When
the Meters
moved from their bankrupted indie label
Josie
to
Warner Bros
for 1972's
Cabbage Alley
, they shifted from funky instrumentals to soulful vocalizing. Leading the way in this new direction was guitarist
Leo Nocentelli
, who wrote or co-wrote most of these songs. True to
Nocentelli
's New Orleans origins, a spirit of jocular abandon winds its way throughout this album. Among the most notable examples are the chugging and infectious "Soul Island," inspired by a tour of the Caribbean, and the midtempo grit of a dance theme called "Do the Dirt." Elsewhere,
's compositions include the psychedelic soul of "Stay Away" and "The Flower Song," a romantic instrumental tailor-made for a candlelit dinner. Altering this carefree atmosphere are a pair of consciousness-raising tracks: "You've Got to Change (You've Got to Reform)" and
the Band
-like poignancy of "Lonesome and Unwanted People," featuring keyboardist
Art Neville
's soulful vocals.
Neville
's contributions also include his cover of
Neil Young
's "Birds" and a rewrite of
Professor Longhair
's "Hey Now Baby" that doubles as the rollicking title track. [Some reissues add "Chug Chug Chug-A-Lug (Push and Shove), Pts. I & 2" to the program.] ~ Rovi Staff