Win, Lose or Draw (album)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Win, Lose or Draw | ||
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| Studio album by The Allman Brothers Band | ||
| Released | October 1975 | |
| Genre | Southern rock | |
| Label | Capricorn Records | |
| Producer(s) | Johnny Sandlin The Allman Brothers Band |
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| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| The Allman Brothers Band chronology | ||
| Brothers and Sisters (1973) |
Win, Lose or Draw (1975) |
Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas (1976) |
Win, Lose or Draw is a 1975 album by The Allman Brothers Band.
This record was the end of the line for the band at the time. After the very successful Brothers and Sisters two years previously, the group had fallen prey to internal tensions. Dickey Betts (continuing to be billed as Richard Betts for this album) had seemingly taken over from Gregg Allman as the de facto bandleader, while both had issued solo albums. Rolling Stone reported that during the recording sessions for Win, Lose or Draw, musical disagreements were plentiful: pianist Chuck Leavell would play in a jazz fusion style, while Betts would protest and say he was "just a simple country boy." Allman would attempt to mediate, but he was going through his own problems, not the least of which was his very public relationship and marriage with Cher. Being tabloid fodder did not suit Allman well; Rolling Stone described a restaurant scene in which Allman suddenly muttered, "Ah can't find mah plate" and passed out face-first into a serving of spaghetti. But then substance abuse was taking its toll on everyone in the group. Due to being tied to the West Coast, much of Allman's vocals and instrumentation were recorded at the Record Plant Studios in Los Angeles, California, with the vocals and instrumentation of the rest being recorded at Capricorn Studios in Macon, Georgia. Additionally, drummers Butch Trucks and Jaimoe went missing from "Louisiana Lou And Three Card Monty John" and the Billy Joe Shaver cover "Sweet Mama (Lay Your Burdens Down)", replaced with producer Johnny Sandlin and occasional road drummer Bill Stewart.
In any case, there were a few modest highlights on Win, Lose or Draw: the dynamic Muddy Waters cover "Can't Lose What You Never Had", sung strongly by Allman with start-stop mini-false endings; the long, fluid Betts instrumental "High Falls"; and the title track, which reflected Allman's Jackson Browne-influenced work from his Laid Back solo album. But in general, reviews of the album were negative, commenting on a lack of energy, formulaic songwriting, and indifferent sound.
The album reached #5 on the Billboard 200 albums chart based on their previous popularity. The record had been highly anticipated a year earlier, but now the Allmans' moment was passing. Long ethereal jams were out of vogue; by autumn 1975 other trends were in the air, from Bruce Springsteen's high-energy Jersey dramas to Patti Smith's intense proto-punk poetry, with punk rock and disco music just around the corner. The Allman Brothers would dissolve in acrimony the following year, and a late 1970s reunion attempt notwithstanding, would not reclaim their spot in the American musical pantheon until their successful 1989 reformation.
[edit] Track listing
- Can't Lose What You Never Had (M. Morganfield)
- Just Another Love Song (R. Betts)
- Nevertheless (G. Allman)
- Win, Lose or Draw (G. Allman)
- Louisiana Lou and Three Card Monty John (R. Betts)
- High Falls (R. Betts)
- Sweet Mama (B. Shaver)
[edit] Personnel
- Gregg Allman — lead vocals, organ, clavinet and acoustic guitar
- Richard Betts — lead guitar, slide guitar, lead vocals and acoustic guitar
- Jaimoe — drums and percussion
- Chuck Leavell — piano, electric piano, Moog synthesizer, clavinet and background vocals
- Butch Trucks — drums, congas, percussion and tympani
- Lamar Williams — electric bass
Additional musicians:
- Johnny Sandlin — acoustic guitar, drums and percussion
- Bill Stewart — drums
