Luther's Blues
The second of three Allison albums issued on Motown's Gordy subsidiary in the 1970s,Luther's Bluescaptures the guitarist's uncovered-wire sound in its full glory. The crescendo ending of "Let's Have a Little Talk," one of five Allison originals here, is more than another standard variation on crowd-pleasing clichés. It's an apocalyptic, blues-wailing roar, with Allison's pleading vocal at its core. Berry Gordy turns up in the composer credits for one tune, "Someday Pretty Baby," which, along with "Part Time Love," trawls the company's early raw-edged back catalog. Even the funk-flavored "K.T."--an attempted hit single?--fits the mood. The three bonus tracks on this exemplary remaster nearly double the original LP's length, with a raw version ofFreddy King's "San-Ho-Zay" glowing alongside an alternate version of Allison's "Bloomington Closing" and a lengthy medley from the 1973 Ann Arbor Blues Festival.--Rickey Wright