4 stars (out of 5)
A founding member of the Allman Brothers Band and a solo performer in his own right, Gregg Allman maintains a strong live presence, yet (until this album) it has been nine years since he's spent significant time in a studio.
That's where producer T Bone Burnett comes in: having selected some favourites from a collection of obscure blues tracks, Burnett convinced Allman to breath new life into them by way of his rootsy organ playing and gravely voice.
With a to-die-for backing band including pianist Dr John and double bass player Dennis Crouch, Allman pours his heart and soul into a dozen songs saturated in woe, whiskey and a little whimsy.
Single download: Rolling Stone
For those who like: Albert King, Taj Mahal
- Shane Gilchrist
3 stars (out of 5)
Way back in the late '80s, Brickell and her New Bohemian bandmates were all over commercial radio.
Since they joined the ranks of one-hit wonders with What I Am, a lot has changed. Brickell married Paul Simon and released a stack of largely unheard albums.
What hasn't changed, however, is that voice, like a comforting cup of tea on a cold day. Brickell's brand of folk-jam-rock reeks of patchouli, hand-knitted cardigans and home baking.
If it weren't for guitar-producer maestro Charlie Sexton, the self-titled album could have been tediously drab when in fact, it's surprisingly affecting.
Single download: Pill
For those who like: Sheryl Crow, Suzanne Vega, Phoebe Snow
- Mark Orton
2 stars (out of 5)
British blue-eyed soul revivalist Duffy might pass off the 33-minute album length of sophomore effort Endlessly as in keeping with her retro chic, but the truth is more likely to be she simply ran out of ideas.
This roughly half-and-half mix of ballads and dance-floor tracks fails even more comprehensively than promising 2008 predecessor Rockferry to deliver an original idea, and glaringly exposes Duffy's adenoidal vocal problems.
She can hold a tune and hit some impressive peaks, but that stuffed up shnoz needs a bore-out. Yet another British "next big thing" has fallen short of the mark.
Single download: Well Well Well
For those who like: Bubblegum pop dressed as soul revival
- Jeff Harford
