Essentially
the Allman Brothers Band's
Gold collection is an expanded version of both the Universal Masters and
20th Century Masters collections. It contains two discs that total 30 cuts and cover the band's catalog from 1969's
Allman Brothers Band to 1975's
Enlightened Rogues. There are five cuts from the first album, including the original studio version of "Whipping Post," and four from
Idlewild South, including the studio read of "Midnight Ride." The cuts from
At Fillmore East number four with the inclusion of the 13-minute "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed," and five from
Eat a Peach, including "Melissa," "Blue Sky," and "Ain't Wasting Time No More." Five cuts come from
Brothers and Sisters and, yes, "Ramblin' Man" and "Jessica" are among them. There is one swipe off
Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas; two from
Win, Lose or Draw; and three from
Enlightened Rogues. In other words, fans have everything already, and for those who are just being introduced to
the ABB through their latter incarnation with
Warren Haynes and
Derek Trucks, there is a lot here, though beginning with
At Fillmore East probably makes much more sense. ~ Thom Jurek