Little Feat follows up their acoustic live album ...At Rams Head with this electric
live recording, Down Upon the Suwannee River. The new live recording was captured on 36
tracks out in the woods of Suwannee, Florida before an appreciative crowd. Post-Lowell George
live
Little Feat has been characterized by wall-of-sound mixing that takes advantage of the sheer power
as a live band Little Feat is able to express. This power is evident on Live From Neon Park,
but was not in as full of bloom as outtakes found on Ripe Tomatos, Volume 1. "Rock & Roll Doctor" from
Raw Tomatos, Volume 1 is plodding and powerful, building momentum
through the introduction to become a relentless juggernaut that, even in the absence of the song’s
composer, is still permeated with George’s genius and sense of humor while maintaining a tornadic
velocity.
Suwannee is composed of a heavy dose of Lowell George-era war-horses and a light
dose of fine post-George selections. The disc begins with "All That You Dream." Barrere
provides a stimulating extended introduction and Bill Payne adds a liberal smattering of keyboard
prowess. Barrere and Murphy capably sing the song in the absence of the sure George
tenor. Next comes the standard paring of "Spanish Moon" and "Skin it Back,"
with
Sam Clayton exercising vocal duties on the former, and Barrere the latter. "Sailin’
Shoes," replete with Fred Tackett’s trademark mandolin shows up.
"Big Bang Theory" and
"Let It Roll" have become regular concert rave-ups showing off how comfortable Shaun
Murphy has become as part of the band. Murphy and Barrere are almost conversational in their
intimacy, Barrere’s slide guitar punctuating every exchange.
If there was any question of Little Feat having jam band credentials, that is put to rest in the 28-
plus minutes of the band’s tour de force, "Dixie Chicken." Actually, make that the
trifecta of "Lafayette Railroad," "Dixie Chicken," and "Tripe Face
Boogie," which altogether clocks in at 37 minutes. The introduction to Dixie Chicken ’s
"Lafayette Railroad" is unrecognizable and sounds like a late Miles Davis musing with
Fred Tackett supplying the muted trumpet. Bill Payne cagily quotes The Last Record Album’s
"Day or Night" before sliding into the familiar strains of "Railroad."
Seamlessly,
"Railroad" gives way to an incendiary "Dixie Chicken" complete with a Kenny
Gradney bass solo and a Bill Payne performance of the aria from Bach’s Goldberg
Variations. This is the first performance of this piece I have heard that ranks with the superb
rendering on
Waiting for
Columbus .
Bob Dylan’s "It Takes a Lot to Laugh" is presented as a blues vamp with Shaun
Murphy shouting soul fire. Ms. Murphy sounds like a cross between Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin,
and Paul Barrere fully establishes himself as a premiere slide guitarist. Little Feat approaches The
Allman Brothers Band for a molten Götterdammerüng. "Oh Atlanta"
may have its finest performance on record in this version, as does "Willin’." Down
Upon the Suwannee River documents a performance of one of America’s finest band’s book
with
fabulous results. Little Feat has truly never sounded better.
For more information, see Little Feat
and
Hot Tomato Records.
~ C. Michael Bailey
