Little Feat is a band I always hear a lot about online, especially in regards to the jam band community, but it is one that I’ve never really checked out before tonight. The band was formed in Los Angeles by Lowell George and Bill Payne in 1969, disbanded in 1979 by Lowell George, due to creative differences, and reformed in 1987 by surviving members that still tour to this day. The band pulls from a healthy blend of Americana related genres, from swamp rock, blues rock, country, folk, and good old fashioned rock and roll. This album, Dixie Chicken (1973), is the band’s third studio album, and though it didn’t chart, the album was well-received and eventually went gold at some point after its release. I’m pretty stoked to check out this album, so with that said, I’m going to jump on into the music.
“Dixie Chicken” starts off with a super groovy and heavily syncopated rhythm that seems to get things grooving with a sound somewhat reminiscent of the swampy NOLA sounds of Dr. John. Oh wow, the piano has a ton of flavor as it seems to drip into the soundscape and gently bounce off of the heavy bass from the background. Oh wow, this tune is super sweet. The instrumental jams absolutely drip with a southern flavor that is nearly infectious. Holy smokes, the jam as the tune fades out is super tasty as the harmonica comes in. Great track.
Oh wow, “Two Trains” starts out with what can be said to be some sort of southern funk rock that has both some extremely smooth grooves with some really tasty funk accentuations. The rhythm section almost reminds me The Allman Brothers Band a bit, mixed with a bit of Allen Toussaint and some more New Orleans based flavor. Oh wow, this is a groovy tune. Even the distorted guitar part has a really smooth approach to the playing style in the soundscape. Great track.
Oh wow, “Roll Um Easy” starts out with some mellow acoustic guitar, which really brings a bit of southern folksiness to the album. Oh wow, the twangy slide guitar that comes on seems to tie this tune with the previous two, making the album feel even more cohesive. Oh wow, this tune sounds like you might hear it in a southern field on a hot summer’s day. Great tune.
Holy smokes, “On Your Way Down” starts out with such a patient groovy sound that has more of a bit of that southern funk feel to it, and absolutely drips with NOLA flavor, which makes sense as the tune was originally by a New Orleans native, Allen Toussaint. Holy smokes, the smooth rhythm section is complemented by some super slick, twangy guitar work and a really groovy rollicking sound from the piano, while the organs/synthesizer produce some swirls that get the soundscape feeling like it’s constantly moving and changing. Holy smokes, this tune is sweet. It almost reminds me of a relaxed Widespread Panic tune with a hint of a southwest inflection at times. Wow, great tune.
“Kiss It Off” starts out with some deep and bassy synthesizer notes and some congas that nearly sound like they’re actually a tabla, while the guitar, piano, and vocals come on in a sort of sparse, desperado cowboy fashion. Oh wow, this tune is sweet. This tune seems rather psychedelic in nature with the different synth effects that seem to appear throughout the soundscape. Oh wow, the slow building sound in this tune absolutely drips with flavor. There’s a little bass note that seems to bubble up with the beat every now and again too, super sweet. Great track.
Oh wow, “Fool Yourself” seems to pick things back up with a super sweet southern groove sound with some keyboards that nearly remind me a bit of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstitious”, and some super sweet southern guitars, both acoustic and electric, that seem to nearly have a caressing sound as the soundscape oozes a sound that sounds like a musical version of the phrase, “southern hospitality”. The smooth bass seems to bubble notes up from the soundscape that the keyboards seems to dig up, adding even more depth to the soundscape. Great tune.
Oh wow, “Walkin’ All Night” starts out with a bit of a twangy southern blues rock sound that the band seems to lean into with the different acoustic slide guitar lines and the bluesy vocals. I really dig the background chorus vocals, which nearly add a gospel-like effect to the frame of the soundscape. Oh wow, the piano comes in with a bit of rollicking line to add even more of an upbeat sound to this groovy tune. Super sweet track.
“Fat Man In the Bathtub” starts out with a bit of a syncopated marching sound from the percussion section, which is soon joined by some really tasty slide guitar parts and piano lines that join up to create a multi-instrumental chorus effect as things line up really nicely. Oh wow, this is a super tasty tune. Oh wow, for a moment all that’s playing is that syncopated drum beat alongside the super tasty piano line, and seems to lean into that New Orleans flavor in the tune. Oh wow, another guitar part comes on and seems to add some accentuations that nearly squeal into the soundscape; super tasty playing. Wow, super groovy tune.
“Juliette” starts out with some tasty keyboards that have a tone reminiscent of mid-late 1960s psychedelia, but are played with a tasty New Orleans-like groove. Oh wow, I really dig the guitar parts in this one, which remind me a lot of Nils Lofgren’s playing in Crazy Horse. Holy smokes, that flute adds a super interesting element that nearly has a mystical quality as the tune picks up some folksy flavors with a rock and roll sound. Great track.
Oh wow, “Lafayette Railroad” starts out with a really interesting, patient, slow-moving groove, almost like the train that is this album is steadily pulling into the station after one groovy set of songs leading up to this point. The southern twang of the sliding electric guitar adds some tasty and easy going flavors, that nearly begin to border on some sort of southern yacht rock sound when combined with the slow and steady rhythm section and the smooth keyboards. Wow, great tune and a great way to tie together this album.
Wow, I can understand why so many folks talk about Little Feat online, and why they’re also popular in the jam band community. The southern flavors remind me a lot of different jam bands like The Allman Brothers Band and Widespread Panic, as if they were combined with a healthy dose of some New Orleans flavors like from Dr. John and Allen Toussaint. If you dig jam bands to any degree, and you dig southern rock, particularly that with a New Orleans inflected sound, you might want to consider checking out this album. This is an album I’d like to own on vinyl, and I’ll certainly be listening to more of Little Feat soon. If you do decide to give this album a listen, I sincerely do hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A