Little Feat:Sailin' Shoes...My Review

Sailin' Shoes: a review by Mike Gruneir

Before Paul Barrere, Kenny Gradney and Sam Clayton were brought in to the fold to create the sound that has defined Little Feat for the majority of their career, they were a very different entity. One led almost entirely by Lowell George's creative vision and songwriting. When the band's 1970 debut, an excellent album in its own right, though slightly derivative of its influences failed to light a commercial spark, Warner brought in producer Ted Templeman for the follow up album, the one that set the stage for the genre bending gumbo that not only defined the band, but also kept them from being defined for years to come.

Sailin' Shoes, released in 1972 was Feat's first timeless masterpiece. Many of its songs have remained live staples until this day. It's iconic Neon Park cover art is as important as the music in cementing the album as I one of the decades landmark achievements. There was nobody quite like Lowell George, and this album is a statement of his genius.

Sailin' Shoes kicks off with its only true pop song in Easy To Slip, a song that had all the makings of a massive hit akin to Elton's "Bitch is Back" . It is said that the label rejected the album due to the lack of a commercial single, and this is what Lowell came up with.

Cold Cold Cold follows. A heavy Blues based track that, along with "Tripe Face Boogie", the album's fourth track found its place on the Lowell George produced fourth album "Feats Don't Fail Me Now".

While there are no skippable songs on the album, and tracks like the blisteringly fast paced "Teenage Nervous Breakdown", and Bill Payne's "Cat Fever" offer much to love, there are definitely stand out epics. "Trouble", a sentimental paean to a friend having a hard day offers us one of Lowell's most heartfelt and emotional pieces. When Lowell sings "your eyes are tired and your feet are too and you wish the world was as tired as you" it is a place all of us have been at times in our lives.This is an artist truly connecting.

The title track, with sweeps of psychedelia, and imagery of a lady in a turban and a cocaine tree urges us to put on our Sailin Shoes, with its memorable sing along chorus.

Texas Rose Cafe, perhaps the album's most unique track contains multiple tempo changes and vocal styles by Lowell, and some of Richie Hayward's most brilliant drum work. While later tracks like "The Fan" and "Day at the dog races" showed some prog rock tendencies, it was this track that first showcased the brilliance in instrumental composition that George, Hayward and Payne were capable of.

Then there's "Willin'" the truckers anthem that Lowell George famously played to Frank Zappa right before being ousted from The Mothers Of Invention. The ode to Weed, Whites and Wine that has become a sing-along staple at nearly every Feat show since its release. While the song first appeared on Feat's self titled debut, as a short acoustic, almost humorous piece, the re-recorded version is a stunningly epic, beautifully composed song, and a highlight not only of this album, but of Little Feat's entire catalog

I remember years ago a couple of friends of mine that dug Phish like I did trying to get me to listen to Feat. Both times the album they put in my hand was Sailin' Shoes and it's not at all surprising. I would not rank it at the top of the band's catalog. Those two places are reserved for "Feats Don't Fail Me Now" and "The Last Record Album", but if you want to experience Lowell George at his rawest and most unhinged, experimenting with different styles and paving the way for some of the greatest and most enduring music of all time, then I suggest putting on your Sailin' Shoes. You'll be glad you did

5*

 

My favorite LF album hands down. Nice write up.

 

It will always have a special place for me. It's probably my favorite cover too and they have so many great ones.

 

It's a fantastic album, but I love the debut as much. It gets a short shrift too often.

 

Always loved the 70's 'Feat. They had an amazing run of albums.

 

The debut is fantastic. Like an edgier "Band" album. Shocked it didn't take the world by storm. Russ Titleman did an excellent job on production.

 

It's my favourite sounding Little Feat album. It's also the first I got by them. I was already into The Byrds, The Band, Dylan, Grateful Dead etc and was listening to a lot of American bands at the time, around 20 years ago.

I worked in a great second hand record shop at a time and the LP came in, an original green Warners label US pressing. I bought it without knowing much about it and loved it straightaway, as soon as Snakes On Everything started up. It's a stunning sounding record. I think Truck Stop Girl was what got me interested as I liked The Byrds version on Untitled. The shop owner is a big Little Feat fan too.

 

A very good album indeed
“Willin” is a classic.
Fave is “Easy to Slip”.
Starts off like the Stones...reminds me of “Street Fightin Man”
And then sounds like a very good Stephen Stills CSN song.
Dig the organ, vocals...the whole thing.

 

Nothing beats ‘Teenage Nervous Breakdown’.

 

i have a soft spot in my heart for little feat.it was the height of punk.i had already been mesmerized by the likes of black sabbath and david bowie and well little feat had no room in my music kingdom.i was working for a concert promoter in the late 70's when little feat came to town.i was expecting a boring night just kicking back etc. well was i wrong about a third of the way through the set something clicked for me and man was that music singing to me.i got to see them again a year or later and although i guess lowell was not in the best shape and died shortly after the second gig i saw well the feat were still smoking and swinging moving and grooving. i will always be thankful for them in opening my eyes to different music.the george led version still remains one of the best bands i ever saw live and i really love the albums he made with them as well.

 

I've been a Feat fan for about 4 years. I've since taken yearly road trips from Toronto to see them play. I've gotten to meet Paul Barrere, Bill Payne and Fred Tackett and they have become my all time favorite band. The Lowell era was awesome of

 

Admittedly and somewhat ashamedly late to the Little Feat party, I have a rather unusual entry into the band that has nothing and everything to do with the band.
My introduction came via Robert Palmer and his "Sneakin Sally Through The Alley" album which I bought in the early 80s. There were no credits on the album but I was floored with the funky tight grooves on this one and it was such a stark contrast to what I had expected of Palmer. Years later, I picked up a shiny new compact disc of the album. Again, no credits and no liner notes. Some years later, I found a mint US first pressing of SSTTA in the bins and lo and behold, there was a little paper sheet insert with credits! I'll assume anyone reading this thread knows what I had uncovered.
Today, getting this info takes no more than a couple of seconds on a smartphone but I felt I cracked a code!
The die was cast and I acquired my first Little Feat album..Sailin Shoes!

 

you may be aware or not.but if you really dig lowell.he has a solo album out and he along with ritchie played on the john cale album "paris 1919"

 

Excellent record, and I’ve been playing this a lot lately and I’ve come to realize this is my favorite of theirs.

Also, yes to that first album being dope; and I want to review it on my blog at some point.

 

Sorry but I find the lede to that review to be misleading. "Before Paul Barrere, Kenny Gradney and Sam Clayton were brought in to the fold to create the sound that has defined Little Feat for the majority of their career, they were a very different entity. One led almost entirely by Lowell George's creative vision and songwriting." The band was led that way after the lineup was reshuffled too. I like Little Feat's later albums a lot more. The Last Record Album probably has my favorite songs: Long Distance Love, All That You Dream, Day or Night. I don't think anything they did before was up to that level--but yes, all very enjoyable.

 

What I was stating is that once Paul
And the others came on board they became a far more democratic songwriting unit. TLRA was made up of quite a few Payne, and Barrere compositions, as was Time Loves A Hero. Lowell had minimal contribution to that particular album. Even some of the later songs Lowell sang lead on were written by other members, and anyone that knows Feat knows what Lowell thought about A Day at the Dog Races. I'm an all Eras fan. I love the Fuller, Murphy and current eras dearly, so I'm not suggesting better, I'm just saying that for the first two albums Lowell was the band's sole creative director.

post: 19135901, member: 68"]Sorry but I find the lede to that review to be misleading. "Before Paul Barrere, Kenny Gradney and Sam Clayton were brought in to the fold to create the sound that has defined Little Feat for the majority of their career, they were a very different entity. One led almost entirely by Lowell George's creative vision and songwriting." The band was led that way after the lineup was reshuffled too. I like Little Feat's later albums a lot more. The Last Record Album probably has my favorite songs: Long Distance Love, All That You Dream, Day or Night. I don't think anything they did before was up to that level--but yes, all very enjoyable.[/QUOTE]
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To be fair, Bill scored a couple writing credits on here too, Richie got one of those and another, and Roy had Hamburger Midnight.

 

My introduction to Feat was the first LP. Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes had recommended it in a ca. 1992 interview, and the way he described it made me say “that’s for me” - no internet then. No YouTube.
I loved that first LP (still do), but even after absorbing it thoroughly, I wasn’t prepared for the full-on excellence of Sailin’ Shoes. I was confused that “Willin’” was featured on both albums, before I learned why that happened. “Trouble” is Lowell at his absolute best.

 

That's a great song...Bill's barrelhouse piano elevates the track.

 

Totally, he makes that track swing like crazy. Of course, all four kick ass on the song.

 

My favorite Little Feet record. I like 'em all. But the songs here just get me. Easy To Slip, Cold Cold, love this record.

Great review. I agree with others on the debut. It's a great record too.

 

Glad to see so much love for this album and for Feat in general.

 

I bought 'Feats Don't Fail Me Now' sound unheard just because the album cover made me chuckle when I realised who was driving the car ! Then I bought 'Dixie ..' , then 'Sailin..', then 'Time Loves A Hero', then .. ..

 

Good write up, Feat 77. I love Lowell George-era Feat best and while every album released during the 70's was strong, solid and unique in their own ways, there's something really special about the first two records when they were just a quartet. Sailin' Shoes shows a great forward step from the debut, although I love the debut album as others have posted. The version of "Willin'" on "Shoes" is the superior version with Bill Payne's melodically driven piano and perfect vocal harmonies intact, but I do like the rougher, acoustic version on the debut too; it's almost a demo of what turned up on the succeeding album in a way. Both closing numbers in "Texas Rose Cafe" for "Shoes" and "Crazy Captain Gunboat Willie" on the debut are imperfect numbers that possess a quirkiness in their writing style and offer an awkwardly fitting ending for both records, which adds to the unpredictable, but quality musicianship the band has to offer. It's been said that Lowell was very unhappy with Russ Titelman's production style for the debut and felt that he made them sound like a cross between the Rolling Stones and The Band a little too close for his own liking. I personally thought that some of the horn arrangements on numbers like "Snakes on Everything", the wild, slide guitar moments on "Hamburger Midnight" or the beautiful string arrangement adorned to "Brides of Jesus" were wonderful moments captured, but that's just me.

Either way, those first two albums will always be quite special in my personal collection and it makes my musical palette the richer for it!

 

I’ve always thought that the noise Lowell wrings out of his slide at the start of ‘Got No Shadow’ was a better example of the ‘long lunar note’ that Beefheart was trying to reach on ‘Big Eyes Beans From Venus’.