np: "Pound It Out" - Booker T
Booker T. is gosh darn national treasure. Just for the pivotal instrumental track "Green Onions" (which even if you don't think you've ever heard - you've heard) alone, not to mention all that fantastic session work he produced for the Stax musicians along with his buddies The M.G.'s. Which is why it shames me a little to admit that they only reason I bothered to check out his latest release, Potato Hole, is because his backing band this go-round is the only Southern rock band that matters right now - Alabama's own Drive-By Truckers. But, hey, the hook worked and I picked up an album I might have otherwise (wrongfully) ignored. And I'm really glad I gave it a chance, this might be one of the downright funkiest and most rocking album I've ever heard. The DBTs' growling three-axe attack is a perfect fit for Booker's grimy organ sound, givng every single track a loose and organic feel that never sounds over-thought or under-emoted. It sounds like everyone is having one hell of a time in the studio, especially when they break into the covers of Outkast's "Hey Ya" and Tom Waits' "Get Behind the Mule". Toss in an instrumental re-working of the Truckers' own "Space City", some extra fretwork from Mr. Neil Young himself and you've got a great little rock record that shouldn't be overlooked.
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