The southern soul gem Knock On Wood by Eddie Floyd came out in 1967 on Stax Records. Backed by the Stax House Band, Booker T. & The MGs, the album relishes the gritty sound that defined the label, from its rifle-crack snare, to its punchy rhythm section, complete with swaggering horns and chromatic guitar progressions. Here I’m featuring the opening two songs of the album, the title track and "Something You Got". The former features the same progression as Wilson Pickett’s famous “Midnight Hour” but played in reverse, talk about getting bang for your buck.
Tag: mp3
“S’posin I should fall in love with you
Do you think that you could love me too?”
An unheralded classic from one of the greatest early jazz musicians. While Fats didn’t possess the voice that made Louis Armstrong so identifiable, Fats is quite a character and every bit Armstrong’s equal as a musician.
“Lost in the Light” is the gorgeous slow-burn album opener off of Bahamas Barchords which belies the complexity that presents itself in the album. Here though, a golden smolder of a guitar line guides the melody along before it becomes transformed by a pitch perfect choral vocal and rumbling piano lines. But mark my words, you’ll be sold before he even says his first word.
As a bonus, I’m also including “Caught Me Thinking”, the song that follows on the album. I’ll be damned if i will hear another better guitar song this year. This song has hips. Download both below.
Barchords, the sophomore effort of Bahamas, was released February 7th, 2012 on Brushfire Records.
“Fine Time” is the album’s steller track (only because “Pressure Drop” is a cover) with a false start and Palmer’s vocal count in starting this absolutely burning groove. While the tempo may be slower, the band matches the intensity of the arrangement on “Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley” with every player in top form, like coals on the fire, constantly smoldering, the organ coming to a peak with a great solo while the funky rhythm section (the drums are a highlight here) never trying to steal the spotlight. It’s truly Palmer’s vocal performance however, that turns this song into a classic, swooping in and out of the arrangement, not only holding down the groove but taking it to new heights. If you loved Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley, this is a must have. Check out the full post on Robert Palmer’s Pressure Drop here and download “Fine Time” and “Trouble” as a bonus below.
The Art of the Mixtape 