Rejuvenation (The Meters album)
| Untitled | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | B+[2] |
| Rolling Stone | [3] |
| BBC Music | Positive[4] |
Rejuvenation is the fifth studio album by the New Orleans funk group The Meters. It was released in 1974. In 2003, the album was ranked number 138 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[5]
Background
The Meters cut their first three mostly instrumental albums with Josie Records, before signing with Reprise and recording 1972's Cabbage Alley, their first album to feature mostly vocal songs and arrangements. Rejuvenation is the follow-up album. It was produced by Allen Toussaint and recorded at his brand new Sea-Saint Studios in New Orleans. Some of the songs on the album include horn section arrangements by Toussaint.[1][6]
The somewhat garish front cover artwork features a photograph of a woman sitting on a couch alongside several record albums strewn about her living room, such as Allen Toussaint's 1972 Life, Love and Faith as well as the Meters' own previous LP Cabbage Alley.
Reception
Stephen Erlewine of AllMusic called it "a first-class funk album" and noted the album's rock influences and its hard-edged funk.[1] Robert Christgau had a positive view and singles out the two tracks "It Ain't No Use" and "Just Kissed My Baby" as highlights.[2] Jon Pareles of Rolling Stone called the album "a high point of 1970s funk". He noted the sparse spacing of the music and stylistic influences from Mardi Gras, gospel, R&B and country.[3] Daryl Easlea of BBC Music called the music a "merger of funk and swamp rock" and said the album is "the epitome of groove-laden, hook-rich, in-your-face funk." He singled out "Africa" and "It Ain't No Use" as highlights.[4]
Influence and cover songs
The album's influence is detectable in the work of a number of artists who have performed renditions of its songs. The Red Hot Chili Peppers did a modified version of the song "Africa" on their album Freaky Styley. Throughout their version, the word "Africa" is changed to "Hollywood" and "Mother Land" is changed to "Brother Land".[4] The third track, "Just Kissed My Baby", is used in Grand Theft Auto IV on the funk radio station.[7] The song is sampled on Public Enemy's "Timebomb" from the album Yo! Bum Rush the Show.[8] Chris Duarte did a rendition of "Just Kissed My Baby" on Texas Sugar/Strat Magik.[9] He has also covered "People Say" live.[10] Vdelli covered "Just Kissed My Baby" on the album Out of the Blues.[11] New Orleans' The Dirty Dozen Brass Band covered "Africa" on their Medicated Magic album.[12] The Grateful Dead regularly performed "Hey Pocky A-Way" in their concerts in the late 1980's.[13] Widespread Panic regularly cover "It Ain't No Use" and have played and still play "Just Kissed my Baby" many times. George Porter, Jr. has sat in with Widespread Panic a number of times, most recently at their annual "Panic en la Playa Siete" destination shows. The 01/28/2018 show at Rivirea Maya, MX featured George on bass & vocals performing "It Ain't no Use"
Track listing
All tracks are written by Ziggy Modeliste, Art Neville, Leo Nocentelli, George Porter, Jr
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "People Say" | 5:18 |
| 2. | "Love Is for Me" | 3:55 |
| 3. | "Just Kissed My Baby" | 4:43 |
| 4. | "What'cha Say" | 3:29 |
| 5. | "Jungle Man" | 3:26 |
| 6. | "Hey Pocky A-Way" | 4:06 |
| 7. | "It Ain't No Use" | 11:51 |
| 8. | "Loving You Is on My Mind" | 3:19 |
| 9. | "Africa" | 4:01 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 10. | "People Say" (Single Version) | 3:11 |
| 11. | "Hey Pocky A-Way" (Single Version) | 3:27 |
Personnel
Credits adapted from AllMusic,[14] with added vocal credits.
- Ziggy Modeliste – drums, composer, producer, vocals
- Art Neville – keyboards, composer, producer, vocals
- Leo Nocentelli – guitar, composer, producer, background vocals
- George Porter, Jr. – bass, composer, producer, background vocals
- Lowell George – slide guitar on "Just Kissed My Baby"[15]
- Production
- Allen Toussaint – producer
- Tim Livingston – project manager
- Bob Irwin – mastering
- Al Quaglieri – mastering
- Ken Laxton – engineer
- Rich Russell – design
- Bunny Matthews – liner notes
References
- ^ a b c Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Allmusic: Rejuvenation – review". allmusic.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Robert Christgau. "The Meters – reviews". RobertChristgau.com. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Jon Pareles (August 3, 2000). "The Meters: Rejuenation". Rolling Stone (RS 846). Straight Arrow. ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on October 2, 2007.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c Daryl Easlea (2010). "The Meters Rejuvenation Review". BBC Music. Archived from the original on January 9, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time – 138 – Rejuvenation, The Meters". Rolling Stone (Special Issue). Straight Arrow. November 2003. ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on February 18, 2007.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Daniel Knobler (February 2011). "Here Come the Meter Men". Perfect Sound Forever magazine. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Grand Theft Auto IV– Soundtrack". grandtheft4.ucoz.com. 2011. Archived from the original on April 26, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Public Enemy's 'Yo! Bum Rush The Show' Turns 30". whosampled.com. February 10, 2017. Archived from the original on November 4, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "AllMusic: Texas Sugar/Start Magik". Allmusic.com. 1994. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "AllMusc: Chris Duarte / The Chris Duarte Group – Live album". Allmusic.com. 2013. Archived from the original on March 24, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Fred Schemidtlein (April 29, 2002). "Vdelli – Out of the Blues – review". Home of Rock. Archived from the original on November 4, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "AllMusic: Medicated Magic". Allmusic.com. 2002. Archived from the original on July 23, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ David Malvinni (2013). Grateful Dead and the Art of Rock Improvisation. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 30–31. ISBN 9780810882553. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
- ^ "Allmusic: Rejuvenation – credits". allmusic.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Efram Turchick (January 22, 2002). "Interview with Leo Nocentelli". Sundazed.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
That's Lowell George playing slide on a song called 'Just Kissed My Baby' on Rejuvenation.
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