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The Doobie Brothers - Cycles Audio CD

A fair review of the The Doobie Brothers "Cycles" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all The Doobie Brothers reviews here, or go back to the The Doobie Brothers tabs.

The Doobie Brothers Band: The Doobie Brothers
Title: Cycles
Rating:
Release Date: 2002-06-11
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Doctor 2: One Chain (Don't Make No Prison) 3: Take Me to the Highway 4: South of the Border 5: Time Is Here and Gone 6: Need a Little Taste of Love 7: I Can Read Your Mind 8: Tonight I'm Coming Through (The Border) 9: Wrong Number 10: Too High a Price 11: Anything for Love [#][*] 12: Need a Little Taste of Love [Remix][#][*]

Underrated Stuff
"Cycles" came out at a time when a lot of older band - "Little Feat" among them - were finding their footing again and people were realizing these bands still had some great music in them. I loved this album when it came out and I still do. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.


Could Be The Best Doobs Album Ever!!!
"Cycles", the first Tom Johnston album since 1975's "Stampede". Now, don't get me wrong, most Doobies purists will cite "Toulouse Street" or "What Were Once Vices" or "The Captain and Me" as THE essential offerings from these American music legends. Johnston left in '76 for "health" reasons. It was later revealed that TJ may have had a substance abuse problem of sorts. He made a minor contribution to "Takin' It To The Streets", but was abruptly upstaged by former Steely Dan session-man Michael McDonald. McDonald's unusual baritone? made for a day-night takeover of the once southern propelled boogie of the Johnston era. Original Doobie Pat Simmons seemed quite isolated by the McDonald takeover. His impact was almost non existent during MM's reign. But what happened was a bit of music history. "Minute By Minute" made the Doobies millions of dollars and earned them album of the year and a few grammies in the process. But Doobie purists were appauled by the change in direction and the loss of one of rock's most recognizable voices in Tom Johnston.

Cycles restores all that was lost and does more. The band ends up making a seemless collection of well honed Doobie material with Johnston making an amazing comeback. "The Doctor" may be nothing more than a recycled "China Grove", but man that's some good recycling! And if the record company (Capitol) was hungry for a "single", they got a beauty. But this album is so much more. "One Chain" immediately refocuses the old fans on the legendary DB harmonies and the band-ly brotherhood that went south during the McDonald era. What's nice is whether its Simmons or Johnston, the philosophy is similar; acoustic guitars, layered electrics and a fierce backing vocal brigade. "Take The Highway" is a great example of this. But it continues on "South of The Border" and the Isley remake of "Need A Little Taste of Love". There's richness to this music that recalls the band's past while moving them forward. Rodney Mills does a nice job maintaining the Doobie sound while updating the production values all at the same time. Gone is rawness of their earlier work. The result is a lean to an R&B sound that works wonders with these mostly TJ compositions. I challange any Doobie fan to find a DB album that is this good from start to finish. The one that comes closest is 1991's "Dangerous". Another forgotten gem produced by Rodney Mills and featuring the biker anthem title track. Get these two in tandem and enjoy a great musical comeback by America's best band, according to me.


The First Reunion CD By The Doobie Brothers Is Great
The big hit here was "The Doctor", but there are other great songs here as well, including a remake of the Isley Brothers' "Need A Little Taste Of Love. CYCLES, which is the Doobie Brothers' first CD after getting back together, is a great one, recapturing the gritty ambience which disappeared with Michael McDonald's arrival in early 1976. " The fact that the band members believe that the young Australian tourist jailed in Indonesia since 2005 for drug-smuggling was unjustly convicted makes CYCLES an essential purchase for both your ears AND your conscience.


"Stop hating, and get over it"
I'm a (true) Doobie Brothers fan and I'll be the first to admit that all of their albums (which I own, excluding the ones after Michael McDonald's departure) are classics. This goes to the a**hole L Brown and all the other idiots who don't know anything about real soul. I love Tom Johnston but but Michael is truly a better singer. The albums with Michael are are nonstop listening. As oppose to maybe two or three that were not up to par pre-McDonald. I'm a black man and I would put McDonald as one of my top ten vocalist of all time. His voice is so unique and has aged well. If you love straight ahead classic rock (like I do) but can't hear anything else - well then the Michael McDonald led Doobies may be a little out of your league. So try to advance your musical knowlegde. And remember - keep the long train runnin!! .


The Doobies Without Michael McDonal R-O-C-K!!!
What had been a good rockin' band was transformed into a bland popish group with none of the soul of the original band. Simply put, Michael McDonald ruined the Doobie Brothers. This disc, the first recorded by the band since the departure of McDonald and his tasteless influence, is a return to the good time rock for which the band was originally known.

If you liked the Doobies pre-McDonald, then you'll love this disc. If you like the Michael McDonald Doobies, then disconnect from the internet and turn on your local adult pop radio station - there you'll get the same lame, withering, worthless pop that makes people vomit on elevators.


You can see a complete list of all The Doobie Brothers discography, or go back to the The Doobie Brothers tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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