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Allman, Gregg - "I'm No Angel" (LP)
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Genre: rock
Rating: 2 stars **
Title: I'm No Angel
Company: Epic
Catalog: E 40531
Year: 1986
Country/State: Nashville, TN
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: original lyric inner sleeve
Available: 1
Catalog ID: 6239
Price: $8.00
I love Gregg Allman's blues drenched voice, but I've always had a love and hate relationship with 1987's "I'm No Angel". Produced by Rodney Mills, the album was billed as kind of a comeback, celebrating Allman's having survived a nightmarish personal and professional partnership with Cher and various personal setbacks including some nasty drug and alcohol issues. Interestingly the album found Allman decided to return to a band construct with the collection being credited to The Gregg Allman Band (keyboardist Tim Heding, former Allman Brothers lead guitarist Dan Toler, drummer David Toler, percussionist Chaz Trippy, and bassist Bruce Waibel). On one hand I guess you couldn't blame Allman for wanting to cash-in on the public's seemingly insatiable demand for corporate AOR. To that end these ten tracks weren't really bad in a Journey, Pablo Cruise, REO Speedwagon kind of way. Smooth and radio ready, it was the kind of stuff that you could play in your office cubicle (or an elevator) without disturbing anyone. The downside was that while Allman's voice remained in good form, with the possible exception of the title track (an admitted guilty pleasure), 'Empty Faces' and a remake of The Allman Brothers' 'It's Not My Cross To Bear', this collection was largely plodding and pedestrian. This was music as a product with Allman having elected to abandon his musical soul for a quick payout. Naturally it didn't work out that way with the album generating critical disdain and mediocre sales.
- Allman didn't write it and while 'I'm Not Angel' lacked anything even remotely similar to the soul of his first couple of solo sets, to say nothing of his Allman Brothers Band catalog, it was catchy and commercial in a vapid, throwaway fashion The accompanying video was pretty hideous as well. C'mon, tough cowgirls downing shots ... Surprised the old guy sitting outside the bar didn't tell Allman and company to shove it when they 'told' him to change their flat tire. And what the world was with percussionist Chaz Trippy prancing around ? For anyone interested, here's a link to a YouTube clip of the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWNKHi2joJE
rating: *** stars
- The Allman-penned 'Anything Goes' was a perfect example of what went wrong with this project. Overlooking the sophomoric lyrics, both the basic tune and Allman's vocals were quite strong, but the overly slick production, including punchy horns and formulaic Dan Toler lead guitar solo effectively drained the set of whatever energy it had. With a starker, rock-oriented arrangement this one could have been a killer. rating: ** stars
- With Allman sharing lead vocal duties with actor Don Johnson (I'm not making that up), to my ears the power ballad 'Evidence of Love' sounded like a slice of warmed over Michael Bolton. Buried in a horrible '80s, synthesizer heavy sheen, this one had as much soul as a chewing gum commercial. Dreadful by any stretch of the imagination. rating: * star
- Under any other circumstance I probably wouldn't have paid much attention to the mid-temp 'Yours for the Asking', but surrounded by the rest of this collection, the track actually showed traces of Allman's blues-rock roots. rating: *** stars
- Another Allman original, 'Things That Might Have Been' was pretty, but largely anonymous. Five minutes after hearing it you won't remember a thing about the song. rating: ** stars
- Penned by Michael Bolton, the AOR 'Can't Keep Running' was a guilty pleasure (I actually remember buying the single). Complete with female backing singers, lots of 'synthesizers and other '80s production effects, the song actually reminded me a bit of Christopher Cross (not necessarily a good thing). Once again, Allman's gruff vocals were the song's only saving grace. rating: *** stars
- If there was one song that came close to finding an artistic compromise between Allman Brothers blues-rock and a more commercial attack, it was probably the mid-tempo 'Face without Names'. Spotlighting one of Allman's best vocals, the song boasted a pretty melancholy melody and a nice multi-tracked Toler solo. The album's hidden gem ... rating: **** stars
- 'Lead Me On' slowed things down and was one of the few tracks with a blues-tinged. In spite of a nice Allman vocal, the performance was largely negated by the high sheen production, including needless percussion and another formulaic AOR guitar solo from Toler. rating: ** stars- The album closed with a remake of a medley found on The Allman Brothers' debut album - the instrumental 'Don't Want You No More' and the Allman original 'It's Not My Cross To Bear', Lifted off "The Allman Brothers", the opening instrumental segment gave the remake a modest, pseudo-jazz feel. Toler stole the show with a beautiful and understated solo. rating: *** stars
- The only track to even come close to his Allman Brothers blues-rock roots, 'It's Not My Cross To Bear' showcased what Allman was capable of. Toler also took advantage of the song to crank out one of this best performances. rating: **** stars
Epic tried to support the album with a pair of singles:
- 1986's "I'm No Angel' b/w 'Lead Me On' (Epic catalog number 34-06998)
- 1986's "Can't Keep Running' b/w 'Anything Goes' (Epic catalog number 34-07215)
Personally I wouldn't start my exploration of solo Allman's catalog with this one, but that's just my opinion.
"I'm No Angel" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) I'm No Angel (Tony Colton - Phil Palmer) - 3:42
2.) Anything Goes (Gregg Allman) - 4:12
3.) Evidence of Love (Steve Diamond - Chris Farron) - 4:34
4.) Yours for the Asking (Gregg Allman - Dan Toler) - 3:16
5.) Things That Might Have Been (Gregg Allman - Dan Toler) - 4:26
(side 2)
1.) Can't Keep Running (Michael Bolton - Martin Briley) - 4:02
2.) Face without Names (Gregg Allman - Dan Toler) -3:39
3.) Lead Me On (Gregg Allman - Dan Toler) - 4:44
4.) Don't Want You No More (instrumental) (Spencer Davis - Eddie Hardin) - 2'31
5.) It's Not My Cross To Bear (Gregg Allman) - 5:37
Rating: 2 stars **
Title: I'm No Angel
Company: Epic
Catalog: E 40531
Year: 1986
Country/State: Nashville, TN
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: original lyric inner sleeve
Available: 1
Catalog ID: 6239
Price: $8.00
I love Gregg Allman's blues drenched voice, but I've always had a love and hate relationship with 1987's "I'm No Angel". Produced by Rodney Mills, the album was billed as kind of a comeback, celebrating Allman's having survived a nightmarish personal and professional partnership with Cher and various personal setbacks including some nasty drug and alcohol issues. Interestingly the album found Allman decided to return to a band construct with the collection being credited to The Gregg Allman Band (keyboardist Tim Heding, former Allman Brothers lead guitarist Dan Toler, drummer David Toler, percussionist Chaz Trippy, and bassist Bruce Waibel). On one hand I guess you couldn't blame Allman for wanting to cash-in on the public's seemingly insatiable demand for corporate AOR. To that end these ten tracks weren't really bad in a Journey, Pablo Cruise, REO Speedwagon kind of way. Smooth and radio ready, it was the kind of stuff that you could play in your office cubicle (or an elevator) without disturbing anyone. The downside was that while Allman's voice remained in good form, with the possible exception of the title track (an admitted guilty pleasure), 'Empty Faces' and a remake of The Allman Brothers' 'It's Not My Cross To Bear', this collection was largely plodding and pedestrian. This was music as a product with Allman having elected to abandon his musical soul for a quick payout. Naturally it didn't work out that way with the album generating critical disdain and mediocre sales.
- Allman didn't write it and while 'I'm Not Angel' lacked anything even remotely similar to the soul of his first couple of solo sets, to say nothing of his Allman Brothers Band catalog, it was catchy and commercial in a vapid, throwaway fashion The accompanying video was pretty hideous as well. C'mon, tough cowgirls downing shots ... Surprised the old guy sitting outside the bar didn't tell Allman and company to shove it when they 'told' him to change their flat tire. And what the world was with percussionist Chaz Trippy prancing around ? For anyone interested, here's a link to a YouTube clip of the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWNKHi2joJE
rating: *** stars
- The Allman-penned 'Anything Goes' was a perfect example of what went wrong with this project. Overlooking the sophomoric lyrics, both the basic tune and Allman's vocals were quite strong, but the overly slick production, including punchy horns and formulaic Dan Toler lead guitar solo effectively drained the set of whatever energy it had. With a starker, rock-oriented arrangement this one could have been a killer. rating: ** stars
- With Allman sharing lead vocal duties with actor Don Johnson (I'm not making that up), to my ears the power ballad 'Evidence of Love' sounded like a slice of warmed over Michael Bolton. Buried in a horrible '80s, synthesizer heavy sheen, this one had as much soul as a chewing gum commercial. Dreadful by any stretch of the imagination. rating: * star
- Under any other circumstance I probably wouldn't have paid much attention to the mid-temp 'Yours for the Asking', but surrounded by the rest of this collection, the track actually showed traces of Allman's blues-rock roots. rating: *** stars
- Another Allman original, 'Things That Might Have Been' was pretty, but largely anonymous. Five minutes after hearing it you won't remember a thing about the song. rating: ** stars
- Penned by Michael Bolton, the AOR 'Can't Keep Running' was a guilty pleasure (I actually remember buying the single). Complete with female backing singers, lots of 'synthesizers and other '80s production effects, the song actually reminded me a bit of Christopher Cross (not necessarily a good thing). Once again, Allman's gruff vocals were the song's only saving grace. rating: *** stars
- If there was one song that came close to finding an artistic compromise between Allman Brothers blues-rock and a more commercial attack, it was probably the mid-tempo 'Face without Names'. Spotlighting one of Allman's best vocals, the song boasted a pretty melancholy melody and a nice multi-tracked Toler solo. The album's hidden gem ... rating: **** stars
- 'Lead Me On' slowed things down and was one of the few tracks with a blues-tinged. In spite of a nice Allman vocal, the performance was largely negated by the high sheen production, including needless percussion and another formulaic AOR guitar solo from Toler. rating: ** stars- The album closed with a remake of a medley found on The Allman Brothers' debut album - the instrumental 'Don't Want You No More' and the Allman original 'It's Not My Cross To Bear', Lifted off "The Allman Brothers", the opening instrumental segment gave the remake a modest, pseudo-jazz feel. Toler stole the show with a beautiful and understated solo. rating: *** stars
- The only track to even come close to his Allman Brothers blues-rock roots, 'It's Not My Cross To Bear' showcased what Allman was capable of. Toler also took advantage of the song to crank out one of this best performances. rating: **** stars
Epic tried to support the album with a pair of singles:
- 1986's "I'm No Angel' b/w 'Lead Me On' (Epic catalog number 34-06998)
- 1986's "Can't Keep Running' b/w 'Anything Goes' (Epic catalog number 34-07215)
Personally I wouldn't start my exploration of solo Allman's catalog with this one, but that's just my opinion.
"I'm No Angel" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) I'm No Angel (Tony Colton - Phil Palmer) - 3:42
2.) Anything Goes (Gregg Allman) - 4:12
3.) Evidence of Love (Steve Diamond - Chris Farron) - 4:34
4.) Yours for the Asking (Gregg Allman - Dan Toler) - 3:16
5.) Things That Might Have Been (Gregg Allman - Dan Toler) - 4:26
(side 2)
1.) Can't Keep Running (Michael Bolton - Martin Briley) - 4:02
2.) Face without Names (Gregg Allman - Dan Toler) -3:39
3.) Lead Me On (Gregg Allman - Dan Toler) - 4:44
4.) Don't Want You No More (instrumental) (Spencer Davis - Eddie Hardin) - 2'31
5.) It's Not My Cross To Bear (Gregg Allman) - 5:37
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