5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Marcia Ball's early band is a blast, July 7, 2007
This review is from: Freda and the Firedogs (Audio CD)
Freda and the Firedogs is a long defunct Texan band that featured a young Marcia Ball as a vocalist and piano player. Their music was mainly country rock, with strong blues influences. Legendary producer Jerry Wexler, then in his Tex-Wex days with Doug Sahm and Willie Nelson, sought to sign them to Atlanic Records. For a variety of reasons, the band hesitated; by the time they did so, Atlantic's Tex-Wex days were largely over. Although Wexler produced a record, it was not released for three decades. When it finally appear, an entity called "Plug Music," rather than Atlantic, issued the 12-song set.
The self-titled "Freda and the Firedogs" is a pleasant set of originals and, for the most part, covers of country and folky-blues tunes. The latter songs, such as "Make Me a Pallet" and "EZ Rider" appeal more to my tastes than their renditions of "Jambalaya" and "Today I Started Loving You Again." Your tastes might differ. What is clear is that the album would have likely served as a starting point from which the band, if it had stayed together, would have continued to grow in confidence and skill as songwriters and performers. Fortunately, Marcia Ball's talents ultimately were not denied, and we are blessed by her many excellent albums.
The "Plug" edition of the album contains highly informative liner notes and interesting photos and reproductions of posters. Overall, the album is recommended, particularly for fans of early country rock and of Marcia Ball.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
