I started listening to Delaney & Bonnie in late February 2021. Delaney & Bonnie are one of the more obscure artists on my blog. However, they were well-regarded during their time by George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, and Gregg Allman, all of whom toured with them at some point. When Delaney & Bonnie's backing band dissolved in 1970, Eric Clapton assembled his group Derek and the Dominoes from past members of their touring ensemble to record Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, which is by far Clapton's best record. That's basically what got me interested in them. I recommend listening to The Original Delaney & Bonnie as well as Motel Shot.
Home (1969): C+
The Original Delaney & Bonnie (1969): B+
On Tour with Eric Clapton (1970): B
To Bonnie from Delaney (1970): B
Motel Shot (1971): A-
Home (1969):
This isn't particularly memorable nor does it ever make a convincing case for the horns, which are consistently used, to be on the record. Still, the right mix of rock, soul, and blues isn't far from them--it's creeps on sporadically throughout the album and most notably on "It's Been a Long Time Coming" and "We Can Love." The pair's strong vocal performances and their well-written duets also make them irresistibly likable, which I'm sure will come in handy when they perfect their melodies, production, etc. Plus, you gotta give 'em credit for recording "Piece of My Heart" after Janis and Big Brother released the definitive version the year prior. That's quite courageous... and stupid. C+
This isn't particularly memorable nor does it ever make a convincing case for the horns, which are consistently used, to be on the record. Still, the right mix of rock, soul, and blues isn't far from them--it's creeps on sporadically throughout the album and most notably on "It's Been a Long Time Coming" and "We Can Love." The pair's strong vocal performances and their well-written duets also make them irresistibly likable, which I'm sure will come in handy when they perfect their melodies, production, etc. Plus, you gotta give 'em credit for recording "Piece of My Heart" after Janis and Big Brother released the definitive version the year prior. That's quite courageous... and stupid. C+
The Original Delaney & Bonnie (1969):
It was immediately apparent that the couple had improved immensely, but for a while, it didn't strike me as being anything out of the ordinary and even now I suspect I don't completely appreciate this album. Delaney and Bonnie's singing is expressive, soulful, and immediate but their melodies take time to settle in as does the production. Besides "Do Right Woman," which is a little slow, and a few of the final songs, most of this is a success from the songwriting to the guitar to the horn section. B+
On Tour with Eric Clapton (1970):
After The Original Delaney & Bonnie didn't click exactly like I expected, I listened to this LP several extra times to make sure I wasn't missing anything (some say that the duo's full power was only ever on full display in the live setting). Somehow though, the excellent singing, guitar playing, and rhythm section never excites me like it should. B-
To Bonnie from Delaney (1970):
Their second best album so far. Delaney focuses a decent amount of the album towards celebrating the blues, which is no blind spot for me. Though the tributes could be a bit better, they are pretty easily my favorites songs from the duo. Unfortunately, the rest of the material, which resembles the style of their three previous albums, hits me as accomplished but unexceptional. B
Motel Shot (1971):
Maybe it's that the horn section is gone, maybe it's that the low-key environment that keeps the singing simple (though neither of those possibilities seemed to be a problem on previous albums) but I'm finally enjoying the duo as much as I think I should. Through and through, it's their best work. The songs are joyously recorded and setting as organic and rich as The Basement Tapes. A-
