On his 8th and final album Southern Blood, Gregg Allman does not write a farewell message, but a courageous note that celebrates life. It is not an album of death, even though the musician has been diagnosed with liver cancer back in 2012. His condition did not prevent him from creating, and. i find that to be the most beautiful thing to share with my readers. Gregg Allman continued to play and perform, and finally made an album that will be remember as a resistance of southern blood and southern rock.
The album was recorded in only nine days with his long-term collaborator and producer Don Was in a studio in Alabama. It is mostly comprised of covers of songs by Allman's favorite artists. My Only True Friend is the only original track and he released it as a first single. Southern Blood was designed to be one of the five albums in a themed series that started with Low Country Blues in 2011.
Allman's eighth studio album brings everything that made us fall in love with him in the first place - southern blues, rock and country with legendary vocal that turns the raw property of these genres into non-invasive tunes that are cuddling with the listener. Stylistically, the album is not a departure from any of predecessors, as it circles around the topics of South, dissidents, freedom and rebellion. The sound is on brand, although the production is a bit more polished than before.
Work with old collaborators generated a familiar feeling, and the goal of making covers was to showcase all the artists that are compatible with Allman's sensibility. Tim Buckley Once I Was sounds completely different here due to the style, but also the intention. There are no dismal tones here, since Allman wanted to describe his life peacefully and gracefully. Dylan's classic Going Going Gone is another stellar interpretation that wins diverse property with different arrangement. Gregg Allman was aware of where he was going with it.
Black Muddy River stands out from the rest of the record, no matter how close it is to Allman's aura. It is also completely changed in comparison to the original version of Grateful Dead. Still, it had its place here because it is congruent to the theme of the album. My Only True Friend is an homage to the only true love of his life - open road. Hope you're haunted by th the music of my soul when I'm gone are the verses that represented not only the culmination of this album, but also ththe pinnacle of Allman's career. Such a candor made me cry.
Dedication to life, I Love The Life I Live is another heartfelt number, while Love Like Kerosene is an emotional overdose (at least for me). Closing track Song For Adam is the most touching moment on Southern Blood. Allman was so wrapped up in his feelings that he could not finish singing the lyrics, and this version is put out there. Duane was his biggest inspiration and his biggest friend.
Music is sometimes bigger than us. Thank you, Allman, for reminding us of that.
