Customer Reviews

Down on the Farm

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"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.

This is an album which which has got largely obscured by other Feat heavyweights like Dixie Chicken and FDFMN. However, it has some exhilarating music, with "Six Feet of Snow" and "Perfect Imperfection" simply outstanding. It is THE perfect introduction to Little Feat for any one who hasn't heard them before. One of my all time favourites.

This album was created using bits and pieces of an unfinished album found in Lowell's studio after his death. Be warned that Lowell never heard anything close to the final version of these songs. To credit him with co-production of "Down on the Farm" was a compliment to him at best and a commericial-backed white lie at worst. The truth is somewhere in between.

Having said the above, I'm still glad his buddies released it because it gave the world a few more nuggets of his slide work and amazing voice to hold onto in his absence.

Two stars, because I have a question. What happened to the original version of the tunes contained on the album? This version seems to feature re-recordings and alternate takes throughout. "Front Page News" is NOT the version you will hear if you buy the vinyl record, but is the terrible version from "Hoy Hoy," featuring no real structure and weak vocals by other band members. Because of this, the album is not recommended to anyone, because it is not the original album. Also, the mixing and mastering are totally different than on the earlier versions, which seems like a complete and total bastardization of the effort. As for the original album, three stars. The title track was and is one of the group's stronger, most focused cuts, and others, such as "Perfect Imperfection," are heartwarming. The original "Front Page News" finds George in the same mode and key as on "Long Distance Love," but that is absent here. In its place is something totally unlistenable that sounds recorded after the album was originally released. Also, is this the same version of Sam Clayton's "Feel the Groove"??? It sure doesn't sound like it.

My problem with this album is that somewhere between 1980 and now they switched one track out. When the album was released on vinyl the track "Front Page News" was sung by Lowell George and lasted an entire minute longer. The backing track is also very different and sped up. I am very dissappointed because I have looked for his version of the song(far superior to Payne's version) and have not been able to find it. If anyone knows what album released has it I would like to here. The album while not perfect is a very nice listen and I think an important epitaph for Lowell (especially with this song)

I'm giving this album 5 stars because of the great tracks such as Kokomo, Front Page News and the rest of the Lowell George tunes (written, sung and played). This was probably the first Little Feat album I bought, and it lead to the purchase of the rest of the George-era records, so it definitely had a positive impact on me.

I've read several negative posts and criticisms ([...]) There seems to be a lot of negative response to the slickness of the production, which I don't think is accurate or fair. The song writing is strong, interesting and varried -- from poppy balads (Be One Now), to blues (Perfect Imperfection) to love songs (Front Page News); George delivers some great vocal performances, and the guitar work is truly out of sight (Robbin Ford does the solo on Perfect Imperfection).

Someone else has already said this, but to reiterate: the last two tracks are sub-par (I always thought the rest of the band kind of put them together after George's death to finish off the album, but I have nothing to back this up) -- but given the circumstances, this is forgiveable...

So if you're a Little Feat fan, do not be disuaded by the bad reputation of the album, go ahead and get it. I have quite a lot of music, and rarely write reviews. In closing I will say this record honestly has some of the best Little Feat music out there on it, and has nothing in common with Time Loves a Hero.

Many people are bit hard on this album, Lowell George's last with the group before his untimely death. While it may not be as brilliant as "Dixie Chicken" or "Feats Don't Fail Me Now," it is a definite improvement over "Time Loves A Hero." This is largely because Lowell contributions to this album are much greater than the previous one. And the songs he has written or co-written are great. "Kokomo" and "Be One Now" are the George standouts and Barrere contributes one of his best songs, "Perfect Imperfection." "Six Feet of Snow" is the band's one foray into Zydeco and is pretty good, too. The only real misfires on this album are the overlong closer, "Feel the Groove," and "Wake Up Dreaming." "Front Page News" is alright and the title track is solid. This is maybe not the best Feat album but it ranks pretty closely with "Last Record Album" and even the weaker tracks are quite listenable. And, as always, Lowell's voice and slide guitar playing are gorgeous and the entire band plays brilliantly.

In spite of the band being in turmoil, I really like this CD. Maybe its not up to Dixie Chicken standard but its close to it for my ears. Wake Up Dreaming, Feel The Grove, Down On The Farm, Kokomo, and Straight From The Heart are all excellent tunes. I'd rate it just between 4 and 5 stars.

No matter where they've have gone musically Little Feat,like the Allman Brothers have always flaunted how they've integrated their influences into their own distinctive sound so well they never seem to be trying for it at all. This album closes out the Lowell George era for the band as he passed on shortly after this came out. Excellent and hilarious cover art aside this album actually takes many of Little Feat's influences-from New Orleans funk,jazz,blues,and southern rock (among other things)into another one of their own distinct musical stews.Unlike the jazzy-funk stylings of Time Loves a Hero this album has more of the feel of the old sound of the band,but still with the previous albums studio sheen. The effect,as my dad put it upon hearing this is that of a ballsier version of The Grateful Dead's Shakedown Street,especially on some of the rockier numbers such as the title song and "Wake Up Dreaming".On the other hand one of the highlites is the short but very sweet hyperactive zydeco of "Six Feet Of Snow".There are also tunes such as "Perfect Imperfesion" and "Front Page News" that continue excersising a jazzier kind of sound but Lowell's Dr.John/Van Morrison style vocals add a very soulful bite to the occasion.There's also some great funky stuff here such as the popular "Straight From The Heart" and "Feel The Groove"-they aren't a whole lot different then something channeled straigh out of the Meters/Neville Brothers school of New Orleans funk. While this doesn't often get the praise of other Litte Feat recordings because,as with most of their later work it focuses on songs and shorter grooves rather then jamming.But this isn't the first time that a change in a bands musical approch met with mixed results to some people.And considering most bands today could only hope to even TRY walking in the shoes of a band of this caliber this album is pretty close to incredible,even with that revisionist element taken out.

Little Feat is such an unusually talented and funky band - probably one of the best American bands of all time. And I think that this is their strongest CD. Many Litte Feat songs have such incredibly complex rythmns and beats; they almost seem to not follow a steady beat, yet the songs are very tight and in their own way, are never off beat. Very unique songs! This CD, from 1979, was Lowell George's last, as he died right after the production. It has 4 very solid tunes - Perfect Imperfection, Front Page News, Straight From The Heart, and Wake Up Dreaming. I remember buying this album right after it came out and I played it to several friends - withing a month or so, all of them bought the album. Very high praise indeed - this a wonderful CD. You can't go wrong.