And I'm staggered by the quality of this album.

The guitar work by Messrs Trucks and Haynes is out of this world. Greg Allman's organ is always there in the background, shifting tone, setting the mood. And the bassist is (in good AB tradition) lively rather than just setting a dull beat. The album is great to play in the car but works at its best with headphones on. Everything is carefully arranged so that Warren Haynes comes in on the left ear and Derek Trucks on the right. And you start to identify how each member of the band has his own part to play in each track. It's gobsmackingly good.

As many people have said, Derek Trucks has a similar sound to Duane Allman in his guitar work. Some people think that this makes the current lineup sound like what the Brothers would have evolved into had Duane (and the original bassist, Berry Oakley)still been around. I have some sympathy with this but what holds me back from 100% agreement is that Haynes seems to have the role of senior guitarist - in tracks where everybody gets a solo, Haynes is the one who gets to finish things off. If Trucks were to do this, that would be more consistent with the old lineup, where Duane would be last under the spotlight.

Number one track for me is Heart of Stone. The Stones one will never be the same after the way the Haynes and Allman hit that part of the brain that wants to cry at the end of Rocky II. Instrumental Madness deserves a mention too - some great work by Haynes on that.

Next for me must be some 90s Allmans and/or some Mule.

(Another) fine comeback
Review date: 2004-05-05 Rating: 8 out of 10

The Allman Brothers Band's first album of new material in ten years, "Hittin' The Note" was met with anticipation (and quite a bit of scepticism) when it came out in the spring of 2003.

As it turns out, there was really no need for scepticism. "Hittin' The Note" is strong all the way through, superbly played, arranged, and produced. Not every song is truly memorable, but even those which lack a really distinctive riff or hook work very well, mainly due to the superb musicianship of the seven-man band in general, and the dual guitar onslaught of Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks in particular.
"Hittin' The Note" may not be as immediately accessible as the (relatively) pop-friendly "Where It All Begins", or some of the group's sparkling latter-day live albums, but give it a bit of time, and it will grow on you.

Drawing from blues, country, rock n' roll, soul, and a little bit of funk, this album is typical of latter-day Allman Brothers, from the wonderful tough rocker "Maydell" to the beautiful "Old Before My Time", a country-ish ballad with haunting lyrics and a great lead vocal by co-writer Gregg Allman.
Other highlights include the acoustic blues "Old Friend" with wonderful slide dobro playing by Warren Haynes, the thumping hard rock of "Firing Line", the funky "Who To Believe", the lovely ballad "Desdemona", and the bluesy "High Cost Of Low Living".
4 1/4 stars - definitely recommended.

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