(Alive) Wow! I have a British reissue of this from
the early 80s with a really boring photo cover, but the original artwork on
this 1973 LP is so weird, wonderful, and mesmerising that it makes this Swamp
Dogg production sound much better than I remmeber it, and I remember diggin it.
Thomas’ Imperial LPs were from the mid-60s and her return to studio recording
on Rounder wasn’t until the mid 80s, so other than those great live albums on
Island this the sole document of a brilliant singer at perhaps the peak of her
vocal power. The singing on this album is breathtaking, as Dogg’s great arrangements
and weird and wonderful songs allow everything to be both laid back and intense
at the same time, showcasing a uniquely powerful set of pipes. And she can
emote! And pull off a powerful talking intro as well. Apparantly Duane Allman
is on “You’re the Dog (I Do the Barking Myself)” but it’s the horn arrangements
that sell that song (not to mention the kind of lyric that Swamp Dogg could
really work some magic with). Spectacular!
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