Down To The River
BMG, 2019
9/10
An outfit spearheaded by Devon Allman and Duane Betts, this debut album has the pair and their band taking the organic route with no computer or digital editing on this studio live recording of their eclectic rock formula.
“All Night” gets the album started with rich guitar licks on a warm southern rocker with Devon taking lead vocals, and “Shinin’” follows with retro grooves on a classic rock tinted affair with Duane handling the bulk of the singing.
Elsewhere, “Try” recruits a quieter setting of crisp instrumentation in a timeless template of cautious rock, while “Autumn Breeze” indeed gets breezy in ways that are both pensive and playful on this album highlight that enters jam band territory.
Near the end, “Melodies Are Memories” offers a fuller atmosphere of jangly, agile rootsy rock where organs really punctuate the mood, and “Long Gone” ends the listen with a vocally expressive ballad of dusty beauty.
When you’re the offspring of Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts, expectations might be a bit high in your musical endeavors, but The Allman Betts Band exceed anyone’s expectations with their well crafted country, blues and gospel meshing that’s never short on creativity and delivered flawlessly.
Travels well with: Tedeschi Trucks Band-Revelator; The Allman Brothers- Hittin’ The Note