Search - Animals :: Animalisms

Last Effort By New Castle's Favorite Sons

Marley | Long Island, NY | 04/21/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Animalism marked the final studio recording by perhaps the preeminent British blues band ever. With its predecessor Animalization, the group had changed slightly. They replaced Alan Price on keyboards with Dave Rowberry and Barry Jenkins, took over the drum kit for John Steel. This new lineup favored a jazzier, more R&B influenced sound, somewhat less raw and traditional, but hard-edged and driving just the same. With Animalism they took aim at soulful covers of BB King's, "Rock Me Baby", Sam Cooke's, "Shake", Little Richard's "Lucille", Howlin Wolf's "Smoke Stack Lightning", Ray Charles smash "Hit The Road Jack" and Donovan's "Hey Gyp". Try stumping your friends by asking them, who penned the opening track "All Night Long"?...Yeah, none other then that old Mother of Invention himself, Frank Zappa. In fact Frank had a prominate role, playing lead guitar on several tracks. The results are tremendous as Eric Burton's powerful and inspired vocals rivaled the sheer passion and verve of the aforementioned originals. Animalism was indeed a fitting swan song for New Castle's favorite sons.



Unfortunately, Burton's decision to form a new group called...You guessed it, "Eric Burton & The Animals", ventured into waters virtually uncharted with eclectic elements such as psychedelic rock, funk, Jazz and even traditional Indian raga. They did however manage to score several top-forty hits like, "Sky Pilot", "When I Was Young", "Monterey", and "A Girl Named Sandoz". And, Eric Burton's collaboration with the Los Angles funk band "War" produced his biggest hit ever, "Spill The Wine". But much of his original compositions were lyriclly mediocre, even downright silly. Remember the famous line from "Monterey", "If you want to know the truth in life, don't pass music by and you know I would not lie". Come on now Eric!. Had those crazed San Francisco hippies actually exorcised the blues from your very soul?



Thankfully Hip-O Select had the good sense to release this long out-of-print gem. I'm wearing out the grooves, just as I did my old vinyl Lp years back. Now if they'd only dust off Animalization, I could get back into "Don't Bring Me Down", "See See Rider", "Inside Looking Out" and Oscar Brown's old classic, "One Monkey Don't Stop The Show". Now that would really make my day!"

A Transitional Oddity

WILLIAM C. BOWMAN | New Orleans, LA | 12/21/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The above comments are all spot on. But Zappa is more than just a guy just sitting in. Producer Tom Wilson (Sun Ra, Bob Dylan, The Mothers of Invention, Simon & Garfunkel, and so may more) turned various individual song sessions over to Frank. Just listen to the fuzz-tone and you'll hear soundscapes from "Freak Out." This was also a transitional time, as Eric Burdon mutated the band into "The New Animals" and later "..with War." There are rumors of sonic involvement with Hendrix, but you'll have to ask Hans Glebeek (Univibes magazine) about that."