Humble Pie - Town and Country (1969) (Japan Mini LP 2001)

Humble Pie - Town and Country (1969) (Japan Mini LP 2001)

Anyone who thinks of Humble Pie solely in terms of their latter-day boogie rock will be greatly surprised with this, the band's second release, for it is almost entirely acoustic. There is a gently rocking cover of Buddy Holly's "Heartbeat," and a couple of electrified Steve Marriott numbers, but the overall feel is definitely more of the country than the town or city. "The Sad Bag of Shaky Jake" is a typical Marriott country ditty, similar to those he would include almost as a token on each of the subsequent studio albums, and "Every Mother's Son" is structured as a folk tale. On "The Light of Love," Marriott even plays sitar. Peter Frampton's contributions here foreshadow the acoustic-based music he would make as a solo artist a few years later. As a whole, this is a crisp, cleanly recorded, attractive-sounding album, totally atypical of the Humble Pie catalog, but well worth a listen. ...J. Newsom

320 @
105 MB

Trcklist:

01 Take me back 04:54
02 The sad bag of Shaky Jake 03:01
03 The light of love 03:02
04 Cold lady 03:24
05 Down home again 02:58
06 Ollie ollie 00:52
07 Every mother's sun 05:45
08 Heartbeat 02:35
09 Only you can see 03:40
10 Silver tongue 03:22
11 Home and away 05:57
12 79th street blues (Bonus) 03:03
13 Greg's song (Bonus) 04:28

Humble Pie - Performance, Rockin' the Fillmore (1971) (Japan SHM CD 2006)

Humble Pie - Performance, Rockin' the Fillmore (1971) (Japan SHM CD 2006)

Japanese pressing reissue. No Extras. 2006.

When it comes to live albums, there's a standard in the music industry. It's Humble Pie's "Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore." Released in 1971, this is not an album people merely listen to; it is an album that can only be experienced. The intensity of the British supergroup's live show can be attributed to the electric chemistry generated between vocalist Steve Marriott and guitar god Peter Frampton. Formerly of Small Faces, Marriott's soulful rock 'n' roll voice is the perfect foil to Frampton's jazz-rock style.
The seven-song album is an exhilarating slice of Humble Pie history. Almost all of the songs include extended solos and improvisational tangents that would never be allowed on a studio album. Unpredictable tracks like "Stone Cold Fever" are refreshing and keep the listener actively engaged until the end. The band also showcases its musical stamina on the marathon jam, "I Walk On Gilded Splinters." This 23-minute epic features Marriott's dynamic range as he seamlessly shifts from demonic lows to primal, high-pitched wails that only fellow English rocker Robert Plant could rival.
The closing anthem, "I Don't Need No Doctor," is one of the group's most recognizable songs. Brimming with uncontrollable energy, this guitar-driven rocker spotlights Frampton's expressive, spellbinding solos. With every note, the listener is continually drawn into Humble Pie's other worldly sound.
Although the album is filled with standouts, the band really shines on the Ray Charles cover, "Hallelujah (I Love Her So)." The potent combination of Marriott's mile-high vocal range and Frampton's quick, clear solos make this rock-oriented cover a classic in its own right...Manfred Mandel

320 @
169 MB

Tracklist:

01. Four Day Creep 3.46
02. I'm Ready 8.31
03. Stone Cold Fever 6.21
04. I Walk On Gilded Splinters 23.28
05. Rolling Stone 16.10
06. Hallelujah 5.10
07. I Don't Need No Doctor 9.15