Listen to the Podcast:
Hi, it's Mark, and welcome to Out of Breath Albums, the show where we exercise while listening to a vinyl record, then talk about it.
At the time of this podcast recording, The Georgia Bulldogs have just won the national championship in Division 1 college football. Congratulations to them. In their honor, I've chosen to listen to a record from a great band out of Macon, Georgia, The Allman Brothers Band.
Now, you might say, "but Mark, The University of Georgia is located in Athens, Georgia and there are several bands from Athens whose music you could have listened to like R.E.M. or The B-52s. Why did you choose The Allman Brothers Band, who not only is not from Athens but not even originally from Georgia? They were from Jacksonville, Florida, and moved to Macon."
And I'd say, "Because."
That settles that. The record I've chosen today is “Idlewild South” from 1970, the second Allmans' studio album.
As always, here's a quick snippet about the album from Apple Music:
"Named for Dickey Betts’ farm outside Macon, Ga., ...the 1970 release finds them plowing some jazzy ground akin to what Traffic was doing around the same time, but with a distinctly Southern touch…Of course, both Duane and Gregg Allman were hitting on all cylinders, on top of a powerhouse rhythm section verging on the polyrhythmic. Their next move – the double album recorded at New York’s Fillmore East – would make the Allman Brothers Band undeniable rock stars. But their power is already here to be heard."
Let's get into the album now, and see how it works for a workout. There are only 7 tracks on this album and it's a little shorter than most, coming in at only 31 minutes, so if you're feeling a little lazy that day, this album could be a good workout option from that standpoint. But let's take a look at the tracks.
The Allman Brothers Band: Idlewild South (1970)
Side 1
Revival
Tempo: 200bpm
Energy: Bright, happy, jazzy
Workout Rating: 8
Notes: Written by Dicky Betts, this song is upbeat, positive, and jazzy, with a bit of gospel, and a bit of southern rock thrown in. It's a simple song, but that's a little deceptive as it starts with a rather more complicated introduction that has some alternating time signatures, before finally getting the big tent revival gospel refrain, "people can you feel it, love is everywhere" that carries through the rest of the song. Good start!
Don't Keep Me Wonderin'
Tempo: 92bpm
Energy: tough but bluesy
Workout Rating: 8
Notes: This one makes you want to move. It's quite a contrast from Revival in that it's just a straight-ahead southern blues rock song with great guitar, organ, harmonica, and those bluesy Greg Allman vocals.
Midnight Rider
Tempo: 95bpm
Energy: inspirational, hopeful, classic
Workout Rating: 7
Notes: This is not a fast song, at 95bpm. It's not a prototypical song that you'd have in your AirPods at the gym. But it's among the Allmans' most famous tracks, and damn it's a great song, so on reputation alone, I'll give it a 7.
In Memory of Elizabeth Reed
Tempo: 116bpm
Energy: Mellow
Workout Rating: 6
Notes: This is another one of The Allman Brothers Band's most famous songs, but it's probably geared more towards other recreational activities than working out. Still, it's endlessly interesting to listen to with time changes, cool percussion, and that great Dicky Betts guitar throughout. It's such a cool song. I'll give it a 6 for a rating. I had it as a 5 but I could see somebody losing themselves in the tune and zoning out to it. It's also constantly in motion, which is what you should be, right?
In the last episode, I added an interjection about the drumming of Cheap Trick's Bun E. Carlos. I should add here before we flip sides, a similar note about the percussion of the Allman Brothers Band. The drumming of Butch Trucks and Jaimoe on the drums and all kinds of other percussive instruments is a huge part of what made the Allmans great. That constant background of interesting percussion is so fun to listen to, and even though this isn't your typical workout music, the percussion section, and adding to that, Berry Oakley on the bass guitar, really changes that and makes it something that keeps you moving, because it keeps moving all the time through every song. So listen for that next time you hear an Allman Brothers tune on the radio.
Side 2
Hoochie Koochie Man
Tempo: 108bpm
Energy: Bluesy
Workout Rating: 6
Notes: This is a blues standard originally from Willie Dixon. Muddy Waters also recorded it, plus a whole lot of other blues and rock artists. This version is not the best one, but it's still fun, with some great guitar from Duane Allman and Dicky Betts. Bassist Berry Oakley sings on this tune, but the way it's produced, it's pretty down in the mix and it's tough to pick out at times.
Please Call Home
Tempo: 65bpm
Energy: Emotional, moving, but slow
Workout Rating: 4
Notes: This is a beautiful blues rock song. Greg Allman's vocals are great on this, as are his organ parts. It's a great song to listen to at night, with a whiskey in your hand in your backyard. Not while cruising on the elliptical machine. It's interesting though, and it's got moments that keep you invested in it, so it's not a 1 or a 2. I'll give it a 4. I love the song.
Leave My Blues At Home
Tempo: 100bpm
Energy: Funky and energetic
Workout Rating: 7
Notes: This is a cool song. It's another Allmans blues tune, with cool piano, great guitars, and of course, that rhythm section laying down the groove underneath. This is a good ending to an album, and I think it's a pretty darned good workout song. I give it a 7.
The Bottom Line:
Overall Album Score: 6.6
That puts “Idlewild South” into 4th, and last place, among the 4 albums we've done so far on Out of Breath Albums - but not by much. It's right behind the others and there are some great songs on here that I think you could add to your rock and roll workout mix, like Revival, Don't Keep Me Wondering' and Leave My Blues at Home. And I think I'm going to start a new thing for outliers - songs that wouldn't traditionally go onto a workout playlist that you'd take to the gym unless you're looking for something a little unconventional - and today I'm going to award that to In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, for obvious reasons.
Even though this probably isn't the best album for your next workout, I'm sure you could do worse! We just haven't gotten to those yet. I should also say that I love the Allman Brothers Band. They are among the elites for me - probably among the 10-15 artists that are in my pantheon of rock and roll greatness. I used a Greg Allman lyric on the header of my homepage at rock and roll reclaimed for most of last year.
I've always considered their self-titled debut or "Eat a Peach" to be my favorite Allman Brothers studio albums, but man, "Idlewild South" is right up there with 'em. It's so good. Any of those original lineup albums before Duane and Berry passed away are classics, and their live album, "At Fillmore East", is among the best live albums of all time for me. I do have that on vinyl so maybe someday when I want a longer workout I'll put that on and go through it.
Congrats again to the Georgia Bulldogs, who probably have no idea who the Allman Brothers Band is.
