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Last year, Rhino reissued Little Feat's seminal second and third albums, Sailin' Shoes (1972) and Dixie Chicken (1973), as deluxe, expanded editions. Now, the label is following those with a similar presentation of the California group's fourth LP, 1974's Feats Don't Fail Me Now, on 2 CDs or 3 LPs. Due on June 14, both versions feature a remastered edition of the original album plus rare and previously unreleased outtakes and alternate versions, with all audio sourced from the original two-track stereo and multitrack tapes. The CD set additionally premieres a previously unheard recording of Little Feat live in Paris, recorded in 1975. And that's not all. Also on June 14, Rhino.com will offer an exclusive CD, Live at the Rainbow '75, with another previously unreleased show, this time from the legendary London venue.
Feats Don't Fail Me Now was Little Feat's fourth album but only the second recorded by the now-classic lineup of singer-guitarist Lowell George, drummer Richard Hayward, keyboard player Bill Payne, singer-guitarist Paul Barrere, bassist Kenny Gradney, and percussionist Sam Clayton. The core group was joined by the Tower of Power horn section; Emmylou Harris and Bonnie Raitt on background vocals; and Van Dyke Parks with a production assist. (Parks' session as co-producer resulted in the lead single "Spanish Moon.") Recording sessions took place at Warner Bros.' North Hollywood studio as well as at Sunset Sound and Blue Seas Recording Studio in Maryland, a converted barge that sunk into the sea in 1977. With richly funky, country-flecked grooves, these Feats didn't fail. The LP became the band's first to enter the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 36. In addition to "Spanish Moon," both "Rock and Roll Doctor" and "Oh Atlanta" became band staples.
A dozen studio rarities are included, eight of which are previously unreleased. Among these unreleased tracks are alternate versions of "Rock and Roll Doctor" and "Oh Atlanta," and embryonic takes of songs that would appear on future Feat LPs such as "Long Distance Love" (The Last Record Album) and the then-incomplete "Day at The Dog Races" (Time Loves a Hero). The single version of "Spanish Moon" is also included.
The CD version adds the band's concert at the Paris Olympia from February 1975 during which they performed much of Feats Don't Fail Me Now (including "Skin It Back," "Oh Atlanta," "Rock and Roll Doctor," and "Cold Cold Cold/Tripe Face Boogie") plus older favorites "Willin'," "Fat Man in the Bathtub," and "Dixie Chicken."
The previously unreleased alternate version of "Spanish Moon" is now streaming at YouTube and everywhere you listen to digital music. On the release date of June 14, Little Feat will return to the album's birthplace of Baltimore for a 50th anniversary concert at Pier Six Pavilion. You'll find pre-order links and the track listings for the CD and LP versions of Feats Don't Fail Me Now below as well as Live at the Rainbow '75. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Feats Don't Fail Me Now (Deluxe Edition) (Warner/Rhino, 2024)
3CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
CD/LP 1: Original album (2024 remaster) (released as Warner Bros. BS 2784, 1974)
- Rock & Roll Doctor
- Oh Atlanta
- Skin It Back
- Down the Road
- Spanish Moon
- Feats Don't Fail Me Now
- The Fan
- Medley: Cold Cold Cold/Tripe Face Boogie
CD/LP 2: Hotcakes, Outtakes, Rarities (previously unreleased except where noted)
- Brickyard Blues (Outtake)
- Feats Don't Fail Me Now (Alternate Version)
- Rock & Roll Doctor (Alternate Version)
- Spanish Moon (Alternate Version)
- Skin It Back (Alternate Version)
- Oh Atlanta (Alternate Version)
- All That You Dream (Outtake)
- Front Page News (Alternate Version)
- Long Distance Love (Outtake)
- Lonesome Whistle (Alternate Version)
- Day At the Dog Races (Unfinished Outtake)
- Spanish Moon (Single Version)
Tracks 1-2 and 7 released on Hotcakes & Outtakes - Warner Archive/Rhino R2 79912, 2000
Track 12 released on Warner Bros. single WBS 8091, 1974
CD 3: If You Got It, A Truck Brought It: Live At The L'Olympia, Paris, France (2/1/1975) (previously unreleased)
- On Your Way Back Down
- Skin It Back
- Fat Man in the Bathtub
- Rock & Roll Doctor
- Oh Atlanta
- Medley: Cold Cold Cold/Dixie Chicken/Tripe Face Boogie
- Willin'
- Teenage Nervous Breakdown
Live At The Rainbow '75 (Warner/Rhino, 2024)
- On Your Way Down
- Rock & Roll Doctor
- Oh Atlanta
- Medley: Cold Cold Cold/Dixie Chicken/Tripe Face Boogie
- Bag of Reds
All tracks recorded live at The Rainbow Theatre, London, England - 1/19/1975. Previously unreleased.
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nice to see a real deluxe edition instead of what others try to pass off as a deluxe edition.
Rhino is using this in their marketing and press materials but it's not quite accurate:
"Recording sessions took place at Warner Bros.' North Hollywood studio as well as at Sunset Sound and Blue Seas Recording Studio in Maryland, a converted barge that sunk into the sea in 1977."
Blue Seas had not yet been relocated to the barge on the Inner Harbor when this album and Robert Palmer's Pressure Drop (recorded w/ Little Feat after the Feats Don't Fail Me Now sessions) were recorded. The studio was located during this period in a business park in Hunt Valley, Baltimore County.
Lowell George did record on the barge solo after the studio was relocated, and some of that recording was believed lost when Blue Seas sunk on Christmas Day 1977, but Warner Bros. always would have been in possession of the Feats Don't Fail Me Now session reels, not Blue Seas.
More here for anyone interested:
https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/artsentertainment/the-blue-seas-saga/
Cool about this expanded deluxe reissue...being this is the 4th being done after "Sailin' Shoes", "Dixie Chicken" & 8CD box of 'Columbus"...as well as the "Hotcakes" boxset, I have to ask...is the whole Warner catalogue being done?? Because there was the complete albums boxset which I almost bought, BUT it goes for top dollar on eBay & Discogs...and if the whole catalogue each album is getting expanded like this, then buying that compact set would be a whole waste of money, so it would be good to know, so as not to shell out a whole lotta money for something obsolete...unless I want to take the risk & have all of em in advance & then sell it when the final one is released years down the line...but I don't want to take that chance...
Jason from Rhino has said on the Steve Hoffman board that he has hopes of doing the S/T debut album "if the reissue series continues to be greenlit," so it sounds like future plans somewhat depend on how these sell. I'd take it as a good sign that they greenlit this one so soon on the heels of Sailin' Shoes and Dixie Chicken (though no vinyl for this one).
Guess we'll have to cross our fingers!
So it's likely possible but slightly questionable...I will keep an eye on pricedrops of "Rad Gumbo" & if they are all done, once the last one is out, I'll be selling it...
Just got a good deal on Rad Gumbo so I jumped at it...will get all the deluxes as well, so once the last one is expanded, this will get sold...tbh have no idea why I like LF, they are like a funkier Dead, the opposite of hooky powerpop, but there is just something about em I cannot put my finger on...plus they are like a cult band & I prefer cult bands over popular ones, and just something fun about em, plus their fandom among other cool artists...
Keep running with Little Feat ! Loved this band since the mid-70's. Unfortunately were never that good without the late and great Lowell George. Feats Don't Fail Me now one of those few records I'd take to a deserted island. Looking forward to an expanded version of "The Last Record Album" as well. Little Feat (and Lowell) lives on as long as Warner and/or Rhino keep providing jems from their vault. Thanks for doing this for us Feat fans !!!