threespires
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Lol just read OB1s review properly, I should have gone to Specsavers (or paid more attention). Have edited my post!
Considering JJ Cale sits top of the pile, I suspect this is going to do pretty well.
I bought this album albeit it cost me a little more than than it did you after discovering Dixie Chicken still my favourite of theirs and one of my favourite albums of all time but that doesn't worry me in the slightest now or did it really then when music was my drug of choice. Underrated doesn't begin to describe this band , certainly in my top 20 favourite bands of all time and I have sung their praises on various threads before.Wow, that didn't take long...as expected!
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As this is my first album nomination in this thread I must confess that I feel a little intimidated as it is clear from following, rather than contributing to this thread, that many of you are much more invested in music than I am. I should also add that I changed my nomination at the last minute mainly because the album I had originally chosen has been mentioned favourably in this and another music related thread recently.
However, when I first put my name forward, this is the album I originally had in mind.
“Feats Don't Fail Me Now" is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Little Feat. Lowell George was the founding member, lead singer and principal songwriter although other band members contributed to writing as well.
I discovered this band through a sampler album The Warner Brothers Music Show that was released in 1975 - it cost the princely sum of 59p. The album was released to coincide with a UK and European tour by a number of acts on the Warner Brothers label and I was lucky enough to see one of the two Manchester concerts at The Free Trade Hall, although not the one featuring Little Feat. However, on the strength of the track “Oh Atlanta” which featured on the sampler I bought this album. I subsequently sought out all their other material and it is fair to say that Little Feat are one of my all-time favourite bands.
The album comprises only 8 tracks and just under 35 minutes long but there is such a variety of musical styles on show I would challenge anyone not to find something they enjoyed.
I don’t propose to go through the album track by track but highlights for me are;
Lowell George was a leading exponent of slide guitar and this is heard to great effect in the opening track Rock and Roll Doctor. This is probably my favourite of all Little Feat tracks and is the band in one song.
Oh Atlanta is an uptempo rock and roll song and Bill Payne (keyboards) plays some great honky tonk style piano.
Spanish Moon, a nice slow, brass heavy, atmospheric laid-back track bringing side 1 to a close. (for me this is where vinyl scores over any other medium for listening to music…I think you are more likely to listen to all tracks and can appreciate how the songs are grouped together on each side)
The Fan, this song has a real energy about it, particularly the rhythmic and hypnotic instrumental section.
I only managed to see them once at a stadium gig where they were one of the support acts in an all-day event. Most of the audience were there for other bands and I don’t think that they did themselves justice on the day but I continued to follow them.
Sadly Lowell George died of a heart attack at the age of 34 and although the band continued with various line-up changes, for me they never reached the same heights. This probably prevented them for achieving the commercial success they deserved.
A further note, check out all their album covers, some interesting artwork by Neon Park.
Yeah, I'm nervous :)Considering JJ Cale sits top of the pile, I suspect this is going to do pretty well.
Nice choice for a first timer.
I hope so, I’ve got lots of country tinged stuff that was ready for the promised banjo theme lolYes. It was Johnny Walker, then Roger Scott and then Richard Skinner from what I remember.
I think you are right about our similar tastes - I would say the music played by JW and RS shaped my musical tastes more than any other person, show or magazine.
The first time I heard "Copperhead Road" was when Roger Scott played it. He made some comment about sitting there with his mouth open the first time he heard it and it was exactly how I felt.
In fact that song would be a good pick for my theme on the playlist thread next week. Now I've probably got Coatigan sweating that it's a fortnight of yee-haw/cowboy boots and banjos, I'll leave everybody dangling .....
DC is my favourite too, although as @stoneblue says you pick anyone of their first 6I bought this album albeit it cost me a little more than than it did you after discovering Dixie Chicken still my favourite of theirs and one of my favourite albums of all time but that doesn't worry me in the slightest now or did it really then when music was my drug of choice. Underrated doesn't begin to describe this band , certainly in my top 20 favourite bands of all time and I have sung their praises on various threads before.
It doesn't quite reach the heights of Dixie Chicken and I never quite understood why they are not in the Hall of Fame given the talent and catalogue they produced and of course Lowell George on guitar but in the end who really cares if they were not as commercially successfully as some of their devotees would have wished or thought they would be as opposed to the likes of Three Dog Night who didn't write much of their more successful; material.
Great songs , great production and variety ( R&B , rock , funk , honky tonk all rolled into one ) an easy 8/10 for me.
Nice choice for a first timer.