Pearl/Little Feat
Welcome to 2021 … This is going to be a fantastic year On The Turntable … There is book by the author David Hempworth – “Never A Dull Moment: 1971 – The Year That Rock Exploded” – It is a fantastic read … and 2021 will mark the 50th anniversary of that year that rock exploded. We are going to have some fun with that this year … we will also include 40 year anniversary airings from 1981 … We will start this historic era in rock with two such albums … Pearl from Janis Joplin and Little Feat’s eponymous debut both celebrate 50 years since their release
Pearl
Pearl is the second and final solo studio album by Janis Joplin, released posthumously on January 11, 1971, three months after her death on October 4, 1970. It was the final album with her direct participation, and the only Joplin album recorded with the Full Tilt Boogie Band, her final touring unit. This was Joplin’s second masterpiece, the other being Cheap Thrills. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard 200, and held the position for nine weeks.
Janis delivered a more polished sound on Pearl than her recordings with Big Brother and the Holding Company due to the expertise of The Doors former producer Paul A. Rothchild. Pearl features the Kris Kristofferson penned and number one hit “Me and Bobby McGee”, on which she played acoustic guitar … Best Ever Albums Dot Com considers Pearl to be the 24th best album of 1971 and the 149th best of the decade … Digital Dream Door Dot Com ranks Peart at 15 on their top 100 of the year … Pearl is also featured in the book “1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.”
Notable Tracks – ‘Me And Bobby McGee’, ‘Cry Baby’, ‘Mercedes Benz’ ‘Move Over’
Little Feat
Little Feat is the eponymous debut lp from the Los Angeles formed band … It was the first of eight albums the band released before their break up in 1979. It is not as well known as Dixie Chicken or Waiting for Columbus … it is in the same vein …. Side one features two my favorite Little Feat tunes … Truck Stop Girl and Willin’ …
The album sold poorly and has been overlooked by many of Little Feats more passionate fans, and that being said; it still is one of the long lost Rock ‘n’ Roll album gems. This LP was propelled by the humorous writings of Lowell George … Truck Stop Girl, Willin’ and Crazy Captain Gunboat Willie are few examples. There are some very nice slices of Americana and lots to like on this disc. Best Ever Albums Dot Com Considers Little Feat to be the 95th best album of 1971 and the 974th best of the decade …
Notable Tracks – ‘Willin” ‘Truck Stop Girl’ ‘Hamburger Midnight’