly overlooked due to Simmond's band member turnover and the decline in the later period material. The earlier material (highlighted on the first disk) consisted of blues covers, blues based originals, boogie numbers, and jazzier numbers. Later the band became more commercial and less successful. This period is highlighted rather effectively on the second disk. In my opinion the peak period of the band was during the years 1968-70 when Chris Youlden handled the vocals and part of the songwriting. The bands membership is ever changing and notable ex-members include Lonesome Dave Peveritt, Tone Stevens, and Roger Earle who would quit to form another British boogie/blues band Foghat. Another notable ex-member is keyboard player/guitarist Paul Raymond (formerly of Chicken Shack, Webb's whole backing band joined Simmonds after Foghat was formed)who was later a member of UFO, and the Michael Schenker Group. Bassist Andy Pyle was in Blodwyn Pig and later Wishbone Ash. This compilation is representative of all the band's line-ups through 1978. An emphasis is placed on the stronger material up to 1974. Perhaps the biggest surprise with this collection is the versatility of Kim Simmond's guitar playing. He is equally at home with a boogie rave-up like the cover of Muddy Water's "Louisiana Blues" as he is with the more fluid jazzier runs on the material included from the "Raw Sienna" lp (my favorite). Some of my favorite tunes include "Train To Nowhere", "I'm Tired" (later covered by Little Milton), and later material like Howlin' Wolf's "Wang Dang Doodle" and "Hellbound Train" with Dave Walker on vocals. Walker would subsequently leave to join Fleetwood Mac. I would have included a few cuts like their covers of "Walking By Myself", "You Need Love", "Grits Ain't Groceries", "Howling For My Darling", "I Hate To See You Go" and their own tunes like "A Little More Wine", and "Looking In" among others. However, this is far and away the best sampling of Savoy Brown if you are on a budget and can't afford to pick up all their cds. If you like British blues/rock this is a must. I recommend the "Raw Sienna" and "Looking In" cds to those who want more Savoy Brown after enjoying this fine compilation."

No filler!

D. Hartley | Seattle, WA USA | 04/20/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The trouble I have with most "anthology" box sets is that they are either a.)glorified "greatest hits" packages with several of those dreaded "newly recorded" tracks tossed in to pad things out,or b.) comphrehensive to the point of redundancy, with 27 bonus demo versions of songs already in the set. Luckily, this Savoy Brown collection is the rarity- a well selected, smartly sequenced, sonically excellent overview of the band. Of all the great British blues guitarists who started out around the same time (Clapton, Beck, Page & Co.),Savoy Brown's Kim Simmonds has quietly remained the most faithful to an authentic blues sound. Considering the revolving door of band personnel who are represented here, what impresses the listener is how consistently Simmonds has kept to his original vision over the years, without ever becoming boring or sounding stale. If you're only budgeted for one purchase for your Savoy Brown collection, you need not take one step further than this anthology."

Start Your Collection With This Collection!!!

chris meesey Food Czar | The Colony, TX United States | 10/02/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So, a sibling, lover, or real good friend has got you all hot and bothered about Savoy Brown, that they are the greatest thing since sliced bread, etc., and you want to run out and buy some of their unforgettable music! What a great idea! But, just one question: which album to get? Well, how about all of them! And since you don't have a couple hundred extra dollars just lying around to spend on music, get this fabulous compilation instead. Starting at the very beginning with the British-only (and hard to find) CD, Shake Down, and concluding with the Mutt-Lang produced hard rock epic Savage Return from 1978, there is plenty of music to suit your every mood and whim. Whoever put this collection together (wonder if Kim himself had a hand in it) knew what they were doing: Of the 29 tracks in the album, no fewer than a dozen are taken from SB's three greatest albums: Raw Sienna, Looking In, and Street Corner Talking. Also, only one cut apiece was drawn from such "lesser" works as Boogie Brothers, Jack the Toad, Wire Fire, Skin 'N Bone, and Savage Return, and this was probably a wise decision as well. Personally, it's regrettable that only two tracks should be drawn from such an excellent set as Getting to the Point; how about including "Walking By Myself", "Big City Lights", or "Taste and Try Before You Buy?" (Now that we're on the subject: What about a second collection chronicling the years 1981 to the present? True, SB's glory days were in the sixities and early seventies, but there is enough good material on their later releases to warrant a new compilation.) In any case, the listener will be blown away by the range and depth of this material, from traditional blues covers ("I Ain't Superstitious", "Louisiana Blues") to startling new originals ("Mr. Downchild", "Money Cant Save Your Soul"); from rabble-rousing party anthems ("Tell Mama", "I'm Tired") to lengthy but never tedious jams ("Leaving Again", "Hellbound Train"), this band could do it all. Thanks for such a long history of great music must go to the fantastic musicians that helped make it over the years: Lonesome Dave, Chris Youlden, Roger Earl, Tone Stephens, Dave Walker, Paul Raymond, Bob Hall, Andy Pyle, Dave Bidwell, Jackie Lynton, Stan Webb, and Miller Anderson are some of the many talented players that made it happen for SB album after album, concert after concert. Last but not least, the listener should thank Kim Simmonds, SB's founder, leader, and guiding force, for having the courage to reinvent himself and to insist on only the highest standards for himself and his music. Welcome to the World of Savoy Brown! This collection, large as it seems, holds only a small sample of the hours and hours of musical enjoyment you can experience with Kim and Co. on your stereo. GET IT NOW!!!"