Devotion (John McLaughlin album)

Last updated

Devotion
Cover - devotion.jpg
Studio album by
John McLaughlin
ReleasedJuly 1970 [1]
RecordedFebruary 1970
Studio Record Plant Studios, New York City
Genre
Length35:28
Label Douglas
Producer Alan Douglas and Stefan Bright
John McLaughlin chronology
Extrapolation
(1969)		Devotion
(1970)		 Where Fortune Smiles
(1971)

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.

Contents

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

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [4]
Christgau's Record Guide A [5]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
The Village Voice A− [6]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [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
  1. "Devotion" – 11:25
  2. "Dragon Song" – 4:13
Side two
  1. "Marbles" – 4:05
  2. "Siren" – 5:55
  3. "Don't Let the Dragon Eat Your Mother" – 5:18
  4. "Purpose of When" – 4:45

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1970)Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [9] 62

References

  1. ↑ Billboard review July 25, 1970
  2. 1 2 Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 135. ISBN   0-394-72643-X.
  3. ↑ http://www.johnmclaughlin.com/ text on the period of 1968 - 70.
  4. 1 2 Westergaard, Sean. "Devotion - John McLaughlin | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ Christgau, Robert (19 November 1970). "Consumer Guide (14)". The Village Voice . New York. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  7. ↑ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 976. ISBN   978-0-141-03401-0.
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3271". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October June 15, 2024.
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