Devotion (John McLaughlin album)
| Devotion | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 1970[1] | |||
| Recorded | February 1970 | |||
| Studio | Record Plant Studios, New York City | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 35:28 | |||
| Label | Douglas | |||
| Producer | Alan Douglas and Stefan Bright | |||
| John McLaughlin chronology | ||||
| ||||
Devotion is the second album by the English jazz fusion guitarist John McLaughlin, released in 1970. It was recorded while McLaughlin was a member of the Tony Williams Lifetime, and features his Lifetime bandmate Larry Young (organ) alongside Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys drummer Buddy Miles and Taj Mahal bassist Billy Rich. McLaughlin was unhappy with the final production job by Alan Douglas.
Recording
According to The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide, the album is "as close" as McLaughlin ever came to "straight rock playing."[2] On his website, McLaughlin wrote, “In 1969, I signed a contract in America for two records. First is 'Devotion' that is destroyed by producer Alan Douglas who mixes the recording in my absence.”[3]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [4] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | A[5] |
| The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | [2] |
| The Village Voice | A−[6] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | [7] |
In a contemporary review, Rolling Stone magazine called the album "very fine" and said that McLaughlin "has managed to make an album as Heavy as the most fanatical Led Zeppelin devotee could wish, while maintaining a high musical level".[8] Sean Westergaard of AllMusic called it "arguably one of the finest acid rock albums of all time," and concluded, "Devotion is a complete anomaly in his catalog, as well as one of his finest achievements."[4]
Track listing
All songs written by John McLaughlin.
- Side one
- "Devotion" – 11:25
- "Dragon Song" – 4:13
- Side two
- "Marbles" – 4:05
- "Siren" – 5:55
- "Don't Let the Dragon Eat Your Mother" – 5:18
- "Purpose of When" – 4:45
Personnel
- John McLaughlin – electric guitar
- Larry Young – organ, electric piano
- Billy Rich – bass guitar
- Buddy Miles – drums, percussion
Charts
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[9] | 62 |
References
- ^ Billboard review July 25, 1970
- ^ a b Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 135. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
- ^ http://www.johnmclaughlin.com/ text on the period of 1968 - 70.
- ^ a b Westergaard, Sean. "Devotion - John McLaughlin | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: M". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 7 March 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (19 November 1970). "Consumer Guide (14)". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
- ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 976. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
- ^ Palmer, Bob (17 September 1970). "Album Reviews: John McLaughlin - Devotion". Rolling Stone. No. 66. Archived from the original on 7 August 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3271". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October June 15, 2024.
