The Doobie Brothers - Stampede

Limited Edition European pressing of this album comes house in a miniature LP sleeve. WEA. 2006. Album Description

One great album

I picked up this cd because I have been a fan of the Doobie's music for 30+ years but only owned the greatest hits record. After reading other reviews on amazon I took a chance and bought this one. I was glad I did. This is a truly great Doobie Brothers record. I don't know enough about the band to review each song but I do know a great record when I hear one and this is one. I do prefer the band pre-Michael McDonald. I just like the vocals of the older band. Great songs and worth every penny. If you are like me and getting back in touch with some bands of days past, this is a good one. July 21, 2008

The Johnston era's finest Doobie album

One of the band's finest albums, "Stampede" features a loose concept tied into the old west. The last stand for Doobies founder Tom Johnston as the creative center of the band, "Stampede" sounds extremely good. If it has been remastered (and I haven't done an A/B comparison to the previous edition), it doesn't say so on the album packaging anywhere. It's possible these remasters were all done at the same time as the Doobies box set and the tracks on that set and this one do sound similar. Either way, the album sounds terrific (and contrary to other reviewers who bashed the first CD issue of this, that one sounded good as well with terrific dynamic range. A lot of music lovers confuse louder and compressed with sounding better. It isn't. The life is usually squeezed out of it and its usually "brickwalled" which means that the lows and highs are roughly the same because there's nowhere sonically for the music to climb to).

The songs by Johnston and Simmons are among their best. Patrick Simmons checks in with his stunning epic "I Cheat the Hangman" (inspired by the short story "An Occurence at Owl Creek" about a hanging)which has a brilliantly arranged coda featuring a haunting choir, a brilliant horn solo and string arrangement that makes this the band's "A Day in the Life". Simmons also has a number of other strong tracks (including "Neal's Fandango") but this is the stand out cut on the album for him. It's followed by the moody solo guitar piece "Precis" written by newest member Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (former member of Steely Dan)that provides a nice, quiet coda the intense closer. Simmons also provides a solo guitar piece "Slack Key Soquel Rag" (Simmons overdubbed all the guitars. The song was misprinted "Slat" on the original album cover)that's also a nice counterpoint to "Music Man" (and closed out the original first side of the album).

Johnston checks in with a handful of strong songs including the opening track "Sweet Maxine" (co-written with Simmons. Johnston supplied the lyrics and sings the song ably backed by Simmons)with the rollicking bar piano playing of Little Feat's Bill Payne front and center. Johnston's "Rainy Day Crossroads Blues" is equally impressive but "Music Man" with strings arranged by Curtis Mayfield provides us with a powerful example of why Johnston's soulful vocals make him one of the most underrated singers around. Incidently, the three guitar attack of Johnston, Simmons and Baxter gives this album a feeling that occasionally echoes The Allman Brothers but with that unique Doobies sound behind it.

The highlight aside from these tracks is Johnston's brilliant performance of the cover tune "Take Me In Your Arms" which the band makes its own. Johnston's soaring, soulful vocal helped carry this cover tune to #11 on the charts for the band as a single. Surprisingly while there were other singles (among them edited version of "Sweet Maxine")none of them cracked the top 20.

The plus sides of the equation for this reissue are many--the album is presented in nearly an exact replica of the original vinyl release from 1975 including the lyrics on the inner sleeve with the CD inside a thin plastic holder to protect it from scratches (ah if the U.S. would only do that...)and the packaging is a replica of the original gatefold sleeve. It's a terrific recreation. The label of also recreates the label that Warner used during the 70's. The Japanese edition of this also includes a booklet with the lyrics in English and Japanese (as well as notes on the album NOT translated). Some of the lyrics are mistranslated from what I can recall but it's not as bad as some I've seen.

As with all Doobie albums the playing is top notch throughout. Johnston would remain a member through "Takin' It To The Streets" (contributing one very good song to that album and trading vocals with Simmons on "Wheels of Fortune") and "Livin' On The Fault Line" but Johnston's health problems (he suffered from ulcers and other stomach ailments)made this his last album (before the reformed Doobie line up in the 80's)with the band as a major creative force. It's a brilliant album highly underrated (why The Allman Brothers receive all the praise they do, Eagles and the Doobies do not is beyond me).

This is a classic album that combines, rock, R&B and country rock in a potent mix. This is highly recommended.

March 18, 2008

Doobies Stampede Thru.

This is a great cd by the Doobies,I highly recomend this to anybody who loves the Doobies music. January 24, 2008

MY FAVORITE CD OF ALL TIME

I love to listen to The Doobies on a road trip, don't you? Just rockin' down the highway the other day, I decided STAMPEDE is my favorite CD of all time. It's stood the test of time better than any collection of songs ever released. Listen to Texas Lullaby. That voice...Tom Johnson, you rule! December 12, 2007

Deja Vu

My personal favorite! Takes me back to some of the best times of my life! I think it is their best album/CD ever!!!! August 18, 2007

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