The Allman Brothers Band Album: “Win, Lose or Draw [Remaster]”

If 5 stars is "Live at the Fillmore East", or "Eat a Peach", or the first two studio albums by the Allmans, this album cannot manage more than 3 on a good day.

"Can't Lose What You Never Had" is a good track, very soulful and bluesy. "Just Another Love Song" is kind of weak and silly but Betts' guitar is undeniably beautiful. "Win Lose or Draw," as others have observed...is a good song...some would call it heart-wrenching.

When listening to some of these songs, however, one can't help but think that "something is up"- it just doesn't sound quite right. I think this is so because I remember reading somewhere that the vocals for the track and elsewhere on this album were recorded completely separately since Gregg Allman was in California dating Cher or something. These songs just don't feel like the other great songs by the Allmans...they sound like they were recorded in a shoe box.

Refreshingly, "High Falls" transcends the limitations of this album and those of you who appreciate the extended jam capability of the Allmans will like this.

Tracks 3, 5, and 7 are lackluster, in my opinion but if you liked "Brothers and Sisters" alot, and I'm talking about the country feel, you may appreciate songs like "Nevertheless" and "Louisiana Lou and..." more than I do.

Win, Lose Or Draw (1975) has three excellent songs that are surrounded by filler. Only three excellent songs? Yeah, but that's not as bad as it sounds. One of the songs, High Falls, is fifteen minutes long and takes up the space of three songs, so it's really like there's five excellent songs surrounded by filler. High Falls is one of the best songs Dickey Betts ever wrote. As an instrumental piece of music, it's in a league with In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed or Jessica. Butch Trucks later said they tried to perfect it in the studio, playing it over and over again, and sucked a lot of the life out of it. I still think the performance here is great. It's jazzy and free, Dickey's guitar work and Chuck Leavell's piano solos are solid, and the band really cooks in some places. The album's opener, Muddy Waters' Can't Lose What You Never Had, is a strong blues-rock track, funky and passionate, and meets the ABB standard. The title track is right on the money in my book. Gregg had a cold while recording the vocal track, so his vocals aren't what they normally are, but this one's all about heart and soul anyway, and his performance isn't lacking there at all. Good songwriting on his part, too. Dickey Betts' Just Another Love Song is OK, but everything else here is ordinary at best and sometimes just plain awful. This was pretty much the end of the line for this version of The Allman Brothers Band. They toured and released a lackluster live album (Wipe The Windows, Check The Oil, Dollar Gas), and then fell apart. Win, Lose Or Draw certainly isn't a classic or a must-have, but because of three very good songs, it isn't quite a throwaway either.

Popular and a good seller in its initial release, this one doesn't get the airplay it deserves today. The first 6 tracks are all great clasic Allman Brothers. THe title is a tough Gregg Allman song, High Falls is one of Dickey's best instrumentals bar none, and the Muddy Waters cover" You cant lose what you never had" is also a great Gregg Allman vocal and vehicle. The last cut Sweet Mama is not one of their best but 6 out of 7 cuts are outstanding. Listen to this once all the way through and you will find this to be top shelf Allmans.

This was an album that I had as a recent high-school graduate. It was released in 1975. It is quite short, at right around 40 minutes. Fortunately, there are no bad tracks of the seven listed on the CD. In fact, all but one I would consider very good. One, I would consider good. I had a cassette version that I played in my car. I would tool the hiways of Miami listening to "High Falls", which I consider one of the great freeway cruising tunes. My car would swing and sway with the incessant beat of the base line, the crisp guitar licks, and the smooth drum beat. Great instrumental. I am looking forward to seeing if "High Falls" has the same effect on new vehicles, and an older man.

Musicians:

Gregg Allman, Richard Betts, Chuck Leavell, Lamar Williams, Jaimoe, Butch Trucks.

Additional Musicians

Sohnny Sandlin

Bill Stewart

After releasing five consecutive classic albums in a row, the Allman Brothers Band took two years to release the Win, Lose, or Draw album. This is a very unfocused release with few memorable songs. The band was going through some turmoil at the time and it reflected in the music. They continued to go more towards a country sound with Dickey Betts' "Just Another Love Song" and "Louisiana Lou and Three Card Monty John." The only two tracks that recall their earlier albums are their cover of Muddy Waters' "Can't Lose What You Never Had" and the Dickey Betts instrumental "High Falls." While "High Falls" is never mentioned among their great instrumental tracks, it's an excellent track and the high point of the album. The other tracks aren't up to their usual excellent standard.