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Meters - Struttin' |
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ALBUM REVIEWSPick of the Chick: Our Favorite Releases, 1999-Present |
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Led by Art Neville (the oldest of the Neville Brothers), the Meters were one of the first funk bands to hit the music scene. The Meters began their career in the mid-'60s as a backing band for some of New Orleans's premier musicians, including Lee Dorsey, Betty Harris, and Aaron Neville. By the end of the decade, the band had a following of its own after several singles hit the national R&B charts. Sundazed has reissued three early Meters records that were originally released on the Josie label. Struttin', the band's third album, is a nice blend of slow-groove funk and mellow soul. Unlike later funk music that incorporates horns, the Meters's approach is much simpler--drums and bass lay out tight rhythms while a warm organ and a scratchy guitar fill out the groove. Most of Struttin' consists of instrumental funk. Although some of these songs like "Same Old Thing" and "Meter Strut" (a bonus track) have a little bite, most show the Meters dishing out a more laid-back groove. One highlight is "Tippi-Toes," where chicken-scratch guitar licks dance over a catchy bass riff. "Tippi-Toes" was even covered by Primus on Miscellaneous Debris, which shows just how far-reaching the Meters's influence is. Struttin' isn't all instrumentals. "Darling, Darling, Darling" is a soul cover that showcases Art Neville's singing talents. "Ride Your Pony" is another excellent, although sexually suggestive, cover sung by Neville. This tune isn't Prince's "Erotic City," but it is pretty suggestive for 1970. The only cut on this album that's hard to swallow is "Chicken Strut," a novelty song that features drummer Joseph Modeliste cackling like a chicken. The cuteness wears thin after half a listen. Barring "Chicken Strut," Struttin' provides an interesting and entertaining look at early funk. If you like the funky organ grooves of Medeski, Martin, & Wood, check out Struttin'. The Meters wrote the book on this stuff, and Struttin' is one of the best chapters. PIGEONHOLE: Laid-back, early funk with a touch of soul.
Andrew Helminger |
THE METERS
