Open

Can I please give this album 10 stars? Please??This album is simply one of the best albums made of all time!I've studied it thoroughly since the day it was released in April 1970 and am still blown away!!The musicianship is just beyond belief for that time period and holds up today against any progressive blues/ jazz/ funk/ latin album.in fact, it's far superior to what's being made today in any one of those idioms: REAL(!)drumming, guitar playing, musician interplay, vocals etc.Who would think today to use a wah wah pedal on a Hammond organ and make it work so perfectly and be so musical??Skip Conte did! Genius!Mike Pinera's guitar-playing / sound is remarkable!!Without question, the most underrated guitar player to ever set foot on this planet!!Manny Bertematti's drumming?Drop the needle or hit play and "Love is the Answer" says it all!What a groove / feel accenting 1 & 3 !I could go on and on re: musicianship....This album was released 4 months before Santana's Abraxas (which to me is the definitive Santana album).Lucky for Carlos that OPEN didn't get the exposure that ABRAXAS did. AND, that they didn't get the chance to play Woodstock as Carlos did.My guess is that Blues Image would be filling stadiums and have a 30-plus catalogue of material.Further, Blues Image was an act that you're group wouldn't want to have to follow in concert, having seen them and being completely dumfounded as to what I had just witnessed.Having been a performing musician for 45 years this is just another prime example of how unfair the music industry is.Shame on those in charge that they didn't have the insight to pick up with what was going' on here.Musically, there's absolutely nothing to want for.BTW, pick up their first album as well simply titled BLUES IMAGE.The only unfortunate aspect of this fabulous initial outing is that it's not the same recording quality technically speaking as OPEN.Otherwise, a must-own.God, thank you for letting Blues Image grace this this earth!

I ususally listen to the tracks while I review it to get a better feel of a review. I am "younger" but so what? 37sih ain't 20! So thier are those even younger that review older music. As for this music even if you aren't a true blues fan you'll love both the rock and blues tracks. It starts off with the oddly off beat track "love is the answer" (thought my CD was "stuttering" but it was awesome to hear such raw unique drumming styles) today everyone sounds the same so we "newbies" as you call us appreciate the old stuff better! "Running the Water" is an upbeat blues(purple) song though the lyrics are dismal blue, "Clean Love" is blues like the bar songs jukebox play, La Bamba is self explanitory(and by another group), "Consuelate" is a gitar solo recap on a spanish(classic) gitar of "La bamba", "Pay My Dues" is "purpley" blues with a rock and roll beat the "fuzzy" gitar is also a plus even though it is way out of style today! Goes in sync with the bass for an etheric, yet dark sound. Fugue You is some sort of instrumental movement, bachy and transitons to "Partchment Farm", upbeat bluesy jazz song, "Wrath of Daisey" is atonal(the way I like it and notihng different would do!) a haphazzard affair of instrumentals and fuzzy gitars,the final track is psycadelic rock and roll with a steady yet high tempo beat(gotta love it!) The flagship track here though is "ride captain ride(on your mystery ship)" and it is the reason I got this in the first place! the whole reason for living and since I enjoy sailing too. Gotta love it! If you are not a blues fan you will slowly become one via this "Blues Image" and "Cream", as well as "Chicago" (Transit Autority). The Rock'n Roll side of it is my true appreciation thought these guys are more into blues(thus the namesake). I am blessed with golden hearing so I appreicate the percussive and bass end as well as the odvious mid range stuff. If you have an ear for music you must get this albumn as well as Jeff Beck's stuff and Cream. Medolic bass and all others + Jazz drums are a must in even rock and roll, Yesterday, (not today) AND tomorrow!

Nice CD

Wore out the LP , received the cd on time and have been playing it often...love it!

Just ok

Pretty well a 1 song wonder

Classic