Accept No Substitutes

While Delaney & Bonnie will be forever associated with Eric Clapton and Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs, the couple, along with a loose association of friends, recorded a number of classics in their own right. Released in 1969, Accept No Substitute contained the same blend of soul and rock & roll that would show up on Layla the following year. While the production, as Matthew Greenwald points out in the liner notes, has a 'pop sheen,' Delaney & Bonnie's earthy vocals, along with the band's rhythm & blues assault, nonetheless dictate the proceedings. The horn section and expressive guitar create a lovely mix on 'Get Ourselves Together' and 'Someday,' giving the listener a taste of what gospel might sound like if performed by a good '60s rock band. This religious connection is even more predominate on 'Soldiers of the Cross,' a piece of lyrical fundamentalism that would fit quite comfortably into a Baptist choir's repertoire. This isn't to infer that Accept No Substitute is pious in any way; only that Delaney & Bonnie and their friends add a spiritual quality to the music they perform. One also shouldn't miss the imaginative 'Ghetto,' a song that cleverly combines soulful piano with strings. For those unfamiliar with Delaney & Bonnie's other work, Accept No Substitute is a good place to start.