From his earliest work, it was clear that Robert Palmer was an artist of uncommon musicality. However nothing in his early days, from the Alan Bown Set, by way of jazz-rock fusionists DaDa to Vinegar Joe, may fairly have ready anybody for the sonic sophistication and soulfulness of his 1974 solo debut for Island Data, Sneakin’ Sally By means of The Alley.
Any one of many 14 studio albums made by Palmer earlier than his premature passing on the age of 54 in 2003 is deserving of a brand new appreciation. However Sneakin’ Sally deserves particular consideration as a result of it was the primary time we actually obtained to listen to his alluring mix of R&B, reggae, and rock influences, and his unusual ability each as a creator and interpreter of nice subtlety.
The album laid naked Palmer’s love of the actual sort of soul that emanated from New Orleans, notably from the pen and the piano of Allen Toussaint. It was his tune that gave the LP its title, as one in every of two covers, additionally together with the haunting “From A Whisper To A Scream.” The “bottom end” of the file’s terrific sound was provided by one other of the nice acts who had emerged from the Crescent Metropolis a number of years earlier, the Meters. British gamers like Jim Mullen and Simon Phillips additionally contributed.
Robert was equally taken with the slinky, soulful rock that was rising on the time by Los Angeles hipsters Little Feat, and their frontman Lowell George. His tune “Sailing Shoes,” the title monitor of the band’s second album from 1972, grew to become the lead quantity on Palmer’s debut. Moreover, George himself performed guitar on the quilt, and on 4 different tracks from the set. “I got a phone call,” George advised Melody Maker in 1975, ‘Hey, how would you like to come to New Orleans and make an album with the Meters’ so I went down and made Robert Palmer’s album with Allen Toussaint.”
However the album additionally introduced Palmer as a high quality author himself, with 4 new songs and a co-write with George on “Blackmail.” The closing monitor, “Through It All There’s You,” was a hypnotic, 12-minute deal with that includes electrical piano by his Island labelmate Steve Winwood.
It will not be till his third album Some Folks Can Do What They Like that Palmer would start to make even modest inroads on the British viewers, however Sneakin’ Sally discovered some favour in America, reaching No. 107 in a 15-week run.
Hearken to Sneakin’ Sally By means of The Alley on Apple Music and Spotify.
