With A Little Help From My Friends
Omnivore, 2023
9/10
Listen to With A Little Help From My Friends
The guitartist, songwriter and producer Steve Cropper’s has an impressive resume that includes being a founding member of Stax house band Booker T. & The M.G.’s, and his 1969 debut album lives again here, and comes with some previously unissued bonus tracks.
The swift and crisp blues of “Crop Dustin’” begins the listen with bright brass to match Cropper’s intricate guitar, and “Land Of 1000 Dances” follows with a rhythmic and indeed dance floor ready demeanor.
Further into the original disc, “Funky Broadway” sure gets funky with plenty of groove friendly melodies, while “Oh Pretty Woman” benefits much from moody organ that suits the meticulous guitar playing and soulful horns.
The final track of the 1969 version, “Rattlesnake”, is percussively strong, and soars with animated brass amid the playful guitar acrobatics, and, of the unissued tracks, “I’m Going Home” is particularly memorable thanks to the agile piano, thumping drums and lively guitar. “Soulful Strut”, another excellent selection late in the listen, then uses bouncy bass, upbeat guitar and plenty of harmonic gestures for a charming demeanor.
A record where no other musicians were credited, Robert Gordon’s liner notes give us some insight into the effort from one of the greatest guitar players of all time. Amazingly, Cropper has released music in every decade since the ‘60s, and this early body of work certainly has aged well.
Travels well with: Kirk Fletcher- Heartache By The Pound; The Duke Robillard Band- They Called It Rhythm & Blues