Disc one is mostly cuts from the Pre-ABB groups The Allman Joys, Hour Glass, The 31st of February, and The Second Coming. When I saw the track listings after buying the set, I was initially disappointed by this, as I have little interest in being an Allman's "completist." However, I was relieved that all of the early cuts are at least pretty good, and at times, sublime! You hear a clear progression from psychedelic cover band to blues virtuosos to jazz/rock/country fusion. The second half of the disc is downright excellent.

Discs two and three are, by and large, greatest hits from the ABB golden era. If you don't already have a copy of the amazing Live at Fillmore East, there are three remastered cuts of probably the best tracks from Fillmore. Most ABB fans will already have Fillmore, but if you don't it's great to have these.

Over half of Disc four is solo and side project material by ABB members. As with disk one, all of these cuts are at least pretty good, with some really excellent numbers thrown in as well.

I'd rate this as one of the best boxed sets available because it doesn't contain any unnecessary filler tracks. You won't find yourself hitting the skip button very much at all. The breadth of ABB's musical heritage is laid out clearly and will continue to amaze after many listens.

If you're new to the band, as I was, this is a can't-go-wrong purchase.


An impressive career overview with a few twists   October 24, 2004
Docendo Discimus (Vita scholae)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

This is not the place to start your Allman Brothers collection (unless you have money to burn), but it is a fine stop along the way for devoted fans of the band.

"Dreams" is a four-disc, 55-song compilation, handsomely presented in a LP-sized box with a large, well illustrated and well written 30-page booklet.
It includes songs recorded between 1966 and 1988, so the Allmans' latter-day comeback is not documented. That detracts from "Dreams" as a career overview, of course, but all of that latter-day material is easily available anyway, so no great harm done.

Disc one includes a number of early recordings by Duane and Gregg Allman and their pre-ABB outfits, The Allman Joys, The Hourglass, 31st Of February, and the too-psychedelic Second Coming. Some of it is pedestrian, but there is actually quite a lot of good stuff as well, particularly the three Allman Joys numbers. And the late Duane Allman takes a rare lead vocal on the 1969 single "Goin' Down Slow" (previously only available on the Duane Allman "Anthology" from 1972).

The last two discs also include a number of songs from the solo careers of Gregg Allman and original co-lead guitarist Richard "Dickey" Betts. There is some really good stuff, particularly Gregg Allman's almost spiritual-like version of the Beatles' "Rain", Betts' up-tempo country-rockers "Crazy Love" and "Good Time Feeling", and the utterly beautiful outtake "Nancy". And you also get most of the good stuff from the Allmans' otherwise forgettable late 70s/early 80s LPs.
About a dozen of these 55 songs are previously unreleased (or were at the time), and some are hard-to-find singles or B-sides or just obscure album tracks. Those songs will certainly attract serious ABB fans, but more casual fans will probably find that one of these four discs could have been omitted with no great harm done.
Still, there is no denying that "Dreams" comes awfully close to delivering the definitive word on the Allman Brothers Band. All their classic songs are here, alongside studio outtakes like "Statesboro Blues" (!) and "One More Ride", previously unreleased live recordings of "One Way Out", "Elizabeth Reed" and "Just Ain't Easy", and a live-in-the-studio radio broadcast medley of "You Don't Love Me" and "Soul Serenade".

Serious ABB fans will definitely want this fine set in their collection, and lots of "mid-level" fans (like me) should find an awful lot to like as well. Even if they already have most of the ABB stuff, "Dreams" may well turn them on to the underappreciated solo career of Dickey Betts.
Oh, and that studio version of "Statesboro Blues"? Terrific! Why that one was never released is a mystery.


One of the top ten boxed sets ever released   October 20, 1999
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

This was one of the top boxed sets compiled and released along with Clapton Crossroads, and Bob Dylan Biograph.

This box mixes great album tracks, outstanding live cuts (the quadrophonic Fillmore East cuts of Whipping Post and In Memory of Elizabeth Reed for example), terrific unreleased tracks (the Idlewild South outtake of Statesboro Blues, as an example), and thoughtful and insightful solo ventures.

One of the best paced boxed sets. If you only want one Allman Brothers' release this fits the bill nicely.

Oh, and had they done the Doobie Brothers' box (a group that had a similar career) the same way, that would get five stars as well!


almost perfect....   February 18, 2000
11 out of 13 found this review helpful

Any critical comments i have regarding this box set must be prefaced with this: it is nearly perfect, and is the perfect addition to an ABB collection. However-- it could be a bit better. WHile there are a great number of live tracks, i would not mind hearing even more. As somebody who loves to hear a great jam, some more extented versions of songs would be great. HOwever, the fillmore east Whipping post, and liz reed, and the you don't love me/soul serenade combo do a damn good job of showcasing live Allmans. I am also wondering why Mountain Jam was left out. Besides these small gripes i have, the rest of the song selection is excellent. THe meat of the collection is the two middle cds. While the first has some great pure ABB music, and great duane projects, some of the earlier stuff- while interesting as history- is not as musically genius as the music of the developed, mature band. It is the fourth cd that forces me to give the this collection four instead of five stars. The ABB tunes are from the Brother's weakest period. WHile the basic ABB sound is there, the songs are injected with lots of pop sound. Also Gregg's singing is less emotive as on earlier songs. Their songs at this time lacked the magic of the original band. Their line up lacked the energy and virtuoso skill of the original and present line up. With the exception of the of the sick live '79 version of liz reed (its real nice to hear Gregg soloing) the band's songs from this time are not so memorable. And while Dickey Betts' playing is impressive as always(esp. on Bougainvillea), his country soaked material doesn't quite do it for me. HOwever, the Dickey Betts Band's Duane's Tune has traces of the Haynes/woody era Allmans. The line up is pretty damn good, with Matt Abts delivering real rock n roll drumming, while Haynes and Betts play powerful dual lead guitar. Besides its beefed up, powerful sound, this song is in the tradition of Betts' genius instrumentals. The weakest aspect of this last cd is Gregg Allman's solo work. THe inclusion of his collaboration with cher almost does a diservice to the original Allmans sound, and his other stuff, while well sung, sounds more like pop music. I hardly ever listen to the last cd, despite some gems (basically the liz reed, bougainvellia, and duane's tune). so, while 75% of the collection is basically perfect, the last cd is almost not needed. i'd rather have that space taken up by some sick live songs from the bands golden age when duane and berry were still with the band.


The Essential Brothers -- sort of   November 13, 2002
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

This was the first box set I ever bought, and with good reason. The Brothers are my favorite band (excepting, of course, the Beatles). For a fan, this is essential. You get to hear the birth and evolution of what finally became the ABB on disc one, the hearty meat of their brilliant career, and the sad, slow decline as personnel changes and other problems as the band disintegrated. This set beautifully documents their career up to the resurrection of the Brothers, beginning with the absolutely brilliant Seven Turns.

The unreleased and expanded tracks speak to the amazing chemistry between the original musicians. Gregg, Duaine, Dickey, Berry, Butch, and Jaimoe seemed to have musical telepathy. The band as a whole could anticipate each musician's next move.

The only thing about this set is that it will eventually prove dissatisfying if you're buying it as the one ABB set for your collection. It will make you want to get Beginnings, Fillmore, Eat A Peach, and Brothers and Sisters. However, you will still turn to this set for the stuff that those albums don't have.

An amazing set from an amazing band.