15 April 2013 (Day 105) – The Meters

Things weren’t so bad after the disaster of the footy yesterday.  After the match, I popped off to South Wharf and headed to the JB HiFi there.  Normally, I don’t do well there but, to my great surprise, I was able to buy five albums by New Orleans funk masters The Meters for $6.95 each.

Until yesterday, I hadn’t owned any of the original Meters recordings from the late 60s/early 70s although I had an album or two from later versions of the band starting from 1990.  I also have most of the key albums by The Neville Brothers which grew out of the band.

Today was a frantic day at work which involved a lot of research and writing. (And like any sports obssessed Australian, I spent my first hour of the working week keeping one eye on The Masters as Adam Scott claimed victory.) I played through three of the albums over the course of the day starting with;

(# 284) The Meters – Self Titled (1969)

Their debut album was an entirely instrumental affair with a feel and sound not all that dissimilar to Booker T. and The MG’s.  The two singles released at the time Cissy Strut and Sophisticated Sissy are the undoubted highpoints but the tight interplay between Art Neville on keyboards, Joseph ‘Zigaboo’ Modeliste on drums, Leo Nonventelli on guitar and George Porter on bass was already apparent.  The unreleased bonus tracks on my edition of the album, The Look Of Love and Soul Machine are solid.

(# 285) The Meters – Look-Ka Py Py (1970)

There really isn’t much of difference between this and the debut although there are hints of vocal work on the title track.  Rigor Mortis, Little Old Money Maker and Dry Spell also stand out but the unreleased bonus material is unremarkable.

(# 286) The Meters – Cabbage Alley (1972)

Their fourth album and first for a major label sees them branching out. Art Neville handles lead vocals on a handful of tracks including a cover of Neil Young’s Birds and the rocky Lonesome And Unwanted People.  Do the Dirt flirts with reggae whilst You’ve Got To Change (You’ve Got To Reform) can be described as an informal jam.  Cabbage Alley, apparently a cover of Professor Longhair’s Hey Now Baby, features Cyril Neville on vocals possibly marking one of the first steps towards the eventual formation of The Neville Brothers. But the undisputed highlight of my copy is actually bonus tracks Chug Chug Chug-A-Lug (Push And Shove) Parts 1 & 2, a seriously funky slice of prime New Orleans magic.