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2014 five CD box set containing a quintet of releases from the influential New Orleans-based outfit. Includes the albums”Cabbage Alley” (1972), “Rejuvenation” (1974), “Fire On The Bayou” (1975), “Trick Bag” (1976) and “New Directions” (1977).
The Meters defined New Orleans funk, not only on their own recordings, but also as the backing band for numerous artists, including many produced by Allen Toussaint. Where the funk of Sly Stone and James Brown was wild, careening, and determinedly urban, The Meters were down-home and earthy. Nearly all of their own recordings were instrumentals, putting the emphasis on the organic and complex rhythms. The syncopated, layered percussion intertwined with the gritty grooves of the guitar and organ, creating a distinctive sound that earned a small, devoted cult during the ’70s, including musicians like Paul McCartney and Robert Palmer, both of whom used the group as a backing band for recording. Despite their reputation as an extraordinary live band, The Meters never broke into the mainstream, but their sound provided the basis for much of the funk and hip-hop of the ’80s and ’90s.
Throughout their career, The Meters were always led by Art Neville (keyboard, vocals), one of the leading figures of the New Orleans musical community. As a teenager in high school, he recorded the seminal “Mardi Gras Mambo” with his group, the Hawketts, for Chess Records. Around 1966, he formed Art Neville & the Sounds with his brothers Aaron and Charles (both vocals), guitarist Leo Nocentelli, drummer Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste, and bassist George Porter. The band grew out of informal jam sessions the musicians held in local New Orleans nightclubs. After spending a few months playing under the Sounds name, producer Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn hired the group — without the vocalists — to be the house band for their label Sansu Enterprises.
As the house band for Sansu, The Meters played on records by Earl King, Lee Dorsey, Chris Kenner, and Betty Harris, as well as Toussaint himself. They also performed and recorded on their own, releasing danceable instrumental singles on Josie Records. The Meters stayed at Josie until 1972, and during that entire time they reached the R&B Top 50 consistently, usually placing within the Top 40. In 1972, the group moved to Reprise Records, yet they didn’t sever their ties with Sansu, electing to keep Toussaint as their producer and Sehon as their manager.
Ironically, The Meters didn’t have nearly as many hit singles at Reprise, yet their profile remained remarkably high. If anything, the group became hipper, performing on records by Robert Palmer, Dr. John, LaBelle, King Biscuit Boy, and Paul McCartney. By the release of 1975′s Fire on the Bayou, The Meters had a Top 40 hit with Rejuvenation’s “Hey Pocky A-Way” (1974), and they had gained a significant following among rock audience and critics. Fire on the Bayou received significant praise, and the group opened for the Rolling Stones on the British band’s 1975 and 1976 tours.
Tracklists:
Cabbage Alley (1972)
01. You’ve Got To Change (You Got To Reform) 05:15
02. Stay Away 05:22
03. Birds 04:28
04. The Flower Song 04:51
05. Soul Island 03:11
06. Do The Dirt 02:37
07. Smiling 03:08
08. Lonesome And Unwanted People 04:39
09. Gettin’ Funkier All The Time 03:18
10. Cabbage Alley 03:33
Rejuvenation (1974)
01. People Say 05:18
02. Love Is For Me 03:55
03. Just Kissed My Baby 04:43
04. What’Cha Say 03:29
05. Jungle Man 03:26
06. Hey Pocky A-Way 04:06
07. It Ain’t No Use 11:51
08. Loving You Is On My Mind 03:19
09. Africa 04:01
Fire On The Bayou (1975)
01. Out In The Country 03:38
02. Fire On The Bayou 04:10
03. Love Slip Upon Ya 04:59
04. Talkin’ ‘Bout New Orleans 03:38
05. They All Ask’d For You 04:12
06. Can You Do Without? 03:52
07. Liar 05:12
08. You’re A Friend Of Mine 04:11
09. Middle Of The Road 07:57
10. Running Fast 01:27
11. Mardi Gras Mambo 02:39
Trick Bag (1976)
01. Disco Is The Thing Today 04:21
02. Find Yourself 04:12
03. All These Things 03:32
04. I Want To Be Loved By You 05:24
05. Suite For 20 G 04:32
06. (Doodle Loop) The World Is A Little Bit Under The Weather 03:52
07. Trick Bag 03:21
08. Mister Moon 04:02
09. Chug-A-Lug 03:22
10. Hang ‘Em High 02:17
11. Honky Tonk Woman 03:15
New Directions (1977)
01. No More Okey Doke 04:20
02. I’m Gone 04:29
03. Be My Lady 06:27
04. My Name Up In Lights 05:23
05. Funkify Your Life 05:41
06. Stop That Train 04:50
07. We Got The Kind Of A Love 05:20
08. Give It What You Can 04:36
Media Info:
Bitrate: 320 kbps
Channels: joint stereo
Samplerate: 44100
Encoder: LAME 3.99
MPEG-1 layer 3
*many thanks to exy and all those who care enough to share
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