"…Gotta Work To Make It Work…"
After
stints with THE ALAN BOWN in the Sixties, DADA in 1970 and three albums with
VINEGAR JOE (featuring Elkie Brooks) between 1972 and 1973 – ROBERT PALMER was
finally ready to go Solo. The result was his fabulous debut "Sneakin'
Sally Through The Alley" in 1974 on Island Records and its
under-appreciated follow-up "Pressure Drop" in 1976. This 2CD reissue
on Demon's Edsel label celebrates both records with real style (even throwing
in 6 Bonus cuts which all new to CD - 4 Previously Unreleased).
UK
released 26 August 2013 - "Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley/Pressure
Drop" by ROBERT PALMER on Edsel EDSK 7037 (Barcode 740155703738) is a 2CD
set in a Card Slipcase with Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows:
Disc
1 (52:24 minutes)
1.
Sailin’ Shoes
2.
Hey Julia
3.
Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley
4.
Get Outside
5.
Blackmail
6.
How Much Fun
7.
From A Whisper To A Scream
8.
Through it All There’s You
Tracks
1 to 8 are his debut Solo LP “Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley” – UK released
September 1974 on Island ILPS 9294
BONUS TRACKS:
9.
Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley (Single Mix)
Non-Album version released
November 1974 as a US-Only 7" single on Island 006
10.
Epidemic
Non-Album B-side to "Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley", November 1974 US 7" single on Island IS 006 - his debut 45 in the States (no UK equivalent)
11.
Blackmail (Alternate Mix) – Previously Unreleased
12.
Get Outside (Alternate Mix) – Previously Unreleased
Disc
2 (43:56 minutes):
1.
Give Me An Inch
2.
Work To Make It Work
3.
Back In My Arms
4.
River Boat
5.
Pressure Drop
6.
Here With You Tonight
7.
Trouble
8.
Fine Time
9.
Which Of Us Is The Fool
Tracks
1 to 9 are his 2nd Solo LP “Pressure Drop” – UK released April 1976 on Island
ILPS 9372
BONUS TRACKS
10. Willin' (Demo, Little Feat cover version) - Previously Unreleased
11. Hope We Never Wake (Demo) –
Previously Unreleased
The
outer card wrap is generic to all these Edsel reissues and certainly gives the
whole thing a classy feel. Fans will also know that outside of the “Gold”
anthology on Universal – Palmer’s Island catalogue has been languishing without
remasters for decades. Although it doesn’t say who remastered these album at
Universal – the sound quality is great – a huge improvement over the dull
Eighties discs we’d had for years. The 28-page booklet is substantial –
pictures of the albums and rare singles, studio shots, colour publicity stuff,
lyrics to both albums, affectionate and knowledgeable liner notes by CHRIS
JONES – it’s a bang-up job done.
Fans
will know that the original UK vinyl album has barely decipherable credits on
the top left of the rear cover that give no real recording info and there was
no inner sleeve (the standard issue blue inner bag). I say this because
recording history now shows that members of LITTLE FEAT (Lowell George, Bill
Payne and Paul Barrere) and much of THE METERS (Art Neville, Leon Noncentelli,
Ziggy Modelisti and George Porter Jr.) filled out the sessions with Funky-Rock
magic.
As
if that isn’t amazing enough – there’s Jazz-Funk main men RICHARD TEE on
Keyboards with CORNELL DUPREE on Guitar, the legendary sessionman BERNARD
PURDIE on Drums (Steely Dan and millions of others) and even STEVE WINWOOD on
keyboards. He also took the Bassist STEVE YORK from Dada and Vinegar Joe with
him and Steve provides some amazing backbeat and Harmonica Solos throughout.
None of this was on the artwork! Perhaps had that info been displayed – it
might have sold better – or made more of an impact…
The
debut opens with the distinctive guitar of Lowell George on a boogie cover of
his own “Sailin’ Shoes” followed by Palmer getting funky with his beat box on
“Hey Julia” (an RP original). A slice of magic occurs with Allen Toussaint’s
“Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley” – all the staggering funk of the musicians
collides to produce a mean shuffler. There’s some hiss for sure on the slinky
“Get Outside” (another Palmer original) but the remaster still allows the
amazing Bass and Rhythm breathe like never before –it’s fantastic (the lady
vocals are still uncredited).
“Blackmail”
is an upbeat co-write with Lowell George (good rather than great) while “How
Much Fun” goes as fully Little Feat as possible – stabbing keyboards, backing
girl vocals, lingering slide guitar notes – it’s very cool. There then follows
the album’s double masterpiece finishers – the incredible “From A Whisper To A
Scream” (more Allen Toussaint New Orleans old-skool coolness) and the twelve
and half minute Palmer original “Through It All There’s You”. It’s the kind of
slow building funky Rock tune that always brings customers to the counter –
Winwood on the Fender Rhodes with Cornell Dupree flicking those licks
throughout. It has an infectious vocal too – truly brilliant stuff.
Fans
of both Palmer and Little Feat will thrill to the two debut LP outtakes –
“Blackmail” features Lowell and the band giving it some melodic magic – it’s
just superb. “Get Outside” is a slow bluesy take instead of the funkier album
final – and again – great guitar and a very pronounced lady vocal.
After
the heavy dependence on covers on the debut – album number 2 “Pressure Drop”
features six Palmer originals with “Trouble” being another Little Feat Cover,
the title track a take on the famous Toots & The Maytals reggae anthem and
“River Boat” a return to one of his faves – Allen Toussaint. The opener “Give
Me An Inch” would later be covered by Ian Matthews to stunning groovy effect on
his underrated and soulful “Stealing Home” album from 1979. There then follows
a huge favourite of mine – the groovy “Work To Make It Work” (lyrics above).
For 1976 it seemed to somehow predate so much Funk-Rock that followed in a
similar vein in the late Seventies. Things get a bit too syrupy with the
stringed-up “Back In My Arms” while “River Boat” returns to that New Orleans
choppy feel and is far better.
The
album’s second real gem is “Here With you Tonight” sounding like Little Feat
with The Tower Of Power horns blasting in the background with an impassioned
Palmer vocal out front. What a winner.
Again
– Little Feat fans will flip for the simple acoustic demo of George’s gorgeous
“Willin’” – even as a basic demo recording – its lovely and intimate.
“Hope
We Wake Up” is similar – a simple acoustic demo – where he stops and starts as
he works out the melody – it’s lovely too.
I’ve
always thought Robert Palmer was a class act – not just as singer – but also as
a vessel for other people’s songs. Sure it’s not all genius – but there’s a lot
of quality Seventies Funk-Rock on offer here for not a lot of dollar bills.
Get
this fabulous double-CD in your life and you’ll find yourself sneakin’ those
other titles into your shopping basket too…
