Skip to content
Elly Roberts reviews
Milking Bull Records
- Cat.no: 3506712
- Released: March 2006
- Rating: 10/10
The Little Willies are gonna be big.
This excellent CD is the mostfascinating release so far this year. Unknown in the UK, until this, itfeatures the surprising inclusion of Norah Jones and songwritingcollaborator Lee Alexander. In effect, it’s Norah’s side project.
Already receiving some airplay in the UK, Norah and her chums have assembled fromfar-flung corners of the USA in a bid to expose the music they’ve beenplaying in bars – a strange setting for the now famous Ms. Jones. Anyway,formed for practical reasons apparently, the CD’s agenda was tostudio-capture their live sets in a relaxed, and in many ways ambientatmosphere – bars still seem to bring out a smoky feel to the music for somereason.
Having booked a stint at The Living Room in New York, on the pretextof having some fun, thoughts soon began to filter of an album, possibly alive one. Instead, as Jones’ and Alexander’s home studio was completed, theychristened it with this recording.
The result seems them tackling an array of covers and originals. Havingsimilar past classic music interests – Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, KrisKristofferson et al, they pull off a little home-grown gem. Together for acouple of years, they set out initially as a covers only band, then thingsexpanded as they ventured towards originals, four of which appear here -tracks 4, 7, 10, 13.
Jaunty western swing opens, on Roly Poly with Jim Campilongo’s guitarleading the quintet, with Jones’ inimitable vocals and piano adding therootsy touch. More pacey exploits happen on All Possible Worlds withCampilongo’s wiry licks taking it to another level. Country twists bring thebest out of Jones’ country inflections as she throws herself headlong intothe rip-roaring Nelson swinger Gotta Get Drunk – Campilongo gets to let ripwith some showboating. In the same vein, Richard Julian, taking the leadvocal, he makes a real fist of things on chugger Streets Of Baltimore. In amore sedate way, they get laid back on drifters Nightlife and Love Me.
Harmony highlight is the low-fi Easy As The Rain, arguably the best song ofthe 13.
Weblink:The Little Willies.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Roly Poly
2. I’ll Never Get Out
3. Love Me
4. It’s Not You It’s Me
5. Best Of All Possible Words
6. No Place To Fall
7. Roll On
8. Gotta Get Drunk
9. Streets Of Baltimore
10. Easy As The Rain
11. Tennessee Stud
12. Nightlife
13. Lou Reed
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.