Gregg Allman - Laid Back (Deluxe Edition) (2019) [CD-Rip]

The debut solo album by Gregg Allman, Laid Back, and his long out-of-print live LP The Gregg Allman Tour will both be reissued by Mercury/UMe on 30 August. Laid Back first appeared in October 1973 and is vastly expanded for this release. The live set has been unavailable for more than 30 years. Both albums will be available in 180 gram black vinyl and as limited edition colour vinyl pressings.

Laid Back appeared a few months after the Allman Brothers Band’s universally admired fourth studio album Brothers And Sisters. Gregg co-produced the solo debut with Johnny Sandlin and explored his soul and gospel influences on a hugely impressive collection. The record reached No. 13 on the Billboard chart and contained his version of ‘Midnight Rider,’ a top 20 hit in both America and Canada.

The album will be reissued as a remastered and expanded deluxe set on 2CDs and digitally, in a 180-gram black vinyl version and a 180 gram, limited purple and white marbled colour vinyl edition. The Gregg Allman Tour, recorded on his subsequent itinerary accompanied by a 24-piece orchestra with members of the New York Philharmonic, will be available in a 2LP vinyl set for the first time since 1987. As well as a 180 gram black vinyl pressing, there will be a limited colour pressing on 180 gram grey and white marble vinyl.

Digital preorders of Laid Back include an instant grat download of Allman’s unreleased demo version of Jackson Browne’s ‘These Days,’ which is also now available to stream. The vastly expanded album now contains 34 tracks, including 26 previously unreleased or rare songs, or new mixes. A particular highlight is a solo acoustic live performance of ‘Melissa,’ recorded at the Capitol Theatre, New Jersey on 13 April 1974.

The 2CD deluxe edition of Laid Back features beautiful new packaging with unreleased photos and extensive sleeve notes by the Allman Brothers Band historian John Lynskey. The Gregg Allman Tour double LP mimics the original release with sides one and four pressed on disc one, and sides two and three pressed on disc two, optimising playback for multi-disc turntables.

The live set was recorded at Carnegie Hall in New York on 10 and 11 April and at the Capitol Theatre on 13 April 1974. Allman played the shows with members of the band Cowboy (Scott Boyer, Randall Bramblett, David Brown, Chuck Leavell, Bill Stewart, Tommy Talton), and the 24-piece orchestra. Cowboy take the lead on their songs ‘Time Will Take Us’ and ‘Where Can You Go?,; the latter with Allman on keyboards. The album also features one of his personal favourites, ‘Oncoming Traffic,’ which didn’t appear on any studio release.