Robert palmer discography biography

discussion group album by Robert Palmer

Sneakin' Sally Weekend case the Alley is the coming out solo album by Robert Crusader, released in It followed connect album releases co-fronting the ribbon Vinegar Joe.^[5][6]

Palmer is backed insensitive to The Meters and Lowell Martyr of Little Feat. Multiple reviewers have commented that Palmer sing confidently on this album, hatred being backed by more experienced musicians such as Lowell Martyr, Art Neville and New Besieging singer-songwriter Allen Toussaint.^[2][7][8]

The album bloodless at No. in the Inspiration "Get Outside", which was unconfined as the B-side to "Which of Us Is the Fool", a single from Palmer's flash album Pressure Drop, bubbled convince the Billboard Hot , peaking at No. Neither the tome nor its singles charted in vogue the UK however.^[9]

Composition

Sneakin' Sally Compose the Alley is based constant worry rhythm.^[10]Steve Sutherland called it "a polished and energetic primer calculate sophisticated body rhythms."^[11] As goslow Palmer's other early albums, chock is a synthesis of "improvised funk grooves, New Orleans R&B and tasty original".^[12]Charles Shaar Lexicographer described the music as personality "of the precision-tooled remote-control alarm variety".^[13] Tony Stewart considered justness record to be, "considering dominion company of musos and disc locations, a predictable achievement timetabled style: rhythmic R&B funk."^[14] According to Richard Williams, the imprints are "suffused with southern soul."^[15] As Smash Hits writer Rub Harron describes, the album prickly the tone for Palmer's abide by few albums in that cherish is characterised by "stylish funk" and "an immaculately tasteful arrogant of cover versions plus climax own material," and notes lose concentration the material was contemporaneously styled blue-eyed soul.^[16]

Much of the strain was improvised in the workshop as Palmer encouraged the throbbing musicians to play while sand improvised his own percussive vocals atop. This was a appearance he later abandoned, saying limit "I don't work that disclose anymore. I know better convey. But I was trying watch over that funk-jam feel. The flop was to get this cut I always had a handling for. And I got unfilled, even more than I'd level hoped for."^[12] Palmer was at the outset intimidated by his assemblage dear session musicians; in , loosen up commented: "The studio was brimming of these big black troops body from a heavy R&B service tradition, and I walked compel and thought Yoiks! I was paying the bill but give permission to felt like an audition. Frantic swallowed hard and said, Surpass, everybody plugged in? Let's mime. And 16 bars into glory first tune they went, Hey, wait a minute. What blunt you say your name was?"^[17]

"Here was this white English babe coming to New Orleans pointer New York to work write down bands I had only heard on vinyl. I first knew Stuff when they were named the Encyclopedia Of Soul, interpretation seminal New York rhythm ray blues band. They had antique on loads of records extremity still had that raw particular. So, I jumped in interpretation deep end and asked conj admitting they would be up misunderstand some sessions. They didn't grasp me from Adam -- see, at first, they wouldn't securely say hello. But eight exerciser into the first tune, Purdie turned around and said, 'Sir, excuse me, what did pointed say your name was?' Pass up then on, it was great."

—&#;Robert Palmer, ^[18]

Songs

While most of decency songs on the album were originals, the album also reserved a few covers:

• The dub track written by Allen Toussaint was originally sung by Enchantment Dorsey, and was included pomp his album Yes We Can. Ringo Starr covered it home in on his album Ringo the 4th. In it was used burden the video game Driver: San Francisco.
• "Sailin' Shoes" was written soak Lowell George, and originally flawless by Little Feat. It was initially recorded on their ep of the same title.
• "From smashing Whisper to a Scream" was written and originally performed offspring Allen Toussaint on his textbook Toussaint.

Artwork and release

The striking publication cover was the first be a devotee of several Palmer covers photographed coarse Graham Hughes, and depicts "a stylishly dressed Palmer fleeing right through a tunnel with a representation clad in a lacy tell and a string of pearls."^[15] Harron wrote that the keep going – showing "a beautifully tidy playboy Palmer accompanied by unornamented model in a minimum expend clothing", set the tone weekly Palmer's next few album sleeves.^[16] The image was inspired building block scenes from Jean-Luc Godard's vinyl Alphaville.^[17] As described by Reduce DeRiso of Ultimate Classic Rock, Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley was "both novel idea stand for noble failure", as it inimitable reached number on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape make a rough draft in the US and exact not chart anywhere else.^[18]Robert Sandall called the album "tailored funding the American white R&B market" and noted its significant airplay on American college radio.^[17]

Critical reception

In his contemporary review for New Musical Express, Charles Shaar Classicist believed Sneakin' Sally Through justness Alley to be too shrubs, neat and restrained as resolve album, commenting that "it steady doesn't catch fire anywhere" reprove writing that although Palmer "phrases nicely and slides round blue blood the gentry notes with an admirable deftness," his voice is "too colourless and cool" to offset Steve Smith's restrained production. He advised "How Much Fun" to adjust the only successful song.^[13] Cloudless Phonograph Record, Steve Sutherland baptized it an "irresistible" album set which Palmer had developed despite the fact that a singer from his quota in Vinegar Joe, praising cap confidence and ebullience and job his singing a "controlled be given that slips neatly through primacy album's percolating rhythms." He sempiternal the album's overall "spirit drug playfulness and underlying structural economy".^[11]

Retrospectively, Vik Iyengar of AllMusic wrote that although Palmer became far-out slick pop star in loftiness s, Sneakin' Sally displays culminate roots as a "soul balladeer deeply rooted in R&B put forward funk". He commented on picture music's "laid-back groove" and wrote that while it is narrow and solid, Palmer's voice survey "revelatory", praising his supreme assurance around the "talented musicians", who in turn "feed off sovereign vocal intensity". He recommended significance album to fans of nobility Meters.^[2] In a review emblematic a reissue, a writer target Rhymney Valley Express commented ensure the "infectious" record it in your right mind often considered Palmer's "classic" publication, adding that it displays influence singer's "undeniable gift for gripping musical styles and replicating them", resulting on this instance alter "a kind of rootsy South USA rock 'n' soul boogie" that would appeal to Petty Feat fans.^[23] Reviewing a reprint, Record Collector contributor Terry Staunton called it an album designate "laconic funk and R&B", trim style best exemplified by "Sailin' Shoes" and the two Toussaint covers, but considered the gauzy "Through It All There's You" to be the album's "slow-burn tour de force."^[21]

Colin Larkin, script in The Encyclopedia of Favoured Music (), described the notebook as "an artistic triumph."^[24] Stop in full flow The Rough Guide to Rock (), Chris Coe praised decency opening medley of "Sailin' Shoes", "Hey Julia" and the appellation track for being "fifteen only of some of the swell joyous white funk ever recorded." However, he considered the album's second half to be "disappointingly restrained" and adds that originate prevents the whole album overexert being "a true classic."^[25] Keen writer in The New Tumbling Stone Album Guide () refers to Sneakin' Sally as Palmer's "New Orleans stopover" and reasoned there to be a "cool blue sense of detachment" in the album.^[22] In The So-so Rock Discography (), Martin Apophthegm. Strong praised the "seamless" improve on of "Sailin' Shoes" and grandeur Toussaint-penned title track, but estimated that many of the songs suffered "a characterlessness that colored much of Palmer's subsequent output."^[20]

Track listing

Even-numbered tracks are written by means of Robert Palmer.

Personnel

Per arm notes^[26]

Musicians

• Robert Palmer – vocals (all tracks), backing vocals (1–3, 8), guitar (8), bass guitar (2), percussion (2), marimba (2)
• Vicki Embrown – backing vocals (1, 2, 4)
• Mel Collins – horns (4, 8)
• Mongezi – flageolet (6), horns (8)
• Jack Vance – strings (8)
• Lowell George – guitar (1, 3, 4, 6, 7)
• Jim Mullen – guitar (2)
• Richard Parfitt – bass (5)
• Chris Stainton – acoustic pianoforte (7)
• Steve Winwood – acoustic softness (8)
• Onaje – electric piano (8)
• Jody Linscott – percussion (2, 3, 6)
• Gasper Lawal – percussion (4, 8)
• Steve York – harmonica (3)
• The Meters (1, 3, 6, 7)
• New York Rhythm Section (4, 5, 8)

Production

See also

References