Delaney Bramlett - Sweet Inspirations

Lost album rediscovered (again)

Sonic Past Music’s raison d’être is as a label specialising in previously unreleased classic rock. It’s a surprise, then, to find Sweet Inspirations appearing on the label as, though it certainly qualifies as Delaney Bramlett’s lost album, it’s seen the light of day on at least two previous occasions, including a 2002 release on Dreamsville and, two years later, another on Lemon.

So much for the preamble, Sweet Inspirations is back in circulation once again, along with four alternate mix bonus tracks. Sadly, it’s pretty clear early on why the album picked up its “lost” tag in the first place. Recorded in 1989 with a seven-piece backing band featuring the great Spooner Oldham, and with Bramlett’s grittily soulful voice in great shape, the songs (including a cover of the Penn/Spooner oldie Sweet Inspiration and Let It Rain, a reworking of Delaney’s classic collaboration with Eric Clapton) are seriously let down by unsympathetic state-of-the-art late 80s production. Credited to Delaney himself, it lends everything, especially the drums, a high gloss edge rather than the down-home warmth that would have sat more comfortably with Bramlett’s track record as a recording artist of some distinction.

2 stars 2 stars

Sonic Past Music | SPMECD 110

Reviewed by Grahame Bent
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