Panned by many a critic upon its 1969 release,
Otis Rush's trip to Muscle Shoals sounds pretty fine now (with the obvious exceptions of "My Old Lady" and "Me," which no amount of time will ever save). The house band (including
Duane Allman and drummer
Roger Hawkins) picks up on
Rush's harrowing vibe and runs with it on the stunning "Gambler's Blues," a chomping "Feel So Bad," and a shimmering instrumental treatment of
Aretha Franklin's "Baby I Love You." ~ Bill Dahl