Released in 1980 and 1981, the recently re-formed Allmans had Top 50 hits with these albums. Still touring, this Southern Rock band is by now an American institution. Digitally remastered and slip cased with new liner notes.
Released in 1980 and 1981, the recently re-formed Allmans had Top 50 hits with these albums. Still touring, this Southern Rock band is by now an American institution. Digitally remastered and slip cased with new liner notes.
CD Reviews
Not as bad as some purists think
Francis King | Calgary, AB, Canada | 09/23/1999
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This album, the band's first for Arista, marked the start of the Brothers downhill slide artistically. Arista deserves some of the blame -- it wanted another Doobie Brothers -- but there are still plenty of very good moments here, such as Hell & High Water (a great autobiographical song of the band's history), Angeline and a typically high-quality Dickey Betts intrumental, From The Madness Of The West. Reach For The Sky certainly couldn't equal what came before (or after, in the 1990s), but it's still a keeper album for me."
Better than most people say
G. J Wiener | 06/28/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This album is better than all these ABB snobs say it is. Yea, maybe it's not as good as Eat A Peach, but there are some catchy little numbers that stand up well. Hell and Highwater, Angeline,and Mystery Woman are all good songs. Give this album a chance, you won't be disappointed."
Still Enjoyable Although Not Prime Time Material
G. J Wiener | Westchester, NY USA | 07/16/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Many critics have bashed this recording as a far cry from the Duane Allman era Allman Brothers Band. Whereas the band did try to imitate the Doobie Brothers and other corporate rock acts on this collection, there are certainly some highlights here.I like the gospel feel of the opening track, Hell And High Water. Greg and Dickie sound great singing together on this track. Its very reminiscing of sharing old times. From The Madness Of The West is an intriguing instrumental with a nice percussion/drum solo in the middle. Mystery Woman and Angeline are catchy radio friendly tunes.Maybe not quite on the level of Brothers and Sisters or Idlewide South but there are enough good moments to warrant a three and a half star rating."
Give it a second listen
K. Cooper | Phila. area | 04/13/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Compare this to "Fillmore East" "Eat a Peach" and their best works and it is going to come up short- no question. But compare it to the work of most other bands and this still comes up smelling like a rose. Dickey gets off a good instrumental in "From the Madness of the West" and Gregg's 7 minute composition "So Long" is a really great number. There are some songs not up to the usual Allmans standard here but there's still some very good stuff here. 3.5 stars."
BGO's 2 albums 1CD the way to go for ABB's Arista' Years
Maurice Jones | Doraville, GA USA | 01/05/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is not the Allman Brother's of the Fillmore fame- but the ABB of the Arista years. First thing first- Reach for the Sky is the weakest of all ABB albums. It is just swamped by the dreaded synthesizer, suffers from poor songs and a lack of guitars. Best cut is the instramental "From the Madness of the West" which previews the triple drum drum section of today's ABB. Brothers of the Road is much stronger effort, but still suffers from Arista quest to turn the ABB into the Dobbie Brothers. This album reminds me of more a Gregg Solo/Dickey Solo album than a ABB album. But if you like Gregg's/Dickey's solo stuff, you might like this."
Track Listings (18) - Disc #1