Released August 1969 Length 44:13 | Genre Rock, Blue-Eyed Soul Label Atlantic | |
Recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Recorders, Muscle Shoals, Alabama | ||
Boz Scaggs is the second album by Boz Scaggs; it was released in 1969. After two years with the Steve Miller Band, Scaggs once again set out on his own, recording at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield, Alabama. The other musicians on the album include Duane Allman, Eddie Hinton, Jimmy Johnson, Barry Beckett, David Hood, Roger Hawkins and Al Lester. It was produced by Rolling Stone founder and editor Jann Wenner, Scaggs, and Marlin Greene.
Contents
The album (SD-8239) sold slowly despite positive reviews. Originally mixed by Stax Records' engineer Terry Manning, it remained in the catalog for a number of years and was deleted around 1974 or 1975.
In 1977 the album was remixed in Los Angeles by Tom Perry and was released by Atlantic (SD-19166) in 1978 to spotlight Duane Allman's guitar playing, with the same cover art. As well as the guitar, the remix brings several things forward in the mix such as horns and keyboards while burying the background vocals ; there is also an odd 30 second volume drop at the end of "Finding Her". This remix was the only complete version of the album available on CD until the Audio Fidelity remastered release of December 2013, which restored Manning's original master mix in its entirety.
In 2008, the album was reissued by Friday Music on a 180 gram vinyl LP using Manning's original mix for the first time since the album was originally released.
In a 2012 updated list, the album listed at #496 on the Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Reception
In their retrospective review, Allmusic commented that "The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section [...] gives this music genuine grit, but this isn't necessarily a straight-up blue-eyed soul record". They asserted that the album's forays into country and blues created "a kind of Americana fantasia", particularly praising "Waiting for a Train", "Look What I Got!", and "Loan Me a Dime." They concluded "Boz Scaggs' musical vision [...] would grow smoother and more assured over the years, but the slight bit of raggedness suits the funky, down-home performances and helps make this not only a great debut, but also an enduring blue-eyed soul masterpiece."
Track listing
All tracks composed by Boz Scaggs; except where indicated.
Side One
- "I'm Easy" (Scaggs, Barry Beckett) - 3:05
- "I'll Be Long Gone" - 4:13
- "Another Day (Another Letter)" - 2:53
- "Now You're Gone" - 3:47
- "Finding Her" - 3:56
- "Look What I Got" (Charles Chalmers, Donna Rhodes) - 4:10
Side Two
- "Waiting for a Train" (Jimmie Rodgers) - 2:40
- "Loan Me a Dime" (Fenton Robinson) - 12:30
- "Sweet Release (aka Desolation Avenue)" (Scaggs, Barry Beckett) - 6:13