Wanted Dead or Alive (David Bromberg album)


Wanted Dead or Alive is an album by David Bromberg. It was his third album, released by Columbia Records as a vinyl LP in 1974. It has been released as a CD several times − by Sony Music Media in 2004, by SBME Special Markets in 2008, and by Columbia Records in 2011. It was also released as a double CD, combined with Bromberg's subsequent album Midnight on the Water, by BGO Records in 2010.
The title Wanted Dead or Alive is a play on words, referring to how the record was created. Side one of the LP was recorded in the studio with various musicians, including four members of the Grateful Dead − Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Keith Godchaux and Bill Kreutzmann. Side two was recorded live.

Critical reception

Writing in Driftwood Magazine in 2011, Craig Harris said: "With their masterfully executed mix of America’s musical roots, the albums released by David Bromberg in the mid-1970s remain as much fun as they were more than a third of a century ago.... Reaching into what he does best, Bromberg came up with an album full of spirit, high energy and musical diversity. Opening with a galloping reprisal of "The Holdup", his collaboration with George Harrison, Bromberg and cohorts... rarely let up. While his vocals were anything but luscious, Bromberg's deep, growl-like singing made every word heartfelt. Showing the depths of his songwriting with four self-composed tunes... Bromberg uses the guitar picking styles that he had learned as a student and protégé of bluesman Reverend Gary Davis as springboards for discovery."
According to Allmusic, "Some of Bromberg's strongest and best-loved material can be found here, including "The Holdup", "Danger Man", "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair", "The New Lee Highway Blues" and Bob Dylan's "Wallflower"."

Track listing

  1. "The Holdup" – 3:03
  2. "Someone Else's Blues" – 8:00
  3. "Danger Man" – 3:05
  4. "The Main Street Moan" – 5:13
  6. "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair" – 4:52
  7. "Statesboro Blues" / "Church Bell Blues" – 5:08
  8. "Wallflower" – 2:57
  9. "Kansas City" – 3:57
  10. "The New Lee Highway Blues" – 5:40

    Personnel

Musicians