Sailin' Shoes [PA]

Performer: Little Feat
Producer: Ted Templeman
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Little Feat: Lowell George (vocals, guitar, harmonica); Bill Payne (vocals, accordion, keyboards); Roy Estrada (bass instrument, background vocals); Richard Hayward (drums, percussion). Additional personnel: Ron Elliott (electric guitar); Sneaky Pete Kleinow (pedal steel guitar); Milt Holland (percussion); Debbie Lindsey (background vocals). Though it seemed difficult for Little Feat to improve on their first album, SAILIN' SHOES does exactly that. Building on the bluesy feel of the debut, SAILIN' SHOES is more varied, with radio-ready country-rock ("Easy to Slip"), lilting downhome ballads ("Trouble"), rave-up rock numbers ("Teenage Nervous Breakdown"), and quirky, lounge-cool blues ("Texas Rose Caf�"). Little Feat mastermind Lowell George is the pen and the voice behind all of these tunes, and SAILIN' SHOES shows him hitting his stride as a songwriter of great originality and appeal. At his best, as on the gospel-inflected title cut, and "Willin'," one of his best known and most loved tunes, Lowell seems to tap into the heart of American song, pushing familiar buttons, yet keeping things thoroughly fresh and original. This--along with the band's tasty playing and lockstep grooves--was always the appeal of Little Feat's good time, downhome vibe: this is roots music with a smart, quirky twist. SAILIN' SHOES is an essential Little Feat recording (alongside its successor, DIXIE CHICKEN), and shows Lowell and company at their finest.

Rolling Stone (3/30/72, p.54) - "...virtual treasure chests of haunting associations, sketches and scenarios...virile, touching songs...one super rock & roll band..."

Los Angeles' Little Feat served up a polymorphic gumbo of New Orleans funk, southern boogie, and blues rock with the soulful slide guitar, worn voice, and tremendous country-tinged songwriting of leader Lowell George as its main ingredients. Founded by George and pianist Bill Payne in 1969, Little Feat released a couple of straighter blues rock albums before embracing an infectious, Meters-like groove in their rhythm section (Roy Estrada and Richie Hayward of the Mothers of Invention). Despite a run of critically acclaimed albums throughout the '70s--and George's continuing excellence as a songwriter--the band broke up in 1979 shortly after George died. Reformed versions of Little Feat continued to release records and tour in the ensuing decades.

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