Great second-chapter work from Lonnie Mack – brought together here with his 1963 debut as well! That album is the first – The Wham Of That Memphis Man – a killer blend of southern soul and rockabilly grit from Lonnie Mack – his first album and a really incredible effort that fuses soul, country, and rock roots in a really brilliant way! Lonnie was later known as more of a country boy-electric bluesman, but the blues on this early LP feels like a blue-eyed Bobby Bland – but maybe with a lot more guitar in the lead! The horns burst, and the organ & bass really steep the overall vibe in the two Steps From The Blues style, but the fiery guitar and vocals keep more of a early rock vibe – twang next to soul, in a really unique mode. Tracks include "Wham!", "Down And Out", "Why", "Down In The Dumps", "Memphis", "I'll Keep You Happy", "Suzie Q", "Satisfied", and "Farther On Down The Road". Glad I'm In The Band is a slow-burning charmer from the great Lonnie Mack – a set that has him in a slightly different setting than his debut, but one that's equally soul-drenched overall! The group here features some especially great work from David Byrd – who plays these organ lines that almost set the whole thing in Muscle Shoals territory – as do the strong horn arrangements from Maxwell Davis, who sounds a lot more southern here than his Cali soul norm. Lonnie's also turned into an even better singer than before – blue-eyed deep soul at its best – on titles that include "Sweat & Tears", "Let Them Talk", "Why", "Old House", "Save Your Money", "Stay Away From My Baby", and "She Don't Come Here Any More". Whatever's Right is a comeback album of sorts for Lonnie Mack, recorded for Elektra with a really down-home sound that's almost verging on southern soul at points! In a way, the set's kind of a nod to the sorts of genres in rock that Mack's music first helped unlock in earlier years – done at a time when it was a bit more acceptable to c
ross boundaries and reference roots that weren't actually yours in your music! The execution here is surprisingly strong and without hoke – a few notches up from Leon Russell – and Mack's guitar is in fine fine form, supported by a good deal of organ in the backings. Titles include "Gotta Be An Answer", "Untouched By Human Love", "I Found A Love", "Baby What You Want Me To Do", "Mt Healthy Blues", "What Kind Of World Is This", and "Things Have Gone To Pieces". Hills Of In
diana is a real charmer – and the last Elektra album by Lonnie Mack! We don't normally think of In
diana in such poetic terms – but leave it to Lonnie Mack to find the hidden beauty in roughness – a quality that seems to emerge more and more in his music as the 70s moved on! This Elektra album from 1971 is a real overlooked gem – quite different than anything you might have expected from Mack at the start of his career, and a record that really shows him blossoming as much as a singer as he was a guitarist – heartfelt and personal, but still with all the grit that his reputation would entail – with strong currents of both southern soul and rock, but some nice roots elements too. The set was recorded in Nashville, Muscle Shoals, and LA – and titles include "Bicycle Annie", "Asphalt Outlaw Hero", "The Man In Me", "Rings", "She Even Woke Me Up To Say Goodbye", and "Lay It Down".