Two Legends and a Fortunate Hitchhiker

OK, do I really have to say who's the thumber?  Leon Russell had his heyday back before I left high school.  A young Elton John was a fan some forty-something years ago, and with good reason.  Leon was a fairly big deal in the 60's, writing songs recorded by Joe Cocker, Cat Stevens, Eric Clapton, etc., and touring with Cocker on the Mad Dogs & Englishmen jaunt and the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed shows.  A couple of solo hits in the early 70's and then nada.  That is until Elton's charity puts him back in the spotlight with The Union, a decent little record that's heavy on EJ and lite on LR.  Sure, there's good piano and hooks to spare, but don't put Leon out to be seen, please!  He's so stiff next to Elton, looking as if he'd break if he displayed any movement besides his fingers.  God, he makes Willie Nelson look like a gymnast!  Pitiful...wish I had not seen him...probably shaded my take on the album, which for the die-hard EJ fans is quite good.  Russell's voice is OK, and the songs are definitely 80% EJ, and one track includes Neil Young on a verse or two.  But when it's all said and done, I may keep about a third of the sixty-three minutes.

Gregg Allman......if you're from the South, nothing else needs to be said.  When I saw that "Low Country Blues" was scheduled for release, I was expectant of something brilliant.  After all, this would be the first solo record this century, and with producer extraordinaire T-Bone Burnett, no less.  Most of you probably came to know him after his Grammy blitz some ten years ago with the George Clooney movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"  Me?  I was a fan of a few of his solo albums, they coming few and far between due to his production work schedule.  And he has helmed many a legend's record, like Elvis Costello, Roy Orbison, Tony Bennett and John Mellencamp.  Bands you all know and love (mostly), such as Los Lobos, Counting Crows and the Wallflowers.  Oh, yeah, and the previously mentioned duo recording of this post.  So teaming T-Bone and Mr. Allman on a blues recording is a win-win situation, right?  Well, the album has received some wonderful reviews and has sold well enough to be a Billboard Top 5'er, but for me...I was sorely disappointed.  There's too much production, burying GA's voice and organ, and the song's are mostly very obscure covers.  It hurts me to say this, but it was a total dud.  Absolutely zero keepers.  But what the hell do I know?  It didn't need my approval to become a best seller...