December 1970 US Debut LP "Little Feat" on Warner Brothers WS 1890
Reissued January 1971 with Different Rear Sleeve Artwork (Printed Lyrics)
Unissued in the UK until January 1975 on Warner Brothers K 46072
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"…Snakes
On Everything…"
Here's how to get the "Little Feat" debut LP in its best digital shape.
Taking
its title from a New Orleans bopper on 1990's "Representing The
Mambo" LP - "Rad Gumbo: The Complete Warner Bros. Years 1971 to
1990" by LITTLE FEAT is a 13CD Mini Box Set that many fans will say has
been a long-time coming. As usual it's a mixture of highs and lows (with way
more ups than downs thankfully).
UK
released Monday 24 February 2014 (4 March 2014 in the USA) – "Rad Gumbo:
The Complete Warner Bros. Years 1971 to 1990" by LITTLE FEAT on Rhino/Warner
Brothers 8122796057 (Barcode 081227960575) is a 13CD Mini Box Set.
I would argue that getting the wildly underrated "Little Feat" debut album in its very best form (both content-wise and audio), then Discs 1 and 13 in this very sexy Box Set offers the punter a double-headed sweetie. Time for snakes on everything...
Disc
1 (33:16 minutes):
1.
Snakes On Everything [Side 1]
2.
Strawberry Flats
3.
Truck Stop Girl
4.
Brides Of Jesus
5.
Willing
6.
Hamburger Midnight
7.
Forty-Four Blues/How Many More Years [Side 2]
8.
Crack In Your Door
9.
I've Been The One
10.
Crazy Captain Gunboat Willie
Tracks
1 to 10 are their debut studio album "Little
Feat"
– released December 1970 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1890 – reissued
January 1971 with the same catalogue number but lyrics rear sleeve artwork. It
remained un-issued in the UK until January 1975 on Warner Brothers K 46072 using the Burbank Colouring label. Produced by RUSS TITELMAN – it didn't chart in
either country. Ry Cooder plays Bottleneck Guitar on Tracks 5 and 7, whilst
Sneaky Pete Kleinow plays Pedal Steel Guitar on Track 9. Three Outtakes from the sessions appear on Disc 13 of the "Rad
Gumbo: The Complete Warner Bros. Years 1971 to 1990" Box Set (see below).
CD13
of the Box Set is a 24-Track BONUS DISC entitled "Outtakes From
Hotcakes" which features all the previously unreleased versions from the
much-loved and long deleted 4CD Rhino Box Set "Hotcakes &
Outtakes..." issued in 2000 (78:29 minutes):
1.
Jazz Thing In 10
2.
Rat Faced Dog ("Little Feat" Outtake)
3.
Doglines (("Little Feat" Outtake)
4.
Wait Till The Shit Hits The Fan ("Little Feat" Outtake)
5.
Easy To Fall (Easy To Slip) (Demo Made For The Doobie Brothers)
6.
Texas Rose Café (Demo Made For The Doobie Brothers)
7.
Doriville ("Salin' Shoes" Outtake)
8.
Boogie (became "Tripe Face Boogie") (as per 7)
9.
Two Trains (Lowell George Demo)
10.
Roto/Tone (as per 7)
11.
Ace In The Hole (later became "Hi Roller") ("Dixie Chicken"
Outtake)
12.
Eldorado Slim (as per 11)
13.
Feats Don't Fail Me Now ("Feat Don't Fail Me Now" Outtake)
14.
Brickyard Blues (as per 13)
15.
All That You Dream [Outtake featuring Linda Ronstadt]
16.
Spanish Moon (7" Single Version)
17.
Down Below The Borderline (Lowell George Demo)
18.
Rockin' Shoes I & II (Lowell George Demo)
19.
Front Page News ("The Last Record Album" Outtake)
20.
High Roller (as per 19)
21.
All That You Dream [with Linda Ronstadt] - 7" Single Version
22.
Roll 'Em Easy ("Thanks I'll Eat It Here" Lowell George Solo LP
Outtake)
23.
Boogie Wigwam (Short Jazz Piece) ("PZM" Pressure Mic Demo)
24.
Teenage Nervous Breakdown (Previously Unreleased Live Version)
SOUND:
Fans
will know that the Expanded Edition of "Waiting For Columbus" and the
"Hotcakes & Outtakes..." tracks are remasters from the 00's and
the last two "Let It Roll" and "Representing The Mambo"
were well recorded anyway. It's the Seventies output that has need upgrading
for years and the Big News is that although there's no mention of mastering
anywhere on the box or on the discs - some of these are REMASTERS and they
sound glorious. Fans should also notice the subtle timing differences between these
CDs and the ones in the disappointing "Original Album Classics" 5CD
set from 2010 which simply repackaged crap Eighties sounding CDs. They're all
different. Two huge improvements come in the shape of "Little Feat" and "Sailin' Shoes" - great audio. To the self-titled debut...
Fans
will know that "Little Feat" was preceded by a 16 September 1970 US-only
45-single - "Hamburger Midnight" b/w "Strawberry Flats" on
Warner Brothers 7431. White label promos exist, but I've never seen a stock
copy, so response must have been lame, as it was to the LP itself, said to have
sold as little as 11,000 copies. Billboard Magazine first reviewed "Little Feat" in their 5
December 1970 issue giving it a special merit, but no picture nor was their even an
advert from WB.
Rolling Stone Magazine wouldn't get to "Little Feat" until early
February 1971 after its rear-sleeve artwork re-release. Fans will also know that the
original 1970 rear sleeve artwork came with just photos and some credits for
the songs, but then went through about three more variants in 1971 most
featuring the lyrics on the rear sleeve. The Mini LP Card Sleeve in this
box set faithfully uses the first original artwork with only band-photos and no lyrics on the rear. To the
music...
The
debut opens with "Snakes On Everything" and "Strawberry Flats"
– Billy Payne and Lowell George delivering two great starter stings (bill sings
the first, Lowell the second) – huge power in the guitars and the strangulated
vocals. There is also stunning muscular clarity on the churning Rock-Funk of "Hamburger
Midnight" (dig that Harmonica too), but I have to say (hand on heart) that
the remake of "Willing" on "Sailin’ Shoes" is the better
version. The debut first go-round plays it quicker and the snatching pace kind
of does for the loveliness of the melody even if his slide guitar playing is
fabulous.
Same
old crowd is hanging out for "Truck Stop Girl", Little Feat feeling
like a funked-up Allman Brothers while there is noticeable hiss on "Bride
Of Jesus" – the Kirby Johnson string arrangements sweet as they bolster up
this sad tale of loss. Album gems come in the shape of the double-headed Howlin'
Wolf Blues of "Forty Four Blues/How Many More Years" (the only cover
on the album) and the rocking don’t let the wind in through the "Crack In
Your Door". And on it goes, rediscovering melody and swinging guitar.
For the uninitiated, the mixed bag that is Disc 13 will be an eye-opener because even
their outtakes and throwaways had magic in them. The "Jazz Thing in 10" is an
instrumental with Lowell George on Saxophone (unusually) with Bill Charlton on Bass and is
about as far removed from Little Feat as it can get (and thank God, it isn’t
very good). The 1970-recorded debut proper is represented with three actual
outtakes – two penned by Lowell George and Bill Payne - "Rat Faced Dog"
(Take 1) and "Wait Till The Shit Hits The Fan" whilst "Doglines"
is a Bill Payne tune. George complains (not for the first time) of being a
smoking fool in the excellent and rocking "Rat Faced Dog" (4:54 minutes)
– the keyboards supplemented by some fantastic and mean guitar from him (Lowell
also plays Dulcimer). The shorter beers in the icebox, throw on some records
"Doglines" (2:47 minutes) has Bill taking Lead Vocals while the
slide-shuffler LF backbeat is backed up by George – another genuinely great
archive find. George takes Lead Vocals on "Wait Till The Shit Hits The Fan"
- a cheerleader song that is trying to find a tune but not quite getting
there.
The
"Little Feat" 1970/1971 debut is a clear opening account to the
brilliance that would quickly follow and is something of a lost 70ts gem
really. And those extras only add to your admiration. God Bless you Lowell
George wherever you are...
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