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Devon Allman: Space Age Blues

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Provogue Records
Released: 2010.10.25
Time:
 45:31
Category: Blues / Blues-Rock
Producer(s): Devon Allman, Pete Matthews
Rating:
Media type: CD
Web address: www.devonallmanband.com
Appears with:
Purchase date: 2012
Price in €: 1,00





 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Could Get Dangerous (D.Allman) - 4:14
[2] Space Age Blues (D.Allman) - 5:16
[3] Salvation (D.Allman) - 4:42
[4] Sir Duke (S.Wonder) - 3:47
[5] Endless Diamond (D.Allman) - 4:45
[6] Blue Est Le Vide (D.Allman) - 1:54
[7] Warm In Wintertime (D.Allman) - 4:30
[8] New Pet Monkey (D.Allman) - 4:08
[9] I'm Ready (D.Allman/S.Davis) - 4:45
[10] Take Me To The Bridge (D.Allman/G.Potsos) - 3:29
[11] Insh'allah (D.Allman) - 4:02

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Devon Allman - Vocals, Guitars, Korg Kaossilator, Piano on [8], Producer
George Potsos - Bass Guitar
Gabriel Strange - Drums

Huey Lewis - Harmonica on [1]
Ron Holloway - Saxophone on [2,3,8]
Rick Steff - Keyboards
Tony Antonelli - Percussion
Bobby Yang - Violin on [7]
Matt Bachenek - Whistle

Pete Matthews - Engineer, Mixing, Producer
Chris Collum - Sequencing
Howie Weinberg - Mastering

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


Space Age Blues is the first Honeytribe recording since 2006; it is also, according to leader Devon Allman, a loosely scripted concept album where "Darth Vader meets B.B. King." Allman is not only a blues guitarist of some acumen, but a science fiction fan as well. His idea was to take a musical look at the way we relate to technology, examine how much of it has become inseparable from our lives, see what works and what doesn't, and try to encourage humanity to connect with something organic that is bigger than ourselves. But it's the music itself that matters, and Space Age Blues mostly succeeds. Its opening cut, the funky wah-wah and distortion-laden "Could Get Dangerous," features Allman in fine form, especially as he trades licks with Huey Lewis' harmonica (Yes, that one). George Potsos' bassline provides a big fat undercarriage that's highlighted by Gabriel Strange's drum kit. As fine as Allman's playing is, however, Lewis steals the track. The title cut, "I'm Ready," and "Take Me to the Bridge" derive as much from Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys collaboration as they do blues. The soul-blues of "Salvation" suffers a bit from Allman's limited vocal range, but is compensated for by Ron Holloway's emotionally expressive tenor saxophone solo, which in turn spurs an inspired guitar break from Allman. The other place his voice lets him down is on an otherwise fine reading of Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke" -- the band nails it musically and the groove is enough to compensate for the vocal lack. "Endless Diamond" is a big-riff minor-key blues with a funky backbeat and hypnotic bassline. "Blue Est le Vide" is a mostly instrumental acoustic guitar number that changes the pace a bit. Album closer "Insh'Allah" (an Arabic term that translates as "God willing") is a knotty psych-rock jam band exercise. As musically forceful as this set is, the tunes here will likely come off more explosively live. Fans of Honeytribe's Torch album and those hard rock-blues aficionados unacquainted with Allman's considerable gifts as a guitarist will find much to celebrate on Space Age Blues.

Thom Jurek - All Music Guide



Devon Allman’s father Gregg is one of the great white blues singers of all time. His uncle Duane was one of the great guitarists of the classic rock age, and maybe the most ferocious slide player ever. So, if you’re Devon Allman and you’re a musician, how do you live up to that lineage?

Simple. Just by being yourself and not worrying about it.

On Space Age Blues, Allman’s St. Louis-based Honeytribe power trio, which is augmented by keyboards and percussion, doesn’t come off as anything resembling an Allman Brothers Band offshoot, except that Devon looks so much like his father and uncle – and sometimes sings so much like his father – that comparisons will always be inevitable. But Allman doesn’t play anything like Uncle Duane, and while the Honeytribe bassist and drummer are adequate, they can’t be compared to any ABB rhythm section.

Devon Allman’s taste clearly is rooted in the classic rock era from whence his famed ancestors came, though he isn’t a blues or Southern rock player per se, and doesn’t play any slide here. The album opens with “Could Get Dangerous,” a song about mutual attraction with some really nice harp from, of all people, Huey Lewis. The title track, with a vibe similar to SRV’s “Texas Flood,” features former Dizzy Gillespie tenor man Ron Holloway, who often plays or sits in with other members of the Allman camp such as Susan Tedeschi and Warren Haynes. Holloway appears on several tunes here, and his inclusion is a good choice, as he meshes well with Allman’s guitar playing.

“New Pet Monkey,” a very strange song about bad decisions that would have worked great in 1975, finds Allman playing piano as well as guitar. “Insh’ Allah” is an interesting instrumental that combines Middle Eastern ideas with Allman’s use of Korg’s Kaossilator guitar pedal to achieve some nice effects, culminating in a vibe that is almost Maharishi-inspired George Harrison.

Allman is the lyricist and wrote nearly all the music as well, with the notable exception being a heartfelt, but perhaps ill-advised, version of Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke,” which doesn’t quite make the grade. Allman’s lyrics are personal and not meant to cater to radio, and they fit his music well; his chord progressions are quite varied, without the I-IV-V material that might have been expected from an Allman progeny, and he uses a lot of minor chords and half-steps, often giving the music an unexpected color until his often predictable, stock guitar fills interrupt some otherwise nice ideas.

Vocally, Allman falls somewhere between his father, James Dewar (Robin Trower), and, to this listener’s ears, sometimes oddly like Steve Perry without the range. If there’s anything that’s a little standoffish, it’s Allman’s affinity for the wah-wah pedal, which is overused with sincere zeal, but overused nonetheless.

Space Age Blues is a great choice for someone who wants to hear a good example of how today’s musicians long for the time when originality, creativity and just plugging in to play meant something. It’s also a good recommendation for the Allman Brothers Band fan who hasn’t heard what this Allman has to offer. But be forewarned: this guy looks a lot more like his father and uncle than he sounds like them. Which, in this case, is a good thing.

Rick Moore - October 25th, 2010
AmericanSongwriter.com



Devon Allman Honeytribe Space Age BluesFollowing up my last review of Walter Trout's Common Ground, I am doing another review of a fantastic blues album; Devon Allman's Honeytribe makes its mark on the blues world with its sophomore album, Space Age Blues. I would like to send a special thanks to Steve Karas for sending me this amazing album before its released to the public. The album is due out on October 26th, 2010. Even though I already have a copy, to show my support I will be picking up another on its release date, so mark your calendars.

For those of you not yet familiar with Honeytribe, shame on you. Honeytribe is a group fronted by Devon Allman, son of Greg Allman of the legendary Allman Brothers band. Their first album Torch met with good success among the blues community, but with this new release Honeytribe threatens to break through to the mainstream. The album has a great vibe from beginning to end. Bringing together many different influences, Space Age Blues combines the many sounds of Blues, Folk, Rock, Jazz and Soul to form an eclectic masterpiece. Even legend Huey Lewis makes a guest appearance lending his harmonica skills to an already amazing record. Listening all the way through took me on an emotional roller coaster.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this album front to back. Tracks that stood out the most for me were "Could Get Dangerous", which is rumored to be the album's first single; "Sir Duke (They Can Feel It All Over)" an excellent cover of Stevie Wonders 70's hit single; "Space Age Blues" the mellow title track; and my personal favorite, a 2 minute long Acoustic Guitar instrumental piece entitled "Blue Est Le Vide". Years from now, I think people will look at this album as a fundamental part of a blues revival, bringing blues back to the mainstream for a new generation. The album certainly lives up to its name, "Space Age Blues".

Gary Thorn - 13 October 2010
ShockwaveMagazine.com



Guitarist Devon Allman makes music that is inspired by the blues...and that's about all he has in common with his famous father, Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band. Musically best described as "Muddy Waters meets Sun Ra," the younger Allman and his band Honeytribe find their inspiration in a wealth of influences, from Memphis soul and the guitar-driven blues-rock of the 1970s to jazz and R&B. As shown by the band's sophomore effort, Space Ages Blues, Allman and crew deliver cheap rock 'n' roll thrills with virtuoso instrumentation and a jam band aesthetic and love for the music.

Space Age Blues opens with "Could Get Dangerous," a choogling blues-rock rave-up with a funky rhythm and Allman's bluesy, razor-sharp guitar licks. Allman bud Huey Lewis, he of 1980s skinny-tie pop-rockers the News, lays down some downright blistering harp blasts while Allman's soulful vocals are supported by a monster bass line courtesy of the Honeytribe's George Potsos, and strong drumming from the band's Gabriel Strange. The song itself sounds like an inspired cross between a 1970s-era R&B/funk jam and a blues-infused rocker from a decade earlier, which is an altogether good thing.

Ron Holloway's throwback saxplay provides the title track with a smothering ambiance that grows as washes of guitar, bass, and drum kick in before Allman's pinpoint fretwork and mournful vocals take the song elsewhere altogether. While "Space Age Blues" is built on the most fragile of blues frameworks, you'll hear elements of jazz, 1990s-era jam band instrumentation, and a bit, perhaps, of Robin Trower-styled six-string surgery. Allman achieve the perfect tone here, crossing decades with a gorgeous, emotional, and powerful blend of music and voice.

Stevie Wonder's Sir Duke

Allman takes on Stevie Wonder's spry "Sir Duke" as the album's lone cover, the Honeytribe fozzing up the song with an energetic performance that plays it mostly straight. While Allman's voice is gruffer, less sweet and soulful than Wonder's vocals, he does the song right, and his gymnastic fretwork recreates the funky underpinning inherent to the original version. While most blues-rockers prefer to cover "Superstition" or "Living In The City," Allman defies expectations and successfully puts his personal fingerprint on one of Wonder's more jazzy compositions.

The instrumental "Bleu Est le Vide," inspired by "the beauty and culture of France," is yet another departure, Allman displaying his six-string skills with this beautiful, subdued performance that stimulates the senses with hints of folk, jazz, blues, and rock and evokes memories of guitarists like Sandy Bull and Roy Buchanan. Incorporating a little fine piano with his scorching fretwork, "New Pet Monkey" is a mid-tempo rocker with bluesy intent and a rock 'n' roll heart, while "I'm Ready" is a rollicking Texas blues excursion similar to early ZZ Top, with plenty o' Lone Star State funk, scrapping sizzling guitar, and Rio Grande mud in the grooves. "Take Me To The Bridge" is just a scorching blues-rock wildfire with raging guitars, massive drumbeats, and a rhythmic foundation deep enough to support a skyscraper.

The Reverend's Bottom Line

Devon Allman isn't quite the singer that his father is, but on the other hand, he makes up for it by being twice the instrumentalist. While the younger Allman's vox drop somewhere in the rockin' soulspace between Gregg Allman and Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes, his stellar guitarwork takes a backseat to nobody. Full of great tone and body, Allman's fretwork incorporates the spirit and influence of instrumental geniuses like Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis, and blues-leaning rockers like Billy Gibbons and Johnny Winter in the creation of something unique and exciting.

Space Age Blues isn't your typical blues-rock album, Devon Allman's Honeytribe infusing these songs with high-octane performances that remind of the Black Crowes and Blues Traveler, but taking it one step further, positioning blues-rock for a new decade and new century that still places a premium on six-string talents, and rewarding an artistic sense of adventure. Devon Allman's Honeytribe is making exhilarating, edgy music that is years ahead of its time. By the time the rest of us catch up, no doubt Allman and his merry pranksters will be making a different sort of trouble. In the here and now, however, if you like blues and you like rock, it's well worth your time to check out Space Age Blues. (Provogue Records, released October 26, 2010)

Keith A. Gordon
© 2015 About.com - All rights reserved.



Space Age Blues is the second album by Devon Allman's Honeytribe. It was released in Europe on October 12, 2010, and in U.S.A on October 25, 2010. In addition to the power-trio of Devon Allman, George Potsos and Gabriel Strange, the album also contains appearances by Huey Lewis on harmonica and Ron Holloway on tenor saxophone.

The album was recorded in early 2010, at Ardent Studios, Memphis, Tennessee. The band took over Studio C, which they called "The Mothership", and hung colored lights and science-fiction posters to create atmosphere. They even wore authentic NASA spacesuits to get into the spirit. While Huey Lewis and the News were recording in Studio A, Lewis overheard some sounds from Studio C and asked if he could contribute his harp to the record. The songs were mixed and engineered by Pete Matthews, and co-produced by Devon Allman and Matthews.

Rick Moore, on American Songwriter Magazine, reported this "is a great choice for someone who wants to hear a good example of how today’s musicians long for the time when originality, creativity and just plugging in to play meant something". Thom Jurek, on AllMusic, stated "it's the music itself that matters, and Space Age Blues mostly succeeds", and "as musically forceful as this set is, the tunes here will likely come off more explosively live. Fans of Honeytribe's Torch album and those hard rock-blues aficionados unacquainted with Allman's considerable gifts as a guitarist will find much to celebrate on Space Age Blues". Gary Thorn of Shockwave Magazine went on to say "Years from now, I think people will look at this album as a fundamental part of a blues revival, bringing blues back to the mainstream for a new generation". About.com selected Space Age Blues as #1 on its list of Best Blues-Rock Albums of 2010. The report describes the album as "not your typical blues-rock album", being "infused with high-octane performances", "positioning blues-rock for a new decade and new century that still places a premium on six-string talents" and stating "if you like blues and you like rock, it's well worth your time to check out Space Age Blues."

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