Neville Brothers "Fiyo On The Bayou" 1980****

Did I actually know of this album before I spotted it in the bargain bin of my local record store? I’m not entirely sure. I remember thinking, “I should get this—it’s a classic New Orleans soul album”. But was I thinking of this record, or of Fire on the Bayou by The Meters? The mix-up is understandable: The song “Fire on the Bayou” appears on both LPs, they have almost identical titles, and both bands feature Art and Cyril Neville. Confusing, but no matter: whichever album one chooses to buy, it's money well spent. Fiyo On The Bayou opens with another Meters cover, “Hey Pocky Way,” a burst of New Orleans carnival energy—funky soul with Latin and Caribbean overtones. Side one continues strong with the groove-heavy “Sweet Honey Dripper” and “Fire on the Bayou.” The latter features backing vocals arranged by Cissy Houston, with her daughter (and future pop star) Whitney also contributing. Next comes “The Commandments of Love”, an old-fashioned 50s pop ballad. It may sound slightly out of place, but it gives Art Neville the chance to showcase a smooth, Sam Cooke-like vocal style. Side two highlights the band’s versatility. A soulful reggae take on “Sitting in Limbo” (originally by Jimmy Cliff) shows how comfortably they move between genres. They then return to familiar territory with a joyous Mardi Gras medley of “Brother John” and the Cajun staple “Iko Iko.” Dr. John, who had a minor hit with that old chestnut a few years back, guests here on keyboards, percussion, and backing vocals. After a fairly straightforward orchestral cover of Nat King Cole’s “Mona Lisa” the good doctor returns for “Run Joe”, a lively take on a Louis Jordan boogie-woogie number, spiced up with Caribbean flavors. Overall, this is an excellent album, notable for how effortlessly The Neville Brothers navigate different styles. I am especially fond of the traditional New Orleans elements here, which are executed very naturally, though the band is just as convincing when leaning into heavier funk The ballads feel slightly out of place, but they probably reflect Art Neville’s desire to pay tribute to his early influences. Now I just need to give a good listening to The Meters' Fire on the Bayou and decide which of the two I like best.

**** for Sweet Honey Dripper, Fire on the Bayou, Sitting in Limbo, Brother John / Iko Iko, Run Joe

*** for Hey Pocky Way, Ten Commandments of Love, Mona Lisa

Daniel Lanois "Acadie" 1989****

No-one expected an album by Daniel Lanois in 1989. Artists often graduate from performing to producing, but it very rarely happens the other way round. And Lanois' career as producer had really taken off for good - he produced 6 albums in 1989 alone, including late-career highs for veterans like The Neville Brothers (Yellow Moon) and Bob Dylan (Oh Mercy). Nevertheless, in the midst of all that, he found time to record his own debut. That the production is superb should come as no surprise, but the quality of the original compositions and musicianship is also beyond reproach. It helps, of course, to be able to count on friends like U2 (Lanois had co-produced their iconic Joshua Tree album), Brian Eno (another of Lanois' clients) and The Neville Brothers (ditto), all of whom play here. Lanois' singing is quite good, warm and expressive even though he lacks an especially powerful voice or range. As reviewers invariably comment, the album is a mix of New Age atmospherics and traditional Americana - the music is rooted in the New Orleans tradition, enough for me to mistake Lanois for a Louisiana cajun rather than the French Canadian he is. The first two tracks ("Still Water", "The Maker") are atmospheric ballads highly reminiscent of U2's Joshua Tree (not surprisingly, as they feature the same producer and rhythm section). The slow "O Marie" and mid-paced "Jolie Louise" are folkier Cajun material with French and English lyrics, and "Fisherman's Daughter" is a part-spoken word track with moody musical accompaniment segueing to the jazzy sax instrumental "White Mustang II", co-written with Brian Eno. "Under A Stormy Sky" is the most upbeat here, a bilingual zydeco-style tune that's sure to make you smile. "Where The Hawkwind Kills" is another atmospheric song, this time featuring slow, quasi-military, drumming and an Oriental melody. "Silium's Hill" is a melancholic acoustic piece, followed by the ambient synth sounds of "Ice" and another smooth laid-back song, "St. Ann's Gold". The album closes with a cover of traditional hymn "Amazing Grace", combining Art Neville's gospel singing with a prog-electronic, Mike Oldfield-like, backing. It makes for a relatively novel approach to an over-familiar song everybody must by now be tired of. All in all, this is an excellent atmospheric album with beautiful melodies and masterful -not too busy, not too sparse- arrangements. The only objection one may rise is the too-clean production, where -the folkier material at least- would benefit from a more earthly approach. On the other hand, this was the 80's and clean was the golden standard of the period. It makes in any case for smooth and relaxed listening - an (unsurprisingly) accomplished debut, for sure.

***** for The Maker

**** for Still Water, O Marie, Jolie Louise, Under A Stormy Sky, Where The Hawkwind Kills, St. Ann's Gold

*** for Fisherman's Daughter, White Mustang II, Silium's Hill, Ice, Amazing Grace