Little Feat
Sam's Place
***and1/2 out of *****
The first studio album in over twelve years from the current incarnation of Little Feat is a bit of shift for the band. The group has always crisscrossed the American musical landscape playing everything from rock, funk, folk, jazz, country and New Orleans swamp boogie, back to back with ease. Now they focus on one genre throughout a full record, the blues, as Sam's Place features Sam Clayton on lead vocals as the group tackles a bunch of tunes made famous by Willie Dixon and Muddy Waters.
The current incarnation of Little Feat includes, founding member Bill Payne on keys/vocals with Scott Sharrard on lead guitar/vocals, Tony Leone on drums/vocals, Fred Tackett on guitars/vocals, Kenny Gradney on bass, and Sam Clayton on percussion/lead vocals. Also contributing mightily on Sam's Place are Saxophone – Art Edmaiston, Trumpet – Marc Franklina and Harmonica – Michael "Bull" LoBue.
The sax blows and the slow slinky blues of "Milkman" open the record with the band sounding so at ease it would seem they have been making blues records their whole career. Recorded in Memphis, Tennessee in one of Sam Phillips’ Sun Records studios, the natural sounding album just flows out. The revved up "You'll Be Mine" is a burner with growling vocals, highlighted by Payne playing Jerry Lee Lewis' old piano and Sharrad ripping a monster solo as the band goes full throttle.
Things relax for the acoustic picking of "Long Distance Call" which finds Clayton duetting with long time friend of the band Bonnie Raitt. The grooving "Don't Go No Further" is a showcase for LoBue whose harmonica really shines when given the spotlight. Clayton's vocals are on point throughout but jump to the forefront on "Can't Be Satisfied" which also features a sweet slide solo from Sharrad.
Payne's organ/piano work highlight "Last Night" before the horns and harmonica return for a pumping version of "Why People Like That" that finds Clayton comically questioning with great singing. The gutbucket blues of "Mellow Down Easy" gets the tempo kicked up a notch while the record closes with a live offering of the band playing the classic "Got My Mojo Working" from the Boulder Theatre in Boulder, CO on Dec 17, 2022
Perhaps it is the Little Feats legendary history, or the current lineups talents, but Sam's Place is a rock solid blues album from any era and a fine modern addition to the classic groups legacy.
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