Time Loves a Hero

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(5 stars) - Whose Afraid Of a Little...Funk?
Nevermind that Lowell George and Little Feat sprang from the soil of Frank Zappa.Nevermind their strong affiliation with all southern styles of music at the time. No matter how you add it up,fact is Little Feat's sound had been carefully swinging in this general direction for a very long time. For all intents and purposes this is Little Feat's funkiest album. That had always been a part of their music. In the late 70's the LA pop scene was changing flavors;where it's main stock in trade in the early part of the decade had been a strong country rock flavor (the arena that Little Feat started in) by this point the focus had very gone over towards a jazzier funk sound. The Doobie Brothers were leading the way and,if they could do it well so could Little Feat. Both bands debuted the same year so it only seemed natural for both of them to be inspired in a similar way. However George was not motivated by any huge need to sell records. Musical quality that could flow in a very creative way onto the live stage was the focus so the idea here was to make sure that,if the funk be the food of life than they must play on. "Hi Roller" gets everything started in the most spectacular way possible with a purpulsive,hard driving groove that is nasty as it wants to be.Who said a rock band can't play funk anyhow?Or that Little Feat were even a "rock" band at all for that matter. The title song and the witty "Old Folks Home" are the only tunes on the album that really point more to the Big Easy style R&B of their older concoctions and,on the latter with some social satire that most will probably find hysterically chuckle inducing. "Rocket In My Pocket" again kicks out the heavy funk and unlike a lot of rock bands (than and now) obsessed only with the natural end of the genre Little Feat they have Billy Payne,a classicly trained pianist with electric keyboards and synths much like Bernie Worrell who colors the music in all the right places with his playing and accents. On "Red Streamliner" and "Keepin' Up With The Joneses" there is a tough funk/rock edge to it all but all the same there is a vital focus on the song and not just the jam keep the music from plodding whatsoever. "New Delhi Freight Train" is one of the strongest tunes here and trust me:EVERY tune here is SUPER strong anyway. But this one has some heavy jazz touches and features some vocal harmonies by Michael McDonald. In terms of jazz nothing much beats the frenetic instrumental workout "Day At The Dog Races". Not only is the jazz-funk-fusion side of Zappa more than a little obvious as an influence but the drumming has the advantage of being progressive and tight. It seems like an impossibility but somehow they made it happen. The album closes with the brief country rock tune "Missin' You",a bit of a back handed nod to their past. Within a 36 minute space this album packs more energy,drive and groove into each moment than many other albums reliant more on extended runs. If there isn't a better hallmark that could be borrowed from mid 70's funk I don't know it yet.

(5 stars) - One of Little Feat's best
I'm just amazed that there aren't more positive reviews here for this classic 1977 release.
I've loved the title track for 32 years now, as well as the jazzy "Red Streamliner" track
and most of all the percussive "Day at The Dog Races". I remember hearing
that tune for the first time on WDRC-FM in Hartford, CT in August 1977 and being absolutely
floored by its complexity and darkly mysterious feel. Just awesome stuff. In fact, I'm here
becauseI listened to my original LP this morning and wondered if a CD of this album is
still available. It is!! One of my mid-1970s faves.

(5 stars) - I don't care what THEY say
Almost everything I read about this album refers to it as 'disjointed', 'directionless', unremarkable...and like that. THIS is one of my favorite Feat albums and I have ALL the Lowell George era ones...and then some. Many and many a year ago, this was the first Feat album that I could listen to all the way through without having 'over-syncopation seizures'. I'm feeling much better now and appreciate all of their releases. I just happen to see this jazzy/rocky/bluesy/playful release as one of their best.

(3 stars) - Time loves a hero
Time does love a hero and, not that there's much more on this disk unless you love Little Feat's quality music, for the price it's well worth it.

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