Little Feat (from the rereleased albums Sailin’ Shoes and Dixie Chicken

Little Feat (from the rereleased albums Sailin’ Shoes and Dixie Chicken

Little Feat (from the rereleased albums Sailin’ Shoes and Dixie Chicken available on Warner Records) (by Lee Zimmerman)
 
Their eponymous debut aside, Little Feat made their most emphatic imprint with the two albums that followed, Sailin’ Shoes and Dixie Chicken. Granted, other noteworthy albums would follow throughout the 1970s, but it can also be effectively argued that these two albums established the template that forever defined the Southern style Rock’n’Soul rumble that would forever identify them in the decades to come.
 
Sailin’ Shoes featured the seminal version of the band — guitarist and prime mover Lowell George, keyboardist Bill Payne, bassist Roy Estrada, and drummer/percussionist Richie Hayward — and included any number of songs that would remain standards in their concert repertoire for decades to come, among them, “Easy To Slip”, “Cold, Cold, Cold”, the title track, and, most decidedly, “Willin”, an oft-covered ballad that arguably qualifies as their most enduring track as well as the one that still inspires absolute reverence for Lowell George’s songwriting skills. This welcome reissue features demo and alternate versions of several of those songs — all markedly different from the finished versions courtesy of their stripped-down renderings. An early take on “Easy to Slip” is particularly intriguing due to the fact that it was demoed for label mates the Doobie Brothers.
 
Providing further incentive for repurchase are the live tracks rounding out the bonus disc. Recorded at the Palladium in Los Angeles on August 28, 1971, they show the band already in prime form, rocking with a clear confidence that belies the fact they were still in their relative infancy. A definitive version of “Tripe Face Boogie” demonstrates their clear confidence in transferring their material from studio to stage even early on. Naturally, a live take on “Willin’”, off-handedly introduced as ‘Country and Western music’ is also essential. Relayed with its original spoken narrative, the song kicks in with the chorus and Payne’s shimmering keyboard accompaniment.
 
Dixie Chicken remains among the most essential of all the Feat albums, courtesy of the title track, “Roll ‘Um Easy”, “Two Trains”, and “Fat Man in the Bathtub”, further examples of Lowell George’s credence as the band’s prime composer. By then, the band’s line-up had changed significantly, with Paul Barrere coming on board as second guitarist, Kenny Gradney replacing Roy Estrada on bass, and Sam Clayton making his bow on percussion.
 
Like the recast Sailin’ Shoes, the Dixie Chicken reissue boasts a wealth of bonus tracks, again significantly distinctive as opposed to the finished takes. “Two Trains” and “Fat Man in the Bathtub” differ decidedly in their clip-clop rhythms, indicative of the fact that the band was still feeling its way forward. Nevertheless, the loose and funky treatment stays true to the band’s initial intents. Also included are early versions of songs that didn’t make it onto the eventual album.
 
As before, the bonus disc is rounded out by live material, in this case, songs culled from a 1973 show at Paul’s Mall in Boston on April 1, 1973. A casual take on “Fat Man in the Bathtub” and welcome returns to “Willin’” and “A Political Blues” add to the allure.
 
Both reissues feature extensive liner notes and essential information, from David Fricke and Dennis McNally, respectively, as well as lyrics for each of the songs. Feat fans, and likely a wider audience as well, ought to find these two offerings as important as they are essential. (by Lee Zimmerman)
 
Listen and buy the music of Little Feat ‘Sailin’ Shoes’ from AMAZON
 
Listen and buy the music of Little Feat ‘Dixie Chicken’ from AMAZON
 
Please visit the Little Feat website for more information