NMC #115 (Boz Scaggs)

[Scott]

William Royce Boz Scaggs began a long and storied career in 1965 with the release of his first solo recording Boz. Scaggs quickly developed into an iconic singer songwriter cutting his teeth playing with Steve Miller on several highly successful projects and honing his rock and R&B chops working with the likes of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and Duane Allman. Scaggs hit it big in 1976 achieving multi-platinum success with Silk Degrees and its follow ups. Scaggs continued on a lauded and multi-genre musical journey with successes in film soundtracks. He and his band continue to tour worldwide and Scaggs also performs alongside Donald Fagan and Michael McDonald in their band billed as The Dukes of September.

 

Click Album Cover to listen to these 5 select tracks...

1. Gone Baby Gone
2. So Good To Be Here
3. Love On A Two Way Street
4. Pearl Of The Quarter
5. Sunny Gone

 

Here are some one-liners from some of the reviews I've read...

• If you've followed Scaggs' career through the years, you will find that this album brings us full circle--albeit with a more mature and solid voice--back to how he was performing in the pre-Silk Degrees days
• it's really hard to classify, as you will hear blues, R&B, jazz, and Boz--a unique combination that defies description. `Mixed Up/Shook up Girl' and `Cadillac Walk' are two of the peppier songs on this album, but if you're looking for spice, don't expect `What Can I Say' or `Breakdown Dead Ahead.'
• The bulk of the cuts on the album are sweet, laid back, Memphis soul, with a couple of blues cuts thrown in for good measure
• When I first heard Boz Scaggs was doing a covers album, I was scared ... I enjoyed this...I didn't expect to. From the sound of it, I think he liked making it. A definite recommendation

 

Click the album cover to take a listen ...

[Niels (Mod)]

It's actually ....KIND of nice to listen to, especially if you're in a special mode, as I must be in right now.

It's probably not much of a surprise, when I say: I's not really my style.... but It's not bad. I'm not sure, though, that I could listen to the whole album, and if I did, I would need some HEAVY Rock afterwards.  

I am on track 3 now, and ........

But he has a good voice. And the songs are quite good, even though they are a bit boring.

Nice piano-solo on track 4. Elton John-ish.

The last track makes me think of some older Tom Waits-tracks, not with the same voice off course.

Hmmmmm, all in all, it's pretty good but certainly not a purchase for me. Maybe in 10 years time, I will eppreciate this kind of music more than now.

[Scott]

Must say that I'm pleasantly surprised! I'm also not much of a Memphis blues type, but loved what Boz did on this release a lot. You may not the like full album as the rest of the tracks are mellower and very bluesy.

Thanks checking in!

[RJhog (Admin)]

I know Scott is a big fan of Boz Scaggs.  It seems like every time I hear an individual song by him I like it.  I just gave him a Golden Pell yesterday on Mike Pell's 255th show about angels ().  This is extremely easy listening.  That's not necessarily a bad thing for me.  But this just doesn't move me.  For me, to purchase this would be like purchasing one of Rod Stewart's 10,000 volumes of the Great American Songbook.  I just can't do it.  But I didn't mind listening one bit.  So thanks for the post Scott.

[Scott]

Have you ever heard Silk Degrees?

[RJhog (Admin)]

I have not.

[Jon]

Wow. You must have heard the songs "Lido Shuffle" and "Lowdown" at the very least from that album.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Yes, I've heard both of those songs, but not the album.  I always liked Lowdown, but can take or leave Lido Shuffle.

[Jon]

You should be able to find that album cheap, pick it up, it's pretty good.

[Jon]

This is VERY laid back. More laid back than what I expected, I wanted some mellow stuff and then spicy stuff. All mellow. Oh well. It's not bad, but I have to be in a rainy day frame of mind to listen to this. It is threatening to rain now, so I do enjoy it, but not enough for a purchase.

A few weeks back I was looking to pick up the remastered "Silk Degrees" and found it in a 5 CD package. So I got my remaster plus 4 other albums (supposedly remastered) for around $16.