LITTLE FEAT - Strike Up The Band (2025)

Titles:
01- 4 Days Of Heaven, 3 Days Of Work
02- Bayou Mama
03- Shipwrecks
04- Midnight Flight
05- Too High To Cut My Hair
06- When Hearts Fall
07- Strike Up The Band
08- Bluegrass Pines
09- Disappearing Ink
10- Love And Life (Never Fear)
11- Dance A Little
12- Running Out Of Time With The Blues
13- New Orleans Cries When She Sings

Musicians:
Billy Payne (piano, keyboards, lead vocals & backing vocals)
Fred Tackett (acoustic & electric guitars, mandolin, lead vocals & backing vocals)
Scott Sharrard (acoustic & electric guitars, slide, lead vocals & backing vocals)
Kenny Gradney (bass, backing vocals)
Sam Clayton (percussion, backing vocals)
Tony Leone (drums, lead vocals & backing vocals)

With:
Molly Tuttle (guitar – #08)
Larry Campbell (backing vocals – #08)
Teresa Williams (backing vocals – #08)
Larkin Poe (vocals – #07)

Art Edmaiston (saxophone)
Marc Franklin (trumpet)
Kristen Rogers (backing vocals – #04, 06, 11, 13)

This is an album that will greatly delight anyone who was a little disappointed by the almost exclusive use of cover songs on "Sam's Place," the album released last year after a long silence of about twelve years. Not only can we listen to an album entirely dedicated to original compositions, but these, quite numerous (13), shine with their excellent quality. Together with the talent of the musicians and technicians, they form an excellent album: varied, warm, and catchy. Scott Sharrard particularly stands out, whether on slide guitar or vocals, not to mention his involvement in writing seven tracks—more than half the album! Truly, this new Little Feat album has something to enchant all ears, not only those who already appreciate the band, but also many other listeners.

Let's take a closer look and see what it's all about. The album opens with the powerful intro to "4 Days Of Heaven, 3 Days Of Work" by a woodwind/brass section (Art Edmaiston on saxophone and Marc Franklin on trumpet), which continues its thunderous work throughout the swaying rhythm of the track, supporting Scott Sharrard's vocals. He also treats us to a prominent slide guitar with a superb solo. This is just a taste of what's to come! On the following track, "Bayou Mama," co-written by Charlie Starr (leader of Blackberry Smoke, for those who don't know) and Bill Payne, who also handles the lead vocals and a fine piano solo, Scott Sharrard once again demonstrates his slide guitar prowess. It all starts off strong and continues in a calmer vein with "Shipwrecks," a more subdued composition about our lives by Scott Sharrard, which gradually builds in intensity, featuring a lyrical vocal performance by Sharrard himself. As for the slide guitar... I don't need to spell it out for you. A brief, moderate pause, quickly followed by a catchy guitar riff, soon joined by the rhythm section and horns, introduces "Midnight Flight," a lively track also written by Scott Sharrard, who naturally sings it himself, with backing from Kristen Rogers, and featuring a great guitar solo.

Life is full of surprises, and that's the subject of the next track, co-written by Tackett and Sharrard, "Too High To Cut My Hair," which humorously recounts Fred Tackett's adventure when he asked his wife to cut his hair, only to discover (and what a mess!) that she was too high to do it. Picture the scene! Musically, the prominent presence of the wind instruments over a lively, funky rhythm section is noteworthy, culminating in a truly beautiful finale: after a key change for a guitar solo, we are treated to a succession of wind instrument contributions and a guitar-driven break, followed by a sharp guitar duel, a vocal reprise of the chorus, and finally, a delightful saxophone solo. A slide guitar intro leads us into "When Hearts Fall." The somewhat melancholic lead vocals of Bill Payne, who co-wrote this haunting and meditative track with John Leventhal, are also supported by Kristen Rogers. How can one describe the way Scott Sharrard delivers a stunning slide guitar counterpoint throughout the song, and also takes on the magnificent solo? After a central break featuring acoustic guitar and organ, the track returns to its coda, leaving a very strong impression, before the backing vocals of the Lovell sisters from Larkin Poe lead into a mandolin for the album's title track, written by Scott Sharrard, who, of course, sings it. He talks about the challenge of starting something new, referring to his early days in the band. Besides the prominent backing vocals, there's a perfect piano solo followed by a few slide guitar notes, before ending with some harmonica notes in the background of the coda. The groove continues with "Bluegrass Pines," a syncopated track co-written by Bill Payne and legendary Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, from their 2012 writing session that already produced four tracks for the album Rooster Rag. Is that Bill Payne playing the Cajun accordion part on keyboards? Molly Tuttle's acoustic guitar, Fred Tackett's mandolin, and backing vocals complete a lush arrangement.

"Disappearing Ink," another Sharrard composition, who also sings, sometimes supported by female backing vocals, is a reflection on broken relationships, solidly underpinned by Tackett's Fender and Payne's piano, while Sharrard soars into a slide solo that we wish had been longer, but we make up for it a bit at the end of the track with a second helping. “Love And Life (Never Fear)” provides a sort of “sexual healing” moment on the album, thanks to Tackett’s charming vocals over a complex rhythm section, with solos that highlight the stylistic differences between the guitarists, answered by a slightly offbeat piano solo from Payne. The horns and mandolin return to accompany “Dance A Little,” a Bill Payne composition that is indeed very danceable, and where his solo vocals are again supported here and there by backing vocals including Kristen Rogers, the whole thing retaining a touch of Mexican, or at least Latin, influence. “Running Out Of Time With The Blues,” the following track, is the only one on the album sung solo by Tony Leone, the new drummer. It must be said that the band has no shortage of good singers… This no-nonsense blues sounds very pleasant thanks to Payne’s honky-tonk keyboards and Sharrard’s slide guitar, with a nice bridge in the middle of the song. Its somewhat raw edge contrasts sharply with the lushness of most of the other tracks, but since it also works well in its own style, we won't hold it against it.

This album closes in a contrasting fashion, as the final track, "New Orleans Cries When She Sings," a collaboration between Payne and Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon, begins with a somewhat somber piano intro that allows Payne's vocals to settle in, recounting the misfortunes of New Orleans and its post-Katrina recovery. But suddenly everything stops and restarts at a much more joyful pace, with the appearance of horns, powerful choirs, and all the madness of this martyred city. The piano solo, much more joyful than the intro, intertwines with the trumpet in a joyful, chaotic way. In short, it starts to pulse in a very pleasant way, and you think you're going to end on a joyful and unrestrained note. But the coda brings the atmosphere of the intro back to the forefront, reminding us that despite the singing and laughter, we mustn't forget the tragedy caused by the hurricane.

Let's celebrate here, after so many years in the business, the undeniable return to form of a great band, revitalized by the arrival of new musicians, boasting a particularly tight rhythm section and producing beautifully imaginative vocal and instrumental parts. They haven't lost any of their skill in composing and arranging excellent pieces. This highly successful album is truly great news for our music!

Y. Philippot-Degand
Translation : Y. Philippot-Degand