The Meters began in New Orleans in the early '50's while Art Neville (of the Neville brothers) was still in high school. They are credited today as one of the roots of American Funk and M-Tet started out with the beginning of it all covering this album for a while before coming up with their own material. A perfect plan if this single is any indication.
A-Side's "Number One" has a warm button pushing bass line right in the middle of this. It's the central funky thing that's going to keep everything else in line, not that those dime stops between solos aren't impressive - they are, but you give the bass free reign to roam and it makes a conscious decision to never deviate or go off the rails, just settled, comfortable cruise control bass. Confidently walking down the street pimped out with those goldfish platform shoes, same rhythm, all the same speed while the organ works overtime trying to get your attention. It does - looking good girl, but damn there's that bass again. I hear you drums. Yea your back there slapping away on the tightly wound up kit. There's the guitar stepping out for a second to give this some soul but we want more of that bass. Why wasn't there enough room for a good minute of bass? Did it ever step out and get all flashy? No. Did it need to wind around frets of scales? Never. I have to think that's the direct influence of The Meters baby.
Damn, B-Sides "Bikes" has a real slow groove with major distortion playing the central role here. I hear you bass but the guitar seems to have moved in on this one with attitude. The organ is run through some kind of nice effect or busted leslie speaker that rotates off axis like the earth. They settle in and that guitar gets back to work like a Lee Fields instrumental track. Major breakdown beat alert towards the end of this, makes me want to break out a sampler. When that percussion jumps out for a minute on it's own and you get those big sharp hits? No wonder you just want to hear that on repeat. Worth using up the hi-fi space on that 5mb card for.
No sleeve just like the good old days. Reminds me of that thrift store basement in greenpoint. There's no way that can still be there. That was an education of the seven inch. Another education has been episodes of the Dirty Dirty Podcast from these guys.
Get this from the band direct.
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