Lowell George is often remembered as a leading figure in Little Feat during the band’s earlier years, but the late rock and roll artist also played in The Mothers of Invention before being asked to leave (though the story is remembered differently depending on the perspective of the storyteller. George also recorded and released a single solo album in 1979 shortly before his death later in the year. The album, Thanks, I’ll Eat It Here (1979), consists of both covers and originals. I really dig Little Feat and Mothers of Invention, so I’m stoked to give this album a listen. With that said, I’m going to jump on into the music.
“What Do You Want the Girl to Do” starts out with some smooth groovy sounds that remind me a bit of the slick sound on Steely Dan’s Gaucho (1980). Oh wow, this tune is super sweet; it’s almost like a southern gospel inflected yacht rock sort of sound at the moment between the chorus vocals, the sweet orchestral instrumentation that has a bit of that NOLA sort of sound, and the groovy sounds coming from the keys and bass guitar. Oh wow, I really dig this track; the tune seems to be continually building on itself as the song progresses. Super groovy track and I’m excited to hear the rest of the album.
Oh wow, “Honest Man” has a bit of a swampy funk rock sort of sound with the different flavors coming from what I think are the keyboards combined with the swells of the horns in the background. There seems to be more that southern gospel style in the background chorus vocals again, and I absolutely dig it. Oh wow, there’s some super flavorful piano that accentuates that funky keyboard (or possibly bass or guitar work). Holy smokes, this tune is super groovy. Oh wow, this instrumental break is super flavorful, and sort of reminds me again of a swampy sort of yacht rock sound. Holy smokes, the track builds up slowly through the track, which allows the ending to be extremely flavorful. Great track.
Holy smokes, “Two Trains” starts off hot and sort of has a sound reminiscent of Jerry Garcia’s “They Love Each Other” off of his album, Reflections (1976), and infuses that sound with a swampy New Orleans sort of sound, and I’m absolutely digging it. Holy smokes, the instrumental jams are super groovy, and the clapping and tinny percussive parts only add to the grooviness contained in this song. The track sort of reminds me a bit of Dr. John and Allen Toussaint meets Jerry Garcia, coming together for a super groovy tune. Awesome track.
“I Can’t Stand the Rain” starts out with some interesting and somewhat exotic syncopated drumming with a sort of creole sound, which is soon joined by a massive conglomeration of horns, bass, guitar, and rollicking NOLA piano that absolutely drips with flavor. Holy smokes, the guitar solo adds even more flavor to the groovy tune, which has already made me audibly gasp a few times while listening. Great track.
Oh wow, “Cheek to Cheek” sort of brings a nearly mariachi sound near the border with the different acoustic stringed instrumentation, as well as George singing in a chorus with another musician from what it sounds like, and they also seem to emphasize rolling their r’s at times, bringing a bit more Spanish sound to the mix. Wow, this tune is super flavorful, and brings a completely new sound to the album. Great tune.
“Easy Money” starts out with a slow grooving beat that sounds a bit like a 12 bar blues line. Holy smokes, this tune is sweet. The music continually compounds as more layers are gradually added and it nearly sounds like the tempo picks up a bit as the track continues too. Oh wow, the bass line is super groovy as it seems to bounce around with a line that seems to drive the tune forward from the background in a unique fashion when you hear the other melodies from the other instruments next to it. Great track.
“20 Million Things” starts out in a nearly folk fashion with the acoustic guitar work, but the bass guitar seems to bring a bit of an electric sound as the bass line has a bit of swamp-like sound. When the piano comes in, the tune nearly sounds like a Little Feat ballad with the sound of the piano and bass guitar. Wow, I’m really digging the variety of sounds in this album just thus far, and I’m already trying to find it on vinyl. Great tune.
“Find a River” has another bit of a folksy start with the flowing sounds of the acoustic guitar. Oh wow, the tune seems to be a folksy singer/songwriter ballad with just George’s vocals and the acoustic guitar at first. Oh wow, it sounds like a female vocalist enters to harmonize with George for the chorus, which soon invites other instruments like some sparse drums, dream-inducing keys, and a smooth bass guitar that all add to the ballad ambiance of the tune. Oh wow, the tune even picks up a bit of momentum as the acoustic guitar part becomes more rhythmic with the strumming of whole chords at a time. Wow, great track.
Oh wow, “Himmler’s Ring” starts out with a bit of a celebratory NOLA Mardi Gras sound with the different horns. The tune seems to pick up to a bit of a solemn rollicking New Orleans rock and roll sound with the groovy and flavorful movements on the piano and keys combined with the celebratory horns and the nearly melancholic sound of George’s and the background chorus vocals. Great tune.
“Heartache” is a bonus track from a reissue of the album, and seems to return the album back to a folksy ballad with the folksy guitar work and some sweet vocals from George. A female vocalist enters the soundscape to harmonize with George’s vocals with bit, making the tune even sweeter. This tune seems to echo some feelings that George might have had near the end of his life, as he suffered from addiction issues with food, alcohol, and drugs, and died of a heart attack just a few months after the album was released. Super sweet track, and a very pleasant way to finish the album.
Wow, I’m very much looking forward to getting this album on vinyl. Lowell George covered a number of genres in his own style that ranged from a southern yacht rock sound, to folk music to some swampy blues, and even more. If you’re into southern rock and/or swamp rock to any degree, and enjoy the stylings of groups like Little Feat, Allen Toussaint, or Dr. John, you might want to consider checking out this album. If you do decide to give this album, I sincerely do hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A