The Long Play with Al Neff" is a continuing Sunday evening Feature on The GOAT. This year, Every Sunday Evening, Album Rock WXYG, The GOAT will feature a full album at 8:00 PM from the halcyon musical days of 1974.
1974 was one of the top Years in Album Rock history. Another year of tough choices every week. So many great ones to choose from.
We hope you’ll tune in the evening of Sunday, November 24th for “Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley”, the debut solo album by Robert Palmer, released in 1974. It was his first effort after three album releases co-fronting the band Vinegar Joe.
Even as far back as 1974, the late Robert Palmer was cool and sophisticated. Palmer released a number of fine, records that highlighted his soulful voice. Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley, his debut album with stellar musicians Little Feat's Lowell George, and The Meters is a particular standout. This debut gained admirers over the years and not just music critics. “Sailin’ Shoes” the album opener is a delightful, funky cover of a Lowell George song and segues into the Palmer original “Hey, Julia,” which features the following clever lyric: "A horn section you resemble and your figure makes me tremble/And I sure would like to handle what's between your ears." Although the title track is a cover, Palmer truly makes it his own with this joyful rendition. The self-explanatory "Get Outside" slows things down a bit but it's fun lyric "If you're feeling crowded or out of tune/Yeah/I've been trying to swing this cat all day/But there ain't no room to move/Get outside" keeps the song moving along nicely. The upbeat "Blackmail" is a collaboration with Lowell George full of Stax-like horn riffs and a powerful chorus of female backing vocalists. The entertaining "How Much Fun" is enhanced by Art Neville's funky keyboard work and The Meters enthusiastic arrangement. The haunting, slow-building R&B ballad "From a Whisper to a Scream" is an Allen Toussaint cover. The album’s epic tour de force finale "Through It All There's You" is notable for Steve Winwood guesting on keyboards. It's a long, atmospheric, hypnotic, cool improvisational tune with exemplary drumming by Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, and all the while Palmer holds his own with a supremely confident and sincere vocal performance. Backed by accomplished, immensely talented supporting musicians, Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley is one of Palmer's very best albums, and although it doesn't contain any monster hits, it does spotlight his sweet, subtle, understated voice. This is an absolute gem that deserves to be appreciated and rediscovered by all.
Tune In and Turn On the evening of Sunday, November 24th and every Sunday evening at 8:00 PM for The GOAT'S "The Long Play with Al Neff.”
