Collecting 1972's Life, Love and Faith, 1975's Southern Nights and 1978's Motion, as well as a bonus disc of a complete 1975 concert, The Complete Warner Recordings is the rare compilation that serves as both highlight reel and in-depth tutorial. To call Allen Toussaint "underrated" is both fitting and a slight understatement, as though his recorded output over the past 50 years has been incredible (for those who've been keeping track), he's best known as the writer of other people's hits. Glenn Campbell made "Southern Nights" his own in his 1977 album of the same name, Bonnie Raitt used "What is Success" as the centerpiece to her 1974 Streetlights LP and just about everyone has their own version of "Working in the Coal Mine." Looking back on his string of LPs for Warner/Reprise in the mid 70s though, it's amazing Toussaint didn't hit it big in his own right. The first of the bunch, Live, Love and Faith, overflows with hits, touches on tripped out funk and, though bordering on genre exercise, manages to hold together quite nicely, but his second LP for the label, Southern Nights, is the true masterpiece. Held together by the title track, sections of which weave in and out of the LP in ghostly apparitions, Southern Nights is a classic fusion of southern soul and tasteful psychedelia in the hands of a true master - impeccably arranged from end to end and fascinating through a set of headphones. Its follow up, Motion, doesn't quite move me as do its predecessors, but I'm sure it will eventually, so it's great to have on deck. Highlights of the live set include "Last Train" and "Southern Nights," but really, it's incredible all the way through to Toussaint's closing statements.
Showing posts with label Allen Toussaint. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Allen Toussaint. Show all posts
Friday
Allen Toussaint
The Complete Warner Recordings - 1972-1978
Collecting 1972's Life, Love and Faith, 1975's Southern Nights and 1978's Motion, as well as a bonus disc of a complete 1975 concert, The Complete Warner Recordings is the rare compilation that serves as both highlight reel and in-depth tutorial. To call Allen Toussaint "underrated" is both fitting and a slight understatement, as though his recorded output over the past 50 years has been incredible (for those who've been keeping track), he's best known as the writer of other people's hits. Glenn Campbell made "Southern Nights" his own in his 1977 album of the same name, Bonnie Raitt used "What is Success" as the centerpiece to her 1974 Streetlights LP and just about everyone has their own version of "Working in the Coal Mine." Looking back on his string of LPs for Warner/Reprise in the mid 70s though, it's amazing Toussaint didn't hit it big in his own right. The first of the bunch, Live, Love and Faith, overflows with hits, touches on tripped out funk and, though bordering on genre exercise, manages to hold together quite nicely, but his second LP for the label, Southern Nights, is the true masterpiece. Held together by the title track, sections of which weave in and out of the LP in ghostly apparitions, Southern Nights is a classic fusion of southern soul and tasteful psychedelia in the hands of a true master - impeccably arranged from end to end and fascinating through a set of headphones. Its follow up, Motion, doesn't quite move me as do its predecessors, but I'm sure it will eventually, so it's great to have on deck. Highlights of the live set include "Last Train" and "Southern Nights," but really, it's incredible all the way through to Toussaint's closing statements.
Collecting 1972's Life, Love and Faith, 1975's Southern Nights and 1978's Motion, as well as a bonus disc of a complete 1975 concert, The Complete Warner Recordings is the rare compilation that serves as both highlight reel and in-depth tutorial. To call Allen Toussaint "underrated" is both fitting and a slight understatement, as though his recorded output over the past 50 years has been incredible (for those who've been keeping track), he's best known as the writer of other people's hits. Glenn Campbell made "Southern Nights" his own in his 1977 album of the same name, Bonnie Raitt used "What is Success" as the centerpiece to her 1974 Streetlights LP and just about everyone has their own version of "Working in the Coal Mine." Looking back on his string of LPs for Warner/Reprise in the mid 70s though, it's amazing Toussaint didn't hit it big in his own right. The first of the bunch, Live, Love and Faith, overflows with hits, touches on tripped out funk and, though bordering on genre exercise, manages to hold together quite nicely, but his second LP for the label, Southern Nights, is the true masterpiece. Held together by the title track, sections of which weave in and out of the LP in ghostly apparitions, Southern Nights is a classic fusion of southern soul and tasteful psychedelia in the hands of a true master - impeccably arranged from end to end and fascinating through a set of headphones. Its follow up, Motion, doesn't quite move me as do its predecessors, but I'm sure it will eventually, so it's great to have on deck. Highlights of the live set include "Last Train" and "Southern Nights," but really, it's incredible all the way through to Toussaint's closing statements.
Wednesday
Allen Toussaint
What is Success: The Scepter and Bell Recordings - 1968-70
It's hard to fathom the meager success of Allen Toussaint when considering the incredible impact he's had on music over the past 40+ years. In fact, the title of this compilation might be more fitting with a question mark at the end, but that's just getting picky. Jokes aside, this collection of tracks from Toussaint's second LP (the first under his own name) and a few singles from his days on the Bell label is a stunning example of the man's ability to crank out classic after classic tune and one of the greatest single documents of Crescent City R&B every produced. And though he's looked upon fondly for his songwriting chops, Toussaint's fingerprints are all over records by Dr. John, the Meters, Lee Dorsey and famously, the Band's Rock of Ages LP, for which he arranged the horns. Just take a peek at the liner notes - he's everywhere. So hearing Toussaint's own records is like filling in a giant void, connecting the dots on your record collection and realizing there's a giant hole in it where his LPs should be sitting.
It's hard to fathom the meager success of Allen Toussaint when considering the incredible impact he's had on music over the past 40+ years. In fact, the title of this compilation might be more fitting with a question mark at the end, but that's just getting picky. Jokes aside, this collection of tracks from Toussaint's second LP (the first under his own name) and a few singles from his days on the Bell label is a stunning example of the man's ability to crank out classic after classic tune and one of the greatest single documents of Crescent City R&B every produced. And though he's looked upon fondly for his songwriting chops, Toussaint's fingerprints are all over records by Dr. John, the Meters, Lee Dorsey and famously, the Band's Rock of Ages LP, for which he arranged the horns. Just take a peek at the liner notes - he's everywhere. So hearing Toussaint's own records is like filling in a giant void, connecting the dots on your record collection and realizing there's a giant hole in it where his LPs should be sitting.
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