Mylon LeFevre, Alvin Lee - On The Road To Freedom (re-issue)
STYLE: Rock RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 102666-17385 LABEL: Repertoire 4780 FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1
Reviewed by Mike Rimmer
Here's a classic rock curio from 1973 which was reissued on CD in 2003 by a German company. It's a collaboration between Ten Years After guitarist Alvin Lee and gospel rocker Mylon Lefevre. Mylon was raised singing southern gospel with his family's singing group but by the time this was recorded, he'd backslidden and eventually became a drugs casualty before later coming back to God and establishing successful gospel rock ministry in the '80s and '90s. Back in 1973 the pair decamped to George Harrison's studio to record this slice of rootsy rock music. It's amazing when you look at the cast list that this album didn't become something bigger. Check out contributions from Harrison, Ron Wood, Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood and Mick Fleetwood. There's plenty of class burnt into these grooves and Mylon holds his own vocally whilst Alvin Lee's reputation as a guitar legend is borne out by his performances here. In an era when Delaney & Bonnie, The Band and Traffic had begun pushing rock in a rootsy direction, this mix of acoustic, electric and soulful influences blends together rather beautifully. Highlights include the song that Harrison himself contributed, "So Sad", which is distinguished by his trademark slide playing. At the rockier end you can enjoy "Fallen Angel" and the closing boogie of "Rockin' Til The Sun Goes Down". For classic rock fans, this obscurity is well worth a listen.
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