Customer Reviews
Allman Brothers, Eat a Peach 
2008-07-21
I had bought this as a vinyl album many many years ago. I had completely forgotten how good it was. Truly timeless material.
Excellent! 2008-06-19
This is what real music sounds like. There hasn't been much of it in a long time, so we are lucky the old stuff was so good.
Hats off to the Allmans! 2008-06-07
This would have to be their best album ever I bought it when it first came out, even now when we talk about some of the best music we have heard this album is always mentioned.
incredible 2007-08-14
There's a lot of people who like to dismiss southern rock without even giving it a chance. It's really amazing how close-minded people can be. If they ever heard the Allman Brothers Band (particularly the classic period) they'd grow to appreciate southern rocks best moments.
This is a brilliant band. It's not often I use the word "brilliant" because it's a word that only deserves to be used when it's entirely appropriate. In this case, I feel completely comfortable using it.
I was surprised while listening to Eat a Peach how many songs I had already recognized. "Ain't Wasting Time No More" is a perfect blend of rock and blues. In fact, that's one of the greatest things about this band. They are really good at knowing how to blend the blues with rock and roll. "Les Brers In a Minor" is a great instrumental with a dramatic and intense 3-minute introduction. It eventually progresses into some highly spectacular instrumental guitar and drums sections.
Everyone knows how beautiful the vocal melody and guitar work sounds on "Melissa". The greatest ballad ever written. "Mountain Jam" is a ROLLER-COASTER 34-minute jam that even features a drum solo around the halfway point. The guitar playing is the highlight of the song though- always melodic, exciting and detailed.
"One Way Out" is a return to blues rock, and this version of "Trouble No More" rules in the same way as the version on the debut studio album.
"Blue Sky" is my favorite song on the album. That's a fact. The beautiful vocal melody which starts the song and the spectacular guitar jamming immediately afterwards really adds up to one completely satisfying experience. I dare anyone who claims to hate southern rock to hate this song. "Little Martha" is a calm and pretty way to end a near-perfect album. "Stand Back" was the only song I didn't recognize before hearing this great album. Buy it today.
THE ORIGINAL ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND. THEIR SWAN SONG. 2007-04-03
When Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident, The Allman Brothers Band decided that he would have wanted them to soldier on. And that, they did. Eat a Peach (1972) was released about four months after Duane's death. It contains songs recorded in the studio with Duane, unreleased live performances with Duane from the historic Fillmore concerts, and new songs recorded without Duane. Every song is a classic and fan favorite.
The new songs kick off the album with the upbeat Ain't Wastin' Time No More ("I've still got two strong legs and even wings to fly"), the impressive instrumental Les Brers in A Minor' and the beautifully sad Melissa (this new beginning would end eight months later with bassist Berry Oakley's death). Next up is the live material. Mountain Jam, the 34 minute instrumental based on Donavon's "First There is a Mountain" is the highlight of this album, and the Allman's career. This is the best piece of music the band has ever recorded. They have never sounded better than this. Each and every member of the band shines brightly on Mountain Jam and the sound is as pure and unpretentious as rock music can ever get. There are no egos wrestling for the spotlight here, just disciplined musicians dedicated to the music they play. Listening to this, you will also hear how important Berry Oakley (the most underrated bass player in the history of rock) was to their sound. Duane Allman's magic was never more dazzling than it is here, and at the end of this song, he introduces each band member by name, and then says "I'm Duane Allman, thank you". It's the most emotional moment on the album, because it's his last goodbye to us all. The classic One Way Out and an uptempo Trouble No More round out the live portion of the album. Stand Back, Blue Sky, and Little Martha are the songs the band, including Duane, recorded in the studio before the accident. Stand Back is classic ABB with Duane's fiery slide guitar, and Gregg's soulful vocals. Dickey Betts makes his ABB singing debut on Blue Sky, a country style song with plenty of Duane and Dickey's twin guitar lines, and each taking a long bouncy solo. Of course, this is another fan favorite. Last, is Little Martha, an instrumental song Duane wrote. With just he and Dickey on acoustic guitars, it's reflective, well performed, and a perfect way to end the album.
It also ends the story of one of the best bands to ever plug in musical instruments, and play music in the rock, blues, jazz, or country format. Duane Allman, Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, and Jaimoe. Through Eat a Peach, At Fillmore East, and Beginnings, their music lives forever.
Tragedy Breeds Magic 2007-01-25
Not the Remastered Version.
Magnum Opus South ... 2006-06-30
I agree wholeheartely with all or most all of the reviews listed but must respectfully disagree with finulanu's comment that the Allman Brothers magnum opus, Mountain Jam, is too long. It is in my opinion one blissfully long magnificent piece of music that is as good or even better than any Dead jam. I bought the double Lp back in the early 70's and painfully remember having to dig out and switch vinyl on the turntable (each half of Mountain Jam on seperate records) right in the middle of my Dickey Betts air guitar solo !!!
Now that Eat a Peach is on cd, I can hear Mountain Jam soar from blissfull begining to magnificent end without interuption.
Eat A Peach For Peace 2006-03-14
I will always be moved and haunted by the voice of Dickie Betts...the Guitar work of Duane, and the collective genius of this important work.
There will probably never be an album like this again. The ease of falling in love with these beautiful songs is a given.
EAT A PEACH is a gem. No 'pitts' inside ;)
Yes, I'm editing my Eat a Peach review yet AGAIN 2006-03-07
If you're keeping score, this would be the third time I've rewritten my review of Eat a Peach. By the looks of it, this is the final. It's been a few months since the last time I went through and reviewed it, and a few months and several listens later I'm beginning to see the light. This, ladies and gentlemen, is not only the Allmans' best album, but arguably the greatest double-album of all time. There's nothing that even comes close to filler. I know I bashed Les Brers in A Minor and Mountain Jam on my previous reviews, but those two have grown on me, as has Blue Sky. All right, you're bored now. On with the show!
Right from when the opening notes of Ain't Wastin' Time No More hit, you know you're in for something good. And sure enough, you are. Gregg shines on keyboards (love that little piano blurb at the start!) and vocals, plus Dickey's (not Duane's, he was sadly dead by this point) slide guitar beefs up the tune. Les Brers in A Minor is Betts' obligatory family-sized instrumental. No, it's nowhere near In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (my favorite rock instrumental ever, for what it's worth). Whatever, it's still a good tune, rising from a lengthy, cinematic introduction to a git-down-'n'-boogie second half that's a blast to listen to. As usual, Gregg's organ is a high point. Big-time radio hit Melissa (though it might as well have been called Duane, since that's who it's really about) is by far the group's best ballad - wrenching vocals are a big highlight, and Gregg proves he can write lyrics that are more than good-timey if he tries at it (he repeats the performance with Ain't Wastin' Time).
OK, onto Mountain Jam. This one takes a while to grow on you, for the simple reason that it's longer than a half-hour. But once it does, you'll never look back. For one it's got a great melody. But when that melody ends, the "jam" part opens up (the melody being "mountain" - based off of Donovan's "First There Is a Mountain"). The group goes insane for about twenty minutes, with virtuoso performances all around. And though it's long, it's also truly captivating. Let's face it, these guys were great instrumentalists - all six of 'em, and not just Duane (though he was the best). Speaking of Duane, yes he does appear on this cut, and yes he does play slide guitar. Need I say more? This was recorded live, as were the other two tunes. First is their cover of One Way Out, my favorite Allmans tune ever. Why? For one, if you weren't sold on Gregg's blues vocals, I can't help you. And if you were, the bar-tradin' guitar solo in the middle should only pull you in further. If it doesn't, you can't consider yourself an Allmans fan. Harsh, but true. They also cut a typically good cover of Trouble No More, though both the studio version and Muddy's original are better, I'm a fan of this one!
Now, onto Studio Side #2, AKA The Studio Side With Duane On It. First off is the funky Stand Back, love that little bass solo stuck in the middle! Then there's the huge radio hit Blue Sky, which is one hell of a song. It's true. The postive, feel-good vibes which draw you in are only part of it. Listen to the guitar jam in the middle, man! Vintage Allmans. Probably the best-known song of the bunch. And really, who's gonna wonder why? The album-closer Little Martha is also a highlight, simple but beautifully, lyrically effective. Little tune really tugs at the ol' heartstrings, especially when you consider it was the last bit of music Duane Allman ever put out in his life. Outside of its legacy, though, it's simply an amazingly melodic tune. I can't praise it enough.
If you're a rock fan and don't have a copy of Eat a Peach, I don't know what you're thinking. It's simply that good.
Now, a little shout-out to Duane: we all miss you. If there's a heaven up there, it's about time someone called him down, kept him far away from the drugs, and maybe, just maybe, have him send every guitarist in existence back home, crying in jealousy. Him and Hendrix. Those two should come back (I never knew any of them personally, but I've heard that they were great people in addition to their guitar heroics). BUY THE FRIGGIN' THING!
the best 2006-03-07
This is the Allman Brothers BEST, I don't need to go on.
Just own it!
