Delaney & Bonnie Albums (7)
What The Critics Say
It appears as though the Bramletts were pulling in a lot of markers here in the hopes of getting that elusive hit. On D & B Together, listeners find studio versions of "Only You Know and I Know" and "Superstar," both of which were concert highlights over two years before. Surprisingly, the best cut here is a studio take of "Comin' Home," written with Eric Clapton and featured on the On Tour album. While not as loose as the live cut, "Comin' Home" is great music nonetheless. The problem was, nobody seemed to care much anymore. ~ James Chrispell, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
For an album that is clearly a compilation of older material meant to capitalize on the fame from Delaney & Bonnie's 1971 hits on Atco, this is a true find! There are only three tracks from the duo, all produced by Leon Russell; the nine other titles are Delaney Bramlett solo, six produced by Jackie DeShannon, three others with no producer credited. Despite the slight deception -- that this is a Delaney Bramlett album with three bonus tracks by the hit group -- the disc still works on its own. DeShannon has Delaney sounding like Gene Pitney on "Tomorrow Never Comes," while "Heartbreak Hotel" and Ray Charles' "I Got a Woman" have him emulating Elvis. On the uncredited production of "Lonely Me," Mr. Bramlett goes for an early John Lennon vocal style, then veers off to Gerry and the Pacemakers territory on his originals, "Without Your Love" and "Better Man Than Me," quite revealing in that they are so different from the music Jimmy Miller produced for the group when Delaney & Bonnie on Tour With Eric Clapton emerged. Jackie DeShannon's pop production kicks in again with "Liverpool Lou," and it is back to that Gene Pitney sound. Hearing Delaney Bramlett go through these chameleon like mutations, and pull it off, is as musically amazing as it is historically important. The half-hearted liner notes give a clue that maybe the label didn't really appreciate what they had. They note that Glen Campbell, Billy Strange, Hal Blaine, Al Casey, and James Burton provide backing, but outside of some mandatory hype, there's not much else. On Clyde Pitts' "You Never Looked Sweeter," Bramlett sounds like Roy Orbison. Delaney ran the risk of giving the impression this was a tribute to male sixties vocalists, but he really does a decent job and that's what makes these tapes so charming. The Jackie DeShannon original "You Have No Choice" feels like it is straight from a beach party movie, trademark '60s production, and this time you can't peg Delaney on who he is trying to sound like; perhaps he's just being himself. The three tracks that are by Delaney & Bonnie together, all Leon Russell sessions, are the husband and wife as a Sonny & Cher type pop duo. Bacharach/David's "What the World Needs Now" (yes, the Jackie DeShannon hit from 1965) is resplendent in Nik Venet strings straight out of Linda Ronstadt's "Different Drum." It's a fun version, more fun than "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" which follows, so up-tempo that it is unnerving. "Lovin' Feeling" also shows how Bonnie Bramlett's voice overshadows Delaney, she leaves him in the dust with some phrasings. Possibly realizing this, GNP separates the third track from the duo with two Jackie DeShannon productions of Bonnie's husband. Their strongest track together is the Delaney Bramlett co-write "I Can't Take It Much Longer," the best example of the excellent direction they were heading towards. Genesis is surprisingly listenable and sheds light on an influential group which should have been much bigger. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Decades before the MTV Unplugged phenomenon took off, Delaney and Bonnie recorded an album's worth of tunes in just that acoustic fashion. Rounding up a cast of "friends" for the event (including Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, and Duane Allman, to name a few "friends"), Motel Shot tries to show how musicians on the road unwind after concerts and get back to the basics. Delaney and Bonnie even had a hit single here, with "Never Ending Song of Love." This is a refreshing record, and one that should not be missed. It includes strains of gospel, country, blues, folk, and R&B, while never straying from the acoustic trail. ~ James Chrispell, All Music Guide
'On Tour with Eric Clapton'
Release Date 1/1/1970
Tracks 8
Label Atco
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
This 42-minute, eight-song live album, cut at Croydon late in 1969, is not only the peak of Delaney & Bonnie's output, but also the nexus in the recording and performing careers of Eric Clapton and George Harrison. On Tour With Eric Clapton features the guitarist performing the same blend of country, blues, and gospel that would characterize his own early solo ventures in 1970. He rises to the occasion with dazzling displays of virtuosity throughout, highlighted by a dizzying solo on "I Don't Want to Discuss," a long, languid part on "Only You Know and I Know," and searing, soulful lead on the beautifully harmonized "Coming Home." Vocally, Delaney & Bonnie were never better than they come off on this live set, and the 11-piece band sounds tighter musically than a lot of quartets that were working at the time, whether they're playing extended blues or ripping through a medley of Little Richard songs. It's no accident that the band featured here would become Clapton's own studio outfit for his debut solo LP, or that the core of this group -- Bobby Whitlock, Carl Radle, and Jim Gordon -- would transform itself into Derek & the Dominoes as well; or that most of the full band here would also comprise the group that played with George Harrison on All Things Must Pass and at the Concert for Bangladesh, except that the playing here (not to mention the recording) is better. Half the musicians on this record achieved near-superstar status less than a year later, and although the reasons behind their fame didn't last, listening to their work decades later, it all seems justified. One only wishes that Atlantic Records might check their vaults for any unreleased numbers from these shows that could fit on an extended CD. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Delaney and Bonnie hit their pop-soul prime on this, their first Atlantic Records album. Buoyed by their acclaim from their first Elektra album, as well as their association with Eric Clapton, the group switched record labels and recorded this, probably their most definitive album. Backed by an awesome cast of musicians which included Jim Gordon (drums), Kenny Gradney (bass -- later of Little Feat), and many others, this record shows why anyone connected with the band became a tambourine-shaking convert to soul-based rhythm & blues rock. Some great vocal performances by Bonnie Bramlett, especially the low-down "The Love of My Man," show why she was put in the same league as Janis Joplin. One of the more definitive albums of the period. ~ Matthew Greenwald, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
While Delaney & Bonnie will be forever associated with Eric Clapton and Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs, the couple, along with a loose association of friends, recorded a number of classics in their own right. Released in 1969, Accept No Substitute contained the same blend of soul and rock & roll that would show up on Layla the following year. While the production, as Matthew Greenwald points out in the liner notes, has a "pop sheen," Delaney & Bonnie's earthy vocals, along with the band's rhythm & blues assault, nonetheless dictate the proceedings. The horn section and expressive guitar create a lovely mix on "Get Ourselves Together" and "Someday," giving the listener a taste of what gospel might sound like if performed by a good '60s rock band. This religious connection is even more predominate on "Soldiers of the Cross," a piece of lyrical fundamentalism that would fit quite comfortably into a Baptist choir's repertoire. This isn't to infer that Accept No Substitute is pious in any way; only that Delaney & Bonnie and their friends add a spiritual quality to the music they perform. One also shouldn't miss the imaginative "Ghetto," a song that cleverly combines soulful piano with strings. For those unfamiliar with Delaney & Bonnie's other work, Accept No Substitute is a good place to start. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Delaney & Bonnie's brand of soul-rock was firmly in place by the time of this 1969 album, the only one they recorded for Stax. Their following albums would gain greater exposure, but there's not much difference between this record and those subsequent efforts, except perhaps that this is more soul-oriented and less rock-oriented. That's not too surprising considering that members of Booker T. & the MG's are playing on most of the cuts, though a few were done in Hollywood with Leon Russell on keyboards and Carl Radle on bass. The material was a mixture of original songs and compositions from top Stax writers such as Steve Cropper, Isaac Hayes, and David Porter, though generally the songs weren't as grittily powerful or memorably hook-laden at the best stuff to come out of Stax in the late '60s. The cover of "Piece of My Heart" was bound to pass relatively unnoticed in the wake of Janis Joplin's wrenching hit cover of the song (with Big Brother & the Holding Company), and "Hard to Say Goodbye" seems like an attempt to push their sound in a slightly poppier direction, though not at all a bad one. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
