The Subdudes
Flower Petals
429 Records
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This is the Subdudes first new recording in a couple of years and the chemistry that was apparent from the beginning in 1987 as Tipitina’s bar band is still there. Through the break-ups and reforming and reshaping, and lets not forget relocating back and forth and back again from New Orleans to Colorado and back again, of the intervening years the band has emerged with this release. It is the stripped down rootsy sound of guitars, accordion, piano, bass, tambourine, mandolin, of a 5 piece occasionally augmented by Al Kooper on piano/organ, Vern Monnett on pedal steel/dobro and Angelo Morris on organ/electric piano. We get this release Flower Petals, which as a title is quite appropriate for the music contained on this disc. The music is gentle on the mind and seemingly quite subdued on first listen, it is with later listenings that the full impact of the album is felt upon the senses. It is not New
Orleans typical funk or Rock and Roll, there is no swamp pop catchiness, nor and Cajun, Creole, or Zydeco influences; and yet none are missing. This is a quietly rocking record that brings together so many of the types of music that have come into New Orleans and combined them together. There is a decidedly old time western feel to the disc, both in the music and the lyrics, even the pictures included have them dressed in old time western garb (not gunfighters however bankers/gamblers and soldiers. The playing is as usual mostly acoustic with the electricity used very sparingly, but the harmonies are beautiful and the playing is quite stellar.