Mike Bloomfield - Try It Before You Buy It (1973)

Artist: Mike Bloomfield
Album: Try It Before You Buy It
Country: US
Genre: Gospel folkish bluesy rock
Release: 1973
Quality: FLAC | lossless

This was Mike Bloomfield's second solo album for Columbia Records recorded in 1973. By that time Mike's popularity had faded so they did not release it then but put it out briefly on the CBS Special Products label in 1975.

The cover shows Mike Bloomfield with his mother. The album didn’t leave a trace and the reason could be that it probably never even got a release! (1973 or 1975 promo copies are known to exist). Even the CBS special product CD is hard to find. It’s a good album with fine playing from a great band. The lead singing is split between 4 people. There are some great tracks like “Your Friends”, which is what Mike Bloomfield and his friends do best: music that’s bluesy, slow and with a feeling. A great track. Also a great vocal performance on from Mike Bloomfield.

It’s not exactly a blues album, but it’s rooted in the blues for certain. It’s not a Rock ’n’ Roll album either (well, the Dr. John song “Lights Out” certainly is a rocker!). Mike Bloomfield penned even has a Caribbean feel to it due to Mark Naftalin playing the marimba. Nice bottleneck on “Baby Come On”, a track any guitarist would be proud of.

The highlights on this record are Roger Troy’s contributions. He sings lead on three gospel-like songs: “Shine On Love”, “When I Get Home” and “Let Them Talk”. It’s understandable that all three were used again when “Living in the Fast Lane” was released in 1980.

Trackslist:
1. Been Treated Wrong (Robert Brown) - 5:10
2. When It All Comes Down - 3:07
3. Lights Out (Mac Rebennack) - 1:48
4. Baby Come On - 3:48
5. Shine On Love (Roger Troy) - 4:57
6. When I Get Home - 4:27
7. Try It Before You Buy It - 3:48
8. Midnight On The Radio - 2:58
9. Your Friends (Deadric Malone) – 6:54
10.Tomorrow Night - 2:10
11.Let Them Talk (Sonny Thompson) - 5:22