496: Boz Scaggs — Boz Scaggs (1969, Atlantic)

Overall Rating: 3.5

Level of prior familiarity: 1.5 (I’ve listened to Scaggs before, but not this album. Plus 0.5 for Duane Allman.)

How I Listened: Via Spotify, partly in the car, but mostly on my Amazon Echo at home

That sound! There’s really nothing like the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. Nothing.

I can’t quite pinpoint what makes these 60s and 70s albums sound the way they do. Maybe it was the primitive electronics, the analog warmth. Maybe it’s the way they’re mixed, with the bass up front, and the minimal drum kit blending perfectly with the keys and guitars. Maybe it’s the way live, unedited music just resonates. But this album has it in spades.

Mega bonus points for Duane Allman on this album. His guitar playing is spectacular, and complements Scaggs’ style nicely. I never did think Scaggs was much of a singer, but the songs here lend themselves more to the killer band than his vocals anyways. It’s fun, it’s genuine, and there’s groove all over this album.

Clocking in at 12 minutes and 32 seconds, “Loan Me A Dime” is the clear standout track here. I miss guitar solos.