RELEASED
November 2006
$17.95 plus $3 S&H
"Hang on to your seats! "Flying High While Staying Low Down" is truly the best of Randy McAllister. With tracks selected from two of his hottest albums plus 5-tracks from his upcoming album "Dope Slap Soup", the combination highlights the rich melodies and attention grabbing lyrics that make Randy McAllister the latest, greatest Texas talent. Each of the tracks serves to broaden the spectum that is Randy McAllister. If you've missed this Grammy Nominee, time to tune in. Randy may be one of the hottest multi-instrumentalist, singer/song writers performing today. For anyone that wants to discover overwhelming talent that just makes you feel good. Listen closely, you'll experience the brick rattling thunder clap of a music legend! 'Flying High While Staying Low Down' is lightning in a bottle!" - Review by - Entertainment Wire Service
"I first encountered the music of Randy McAllister some years back when he was recording for JSP Records. My initial reaction was "Wow"! -
Randy is a Texas singer/ harmonica player and drummer, who excels at what he does but who is even better as a totally original songwriter. This is a kind of 'Best Of...' CD, drawing from his releases 'Dope Slap Soup' (five tracks), 'Temporary Fixes' (six) and 'From A Little Left Of Center' (five); those titles should alert you to the fact that this is no ordinary artist.
Randy can be either deeply soulful in a Delbert McClinton kind of way, very bluesy or out and out rocking, and the arrangements are certainly varied to match. 'The Girl Ain't Right' makes for a raw sounding blues opener, leading into the pop-rock, vaguely Doug Sahm-ish 'Clear My Head', whilst 'Take Me Out Of New Orleans' is a churning blues.
Moving on, there is the almost zydeco sound of 'Stronger Vice/ Better Hobby', the piano accompanied 'Wandering Shepard' (sic) which recalls the old folksong 'Wayfaring Stranger', and the slippery closer which falls between rock, blues and country. Along the way we also touch bases with sixties and seventies soul music and even perhaps a little JJ Cale.
Remember the names mentioned here because they are all pretty classy; remember too though that like those more renowned artists, Randy McAllister is classy and original. - Review by Norman Darwen - Blues Art Studio
"For the real lover of roots music there is the veteran Texan singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Randy McAllister.
I discovered him five years ago with the album "Givers and Takers" (2002). Later I noticed him working to break down the barriers
in roots music. He was working hard to deal with the complexities of the traditional music industry and the greed of record
companies. "Flying High While Staying Low Down" (2006) is a collectors item, with tracks from the albums "Dope Slap Soup",
"Temporary Fixes" and "A Little Left of Center". You will find some familiar McAllister tracks. But what is most striking regarding
this CD is the rich complement of talent in the band with guitarists Mike Morgan, Jim Suhler, Stephen Bruton and Matt Woodburn.
McAllister makes hot, pounding, solid music that automatically makes you want to turn the volume button up.
What a music. Fantastic. McAllister crosses genre. You can hear country, blues, soul, and mostly an unique mix of
Randy McAllister's own style. He matches expressive stories to original melodies for traditional sounding songs, that are filled with
robust doses of humor. Listening to "Flying High While Staying Low Down" makes you want to play it all day, everyday again
and again. Every time you hear it you discover something new, subtle, and more refined. It never loses intensity.
For instance, as soon as one guitar solo is completed an another solo begins building the excitment without disruption..
Indescribably beautifully. McAllister delivers a rough, but relaxed sound. Together the musicians combine to produce a beautiful
sound. It is an amazingly beautiful album. I have to say, I can't find a bad track. In other words: go to the store and listen
to "Flying High While Staying Low Down" with your headphones on. You won't walk, but run like a crazy after you hear the second track
to buy this album. Really not a lot is new in "Flying High While Staying Low Down", but the album contains sixteen tracks
rooted in a deep, strong Southern tradition without superfluous fringe that would hide the power of the album.
But I have to warn you that the tracks cover a range of emotions: that make you want the album even more... Briefly:
Randy McAllister wrote everything himself and has a style which mixes blues, rock, country, gospel, Tex-Mex and zydeco
(reminding you of a mix of Doug Sahm, John Hiatt and Delbert McClinton). Randy McAllister has found a place of
his own in American music. When you listen to him you are listening to the best America has to offer. This man is a master of Americana." - Translated from Dutch - Review by ROOTSTIME
What an honor for us here at www.Mary4Music.com - we now can add "GRAMMY NOMINEE", to the ever growing list of wonderful musicians that we've had the pleasure of promoting. "FLYING HIGH WHILE STAYING LOW DOWN" is RANDY MCALLISTER'S first release since "GIVERS AND TAKERS", the disc that was nominated for a "GRAMMY AWARD" in 2002. It's a Best of Compilation with five previously unreleased songs from his upcoming CD - which, from the sounds of these tracks, already appears to be a winner.
Obviously, with songs from several discs, the players on this recording are many. However, since being good enough to play on the disc certainly warrants being acknowledged, please allow me to introduce the talented bunch. Joining RANDY MCALLISTER, vocals and harmonica are: MATT WOODBURN, TODD BLALOCK, MIKE MORGAN, ANDREW "JR BOY" JONES, JIM SUHLER, STEPHEN BRUTON, ROLLO SMITH and MITCHEL SMITHEY, guitars; TIM ALEXANDER, piano organ and accordion; CHUCK "POPCORN" LOUDEN, RON THOMPSON and JIMMY MORGN, drums; SONNY COLLIE, RHANDY SIMMONS and MARK GOWAN, bass; BENITA ARTEBERRY-BURNS and ANGIE MCWHIRTHER, background vocals.
From the list of CD's I see these original songs were taken from - "TEMPORARY FIXES", "A LITTLE LEFT OF CENTER" and "DOPE SLAP SOUP", it appears that the latter would be the name of RANDY'S upcoming new disc. Therefore, I'm going to go straight to those tracks, some of which seem to have a common sound - Gospel & Country Blues.
"CLEAR MY HEAD" is highlighted by amazing vocals. RANDY and BENITA are a match made for listening and they do a masterful job on his duet. The very well written lyrics need to be paid close attention to. It's a therapeutic song about how everyday things can get to you, as they do to all of us, and when they do, you've got to just take a deep breath and clear your head. MATT and TODD supply some great guitar licks in front of some great rhythm from CHUCK, SONNY and TIM.
Very happily so, "CLOSE YOUR EYES" is lots more of the same. More great vocals from RANDY and BENITA and more spiritual and very uplifting lyrics from this amazing songwriter. Once again, about another of real life's importance's - needing someone to be there for you when you need them to be. How comforting is it knowing someone will be there to hold you up, when you're thinking about giving it up? If you don't already know, hear them sing it and you will. Man if this one doesn't make you feel good then you need to listen to "CLEAR MY HEAD" a few more times.
Going back about years ago, one of my favorite LP's was called "CHICKEN LICKIN" by a band so funky, they had to be called FUNK, INC. RANDY'S "CHICKEN' YOUR FIXIN" (from Temporary Fixes) is so full of funk, it brought that record to mind. With RHANDY on bass and CHUCK on drums laying a great foundation, and TODD supplying lots of funkified slide, it all provided a nice back drop for RANDY to lead the way on his funky harp and vocals.
"THE CHAIN" (also from Temporary Fixes) features more great magic from RANDY and BENITA. It's a typical RANDY MCALLISTER written song which features yet another wonderful message. This one is about being "the first link in the chain". It's all about being a leader vs a follower. Be the first to jump in, the first to make a move and be the first to act, etc. This time, RON, SONNY and MIKE provide the excellent drums, bass and guitar.
"WHAT MOVES YOU" (from A Little Left Of Center) is another one of my personal favorites. It opens with some very hot piano by TIM and the guitar work by JIM is some of the best on the disc. With BENITA once again joining RANDY, it's an automatic that the vocals are once again another of the tracks highlights. "WHAT MOVES YOU" will move you.
"WANDERING SHEPPERD" (also from A Little Left Of Center), is a very soft ballad that features only RANDY on vocals and TIM ALEXANDER on piano. A bit different than anything else, but very nice nevertheless.
If you thought that by mentioning this song at the end, I saved the best for last - I'll give you no argument. "WHY" (once again, from A Little Left Of Center), totally blew me away. It's another BENITA/MCALLISTER vocal and harmonizing masterpiece. On top of that it has more absolutely magnificent lyrics and the music is perfect.
Other tracks not mentioned are "THE GIRL AIN'T RIGHT / Dope Slap Soup, "TAKE ME OUT OF NEW ORLEANS" / Temporary Fixes, "THE SOUND OF LEAVING" / A Little left Of Center, "BAPTIST CHURCH" / Dope Slap Soup, "DRINKIN' TO PREVENT A KILLING" / A Little left Of Center), "NEVER HAD A LOT OF FAITH" / Temporary Fixes), "MAN WHO WENT FOR CIGARETTES" / Temporary Fixes", "STRONGER VICE / BETTER HOBBY" / Temporary Fixes and "HARD HEADED" / Dope Slap Soup.
Musically, I'm not one to cross genres. Typically, "If it ain't blues, I ain't listening. Having said that, and although there was enough blues on this disc to strike my fancy, regardless of anyone's taste, this disc has so much class and so much quality it should be loved by all.
Check out RANDY MCALLISTER @ http://www.randymcallister.com an tell him ya heard lots of good stuff about him from the "Blewzzman" - Review by Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro, - www.Mary4Music.com
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RANDY McALLISTER
"Flying High While Staying Low Down"
A BEST OF COMPILATION WITH 5-PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED SONGS FROM HIS UPCOMING CD
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TRACKS:
 1 - "The Girl Ain't Right"
(FROM DOPE SLAP SOUP) - 4:20 MIN - LYRICS COMING
2 - "Clear My Head"
(FROM DOPE SLAP SOUP) - 5:33 MIN - LYRICS COMING
3 - "Take Me Out of New Orleans"
(FROM TEMPORARY FIXES) - 3:25 MIN - LYRICS COMING
4 - "That Chicken Your're Fixin' "
(FROM TEMPORARY FIXES) - 4:46 MIN - LYRICS COMING
5 - "Why"
(FROM A LITTLE LEFT OF CENTER) - 5:01 MIN - VIEW LYRICS
6 - "The Sound of Leaving"
(FROM A LITTLE LEFT OF CENTER) - 5:01 MIN - LYRICS COMING
7 - "Close Your Eyes"
(FROM DOPE SLAP SOUP) - 5:21 MIN - LYRICS COMING
8 - "Baptist Church Van"
(FROM DOPE SLAP SOUP) - 4:68 MIN - LYRICS COMING
9 - "Stronger Vice/Better Hobby"
(FROM TEMPORARY FIXES) - 4:04 MIN - LYRICS COMING
10 - "Drinkin' to Prevent a Killin'"
(FROM A LITTLE LEFT OF CENTER) - 3:42 MIN - LYRICS COMING
11 - "Wandering Shepard"
(FROM A LITTLE LEFT OF CENTER) - 3:04 MIN - LYRICS COMING
12 - "Never Had a Lot of Faith"
(FROM TEMPORARY FIXES) - 4:13 MIN - LYRICS COMING
13 - "Man Who Went for Cigarettes"
(FROM TEMPORARY FIXES) - 4:39 MIN - LYRICS COMING
14 - "What Moves You"
(FROM A LITTLE LEFT OF CENTER) - 4:12 MIN - VIEW LYRICS
15 - "The Chain"
(FROM TEMPORARY FIXES) - 4:08 MIN - LYRICS COMING
16 - "Hard Headed"
(FROM DOPE SLAP SOUP) - 4:02 MIN - LYRICS COMING
RELEASED 2006
UPC: 893608000455
RUN TIME: 70:29
FREEDOM FIRST RECORDS
COPYRIGHT 2006 RANDY McALLISTER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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