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Little Richard - King of Rock & Roll Audio CD

A fair review of the Little Richard "King of Rock & Roll" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Little Richard reviews here, or go back to the Little Richard tabs.

Little Richard Band: Little Richard
Title: King of Rock & Roll
Rating:
Release Date: 2009-06-23
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: King Of Rock And Roll 2: Joy To The World 3: Brown Sugar 4: In The Name 5: Dancing In The Street 6: Midnight Special 7: The Way You Do The Things You Do 8: Green Power 9: I m So Lonesome I Could Cry 10: Settin The Woods On Fire 11: Born On The Bayou

Little Richard's second Reprise album treads water
B. After his Reprise debut, 1970's swamp-funk infused The Rill Thing, failed to garner commercial attention, Little Richard hooked up with mainstream producer H. Barnum and crafted an updated version of his 1950's R&B-tinged rock `n' roll sound. This is a more flamboyant and self-celebrating affair than its predecessor, from the album's title track to the lengthy, self-aggrandizing introduction he gives himself on the cover of Hoyt Axton's "Joy to the World. " Those who remember Richard's television appearances in the 1970s ("Shut up!") will recognize the character here.

As great as were the brassy, bass-heavy arrangements of The Rill Thing, Barnum's production update doesn't work. Richard's belting vocals sound out-of-time against the flaccid, near-disco arrangements of "Joy to the World" and "Brown Sugar. " Better are the funky, hyperventilating reinterpretation of "Dancing in the Street" and the soul shout of "Midnight Special," though here again the early `70s backing vocals are dated. Richard's original "In the Name" is sung in a compelling croon, and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" works well in its Stax-styled arrangement.

The album's closing cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Born on the Bayou" fits, but it reveals more about Richard's impact on John Fogerty than it provides an opportunity to create something new. Richard sounds engaged, but his producer wasn't able to craft a compelling showcase for his vocals, nor help him select material that offered the best vehicles for interpretation. After the electric jolt forward of The Rill Thing, this album is disappointing for its lack of new vision. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com].


Richard takes on the "Top 40"
On 4-5 cuts, he sings like there's no tomorrow: Brown Sugar, Born On The Bayou, and a new song, co-written by Producer H. Another early '70s studio departure for Richard - in a production yielding almost nothing like his dynamic stage shows of the era. B. Barnum, Green Power, undoubtedly one his greatest recordings, vocally, and in relevance to the times. He adds a rare touch of irony to the proceedings, which will surprise even the most ardent worshippers.
No acoustic piano heard at all; obstrusive lady chorus getting in Richards' way and in the way of the band. On the few tracks where they are properly mixed, however, they sound fine.
Great title tune which was played like a single at the time - in the mood and structure of many '50s reflections, it coulda/shoulda been released as a 45 rpm. . . then Little Richard would have had another Top 40 hit for himself.


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