Last month, singer/songwriter/guitarist/Southern rock heir Devon Allman snapped an eight-year solo album slump with the funk-filled joyride Miami Moon. With a stellar backing band including funk legends like bassist George Porter Jr. (The Meters), Ivan Neville (Dumpstaphunk) on keys, Adam Deitch (Lettuce) keeping the beat, Karl Denson (The Rolling Stones) on sax, and Jackson Stokes on backing vocals it’s a fitting addition to his Devon’s legacy and a fine addition to his storied family’s imprint on music as a whole.
Not one to shy away from the expectations his beloved surname raises, Allman went so old school that he brought his epic hand-chosen backing band to the storied Criteria Studios in Miami, FL. Those hallowed halls were the birthplace of both Derek and the Dominos‘ Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs and The Allman Brothers Band‘s Eat a Peach among other albums deemed true classics. Produced by Grammy-winner Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram), he called the album “a high point of my career” and has gushed about recording in the studio where the echoes of Devon’s lauded late uncle Duane Allman and Eric Clapton still reverberate.
The opening track “White Horse” has a driving beat from the insane rhythm section of Porter and Deitch, with some sweetly twisting organ work from Neville, but Allman isn’t in any danger of being upstaged by his backing band. Multiple fierce guitar jam breaks and some soulful work by backing vocalists make for an all-too-brief tune just begging to be expanded live. The follow-up track, “Incredible”, is more reliant on Neville’s key-based changes, but the vibe from Stokes still helps the song dip and twist and Allman has another distinct set of fills and solos.
Devon Allman — “White Horse” [Official Video]
Slowing things down to a sultry simmer, ”You” opens with a lovely, earthy interplay between Neville’s organ work and Allman’s slinkiest fretboard skills. Neville helps set a romantic mood, and Allman does a solid job crafting a solid love song—a challenge that is harder than it looks. Add in some restrained but melodic and bluesy guitar playing and you have the recipe for one of the best tunes in this collection.
Devon Allman — “White Horse” [Official Video]
The title track “Miami Moon” arrives with a lo-fi groove and spirit that is like an oasis of loving chill. Smooth, evolving grooves showcase Deitch’s always impressive mid-tempo work while Denson’s sax adds a breathy heart to the proceedings. You can practically feel the slowly sinking sun as the song winds down. Next up, “Sahara” unfolds with some more impressive instrumental interplay, with a vital mid-tempo jam anchored by a deceptively light pocket from Deitch that is more intricate and wide than it first seems. Deitch erupts towards the end of this longest tune of the collection, and Allman, gracious host that he is, allows both Denson and Neville plenty of room to work before putting his own fierce stamp on the goings-on.
“Climb Aboard” comes as close to a baseline tune as it charges through like a Southern rock-fueled hard wind. George Porter Jr. might have been lurking and dropping some snappy work throughout the collection of tunes up to this point but he puts his signature funk stamp all over “Body Electric” and the rest of his genre all-star collaborators fall into line behind him for one of the most dynamic tunes of the collection. Deitch’s peppy drum work on the intro of “Take Time To Taste It” gets a crispy wave going before Neville and the excellent funk assemblage follows in his wake for the down-and-dirty penultimate track.
Closing out this impressive release, “You Gotta Make It Through” appropriately features some of Allman’s best work of the disc, both instrumentally and lyrically. The track closes out the disc surprisingly well and gives everyone involved on the instrumental side one last chance to shine. Hambridge, the producer, is to be commended on his work in keeping everything clear and clean, enabling each player to shine through the mixes whether they are leading the way or backing each other’s playing.
Miami Moon is available on Allman’s own Create Records. Allman and his band, The Devon Allman Project, will be hitting the road for a run of fall tour dates available here. Though the album’s backing band sadly won’t be able to join in for the tour, Allman’s own sweet and soulful sounds will surely shine through.
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