Dr John and Lower 911: The City That Care Forgot
Friday, 30 May 2008 14:24
Dr John and Lower 911: The City That Care Forgot
Cooking Vinyl, out June 2nd.
In a nutshell...
Political, heartfelt, polished, blues, tribute
What's it all about?
The most recent of more than 20 studio albums by one time New Orleans resident Dr John. 13 slick, funky and politically charged, tracks in a homage to his hurricane ravaged home town. Featuring guest stars including Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson, Ani DiFranco and Terence Blanchard.
Who's it by?
Dr John, real name Malcolm John Rebennack Jr, has been making music since the 1950s. His 1968 debut album Gris-Gris introduced his unique voodoo influenced fusion of New Orleans blues and psychedelic rock. While his 70s output including Dr John's Gumbo, and In the Right Place cemented his reputation as a 1st class interpreter, writer and performer of funk, R&B and soul.
As an example...
"The strange fruit of today ain't hanging from no tree/Laying on the ground, left to rot right where they drowned, like monuments to some slavers pride/You know me, I can't let that slide." - Dream Warrior
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
Fairly high, the good doctor’s new found political relevancy coupled with his recent finding of musical form and big name cast of collaborating artistes is not too dissimilar from the best album-winning formula employed by Ray Charles, Carlos Santana and Quincy Jones among others.
However his fellow musicians seem to genuinely be there to serve the song rather than to add star appeal and The City That Care Forgot is by no means as blatantly commercial as Santana's Supernatural for example. Not a sure fire winner, but it would be foolish to count it out.
What the others say
"It's a sterling broadside from the self-styled 'samurai of the holy lost cause'." - Independent
So is it any good?
The answer is yes and no, the album as a whole is exceptionally well performed, and the experience and outstanding musicianship from everyone involved is evident throughout. Dr John's genuine love of New Orleans and sense of anger and outrage at the treatment of its people in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina is obvious and it is partly the genuine emotion involved which elevates The City That Care Forgot over much of his previous work.
At its best, such as on the title track or the upbeat Say Whut? – where Dr John's trademark growl is back on fine form – it is as edgy and darkly funky as the best of his work.
Even when he winds it down a gear, on the swampy Dream Warrior or the gospel tinged Promises, Promises, it rarely feels like treading water, retaining real edge and passion.
Sometimes it all seems a little too polished however, and on tracks like You Might Be Surprised, one can't help but be reminded of generic smooth R 'n' B of the sort pedalled by one time collaborator Van Morrison in recent years. At times, the subject matter seems a little stale also. In recent years the war for oil and foreign deployment of American soldiers has been covered comprehensively in almost every imaginable genre.
All in all though, a fine tribute to the storm-ravaged jewel of the American South albeit one that loses focus in places.
8/10
John Beck
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