Little Feat
Down On The Farm


Label: Warner Bros
Released: 1979
Source: Original CD 
Size Torrent: 226 MB
Format: FLAC





Down on the Farm is the seventh studio album by the American rock band Little Feat, released in 1979. It was also their last original work for nine years. The band announced their break-up in June 1979 during the making of the album, and a fortnight later the band's founder and guiding light Lowell George died from a heart attack brought on by years of overindulgence. Feat would reform in 1988.
The cover shows one of Neon Park's several duck-girls - an allusion to "The Finishing Touch" by painter Gil Elvgren.


"Down on the Farm" was the last album to feature leadsinger, guitarist and songwriter Lowell George. Actually George had left the band before the album was finished, and sadly during a solo tour in 1979 he died from a heart-attack. George had always been the driving force in the band, but due to healthproblems ( drugs/alcohol) his position in the band had diminished after "Feats Don't Fail Me Now". 

The previous album "Time Loves a Hero" had very little input from George and their musical style had become much more slick and and funky. 

After George's death the other bandmembers decided to finish the album they had been working on before George left. Fortunately George had recorded vocals for most of the tracks, and he wrote 5 of the songs on the album. The album is often referred to as one of the weaker albums from the George era, a fact I never understood. It's no exaggeration that it's one my personal favourites. 

George's vocals were never better and his songs are outstanding. "Be One Now" is simply heartbreaking. "Kokomo" and "Six Feet of Snow" are as good as anything on "Dixie Chicken" or "Feats". The title track written by Barrere is catchy and funky and featuring one his strongest vocal performances - I used to believe it was George singing. 

Among the rest of the album's tracks "Straight From the Heart", written by George and Payne also deserves to be brought out. 

The final two tracks could be the reason that the album as a whole is often underrated. They are nice tracks; a little too polished for my taste, with very litle, if any, input from George. Still a great album.  Morten Vindberg


Personnel

Paul Barrère - guitar, vocals
Sam Clayton - congas, vocals
Lowell George - guitar, vocals (last album with group)
Kenny Gradney - bass
Richard Hayward - drums, vocals
Bill Payne - keyboards, synthesizer, vocals


Additional Personnel

Rosemary Butler - backing vocals
Gordon DeWitty - keyboards
Robben Ford - guitar
Jerry Jumonville - saxophone
Sneaky Pete Kleinow - pedal steel guitar
David Lindley - guitar
Earl Palmer - drums ("Feel the Groove")
Fran Payne - backing vocals
Bonnie Raitt - backing vocals
Dan Smith - backing vocals
Fred Tackett - guitar (solo on "Kokomo")
Lee Thornburg - trumpet, trombone
Julia Waters - backing vocals
Luther Waters - backing vocals
Oren Waters - backing vocals
Maxine Waters – vocals


Track Listing

1."Down on the Farm" (Barrère) – 4:16
2."Six Feet of Snow" (George, Godcheaux) – 2:30
3."Perfect Imperfection" (Barrère, Snow) – 3:46
4."Kokomo" (George) – 2:58
5."Be One Now" (George, Tackett) – 4:05
6."Straight from the Heart" (George, Payne) – 4:59
7."Front Page News" (George, Payne) – 5:57
8."Wake up Dreaming" (Payne, Payne) – 4:09
9."Feel the Groove" (Clayton, DeWitty) – 4:48