Natural Child
Okey Dokey
2016
Natural Child Records and Tapes NCRT001
****recommended
Sixth set from Nashville’s Natural Child, first one on their own Natural Child Records and Tapes, garage rock Nashville style, one of the best 2016 has to offer.
–winch (author of
link to sellers (download, CD, vinyl):
Connie Smith
Miss Smith Goes To Nashville
1966
RCA 3530
Produced by Bob Ferguson
**** Recommend
Connie’s third album (and the first of three released in 1966).
Connie Smith
S/T
1965
RCA 3341
Produced by Bob Ferguson
***** Good Shit
While some of her female contemporaries might be more well known, Connie could easily stand next to any of them, as this debut album surely shows.
Bill Anderson is credited on nearly half of the selections, the other songs credited to a variety of other songwriters: Betty Sue Perry, William B. Morgan, Baker Knight, Hank Cochran, and Willie Nelson. All of the cuts are good, and the majority are great.
Ferguson’s production is a wonderful balance of just enough but not too much, and the same can be said about the band’s contributions. Smith’s beautiful voice is wisely the center of all the songs, but the involvement of others help make this such a classic. She’s the statue, and the others rise her up and provide the lighting to accent her beauty. This is a work of art built to last.
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Any respectable fan of hillbilly music, should give this set a spin. If you’re looking for a place to begin with this artist, you just found it.
— winch (author of Junk Like That and Kalamazoo: Growing Up Sideways in the 1970s)
Dunhill 50121 (USA)
Memphis man Whitlock had a long history of involvement in his hometown before joining Derek & the Dominoes and contributing his songwriting talents to six songs on that set. While the band on this solo album remains uncredited on the sleeve, this set is sometimes referred to as the last Derek & the Dominoes album as all members (except perhaps Allman) play on this record. While that tag is often used to promote this album, I’d say the comment is misleading. This is clearly Whitlock’s album.
Whitlock writes or cowrites the entire set (only sharing credits on two cuts, one with Don Nix, the other with Bonnie Bramlett), and this set is actually better than the overhyped and overblown sound of Derek & the Dominoes. While some buyers might be brought to this set because Clapton plays on it, this album is better than any of Clapton’s albums.
Sounds Good 