The Best of Brunning Sunflower Blues Band

Approfondimenti

Tracks from four albums the Brunning Sunflower Blues Band issued between 1968 and 1974 are featured on this 22-song collection, along with some 1969 cuts the group's Bob Brunning and Bob Hall recorded under the name Tramp. The sound is very much like the very early Fleetwood Mac, when that band was at its most traditional blues-oriented. That should come as little surprise considering that Brunning was briefly in Fleetwood Mac at the very beginning as a temporary member of sorts, before John McVie was finally convinced to join. The Fleetwood Mac connection is further enhanced by the presence of Mac founding guitarist Peter Green as a guest on four tracks, as well as the appearance of later Mac guitarist Danny Kirwan on a couple others. It's not as good as early Fleetwood Mac, mind you, primarily because the Brunning Sunflower Blues Band didn't have a virtuoso guitarist, singer, or songwriter on par with Green, who was all three in one. Nor is it late-'60s British blues-rock at its worst, though it's average enough to make this of interest mostly to those who have a particular enthusiasm for the genre. Instead, it's serviceable and solid for the genre, if somewhat unimaginative in comparison to the best practitioners of the style. Just because it's unexceptional overall doesn't mean it doesn't have its moments, particularly when Green livens things up on "It Takes Time." The minor-key blues of "Call Me," another highlight, indicates that the Brunning Sunflower Blues Band were likely listening to Green's own songs in Fleetwood Mac in the late '60s, while "Hit That Wine" is reminiscent of some of Jack Bruce's songs in Cream. The liner notes feature extensive comments from Brunning himself about his group's early days.

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