Booker T – Potato Hole [Album]

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May 2, 2009, 03:39 PM

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April 21 saw the release of Booker T’s first solo album in decades. The former Stax-organist was, after performing with the MG’s and collaborating with Jolie Holland on ‘What a Wonderful World’, in the perfect mood for renewing his relationship with his younger days, resulting in the instrumental rock ‘n soul collection ‘Potato Hole’.

Backed up by the Drive-By Truckers and also containing Neil Young on guitar, the album shows that, despite hardly ever recording new material, Booker T hasn’t lost his writing abilities. Songs like lead track ‘Pound it Out’, ‘She Breaks’, ‘Potato Hole’ and the excellent Tom Waits cover ‘Get Behind the Mule’ capture the true spirit of freedom; they breathe positive energy, relaxation, happiness and perfection of life and it makes you feel like living in a dream world.

Unfortunately those songs are the only outstanding tunes on this album.
Using the Hammond B3 organ as replacement for lead vocals on ‘Native New Yorker’, ‘Reunion Time’ and Outkast cover ‘Hey Ya’, the result here reminds more of those awkward programmed tunes that normally appear on cheap keyboards for kids only, rather than the spirit of freedom.

Remaining songs ‘Nan’, ‘Warped Sister’ and ‘Space City’ luckily do lack the organ as lead vocal, but also lack the soulful spirit of highlights like ‘Pound it Out’, which makes them nothing more than average songs.

Despite the good intentions and the great combination of Booker T’s organ and the strong lead and rhythm guitars, the general feelings is that the jam sessions resulting in ‘Potato Hole’ were, with the exception of the songs mentioned before, led by enthusiasm rather than real inspiration.

The album is worthwhile listening to, but with only four outstanding songs, an EP might have been a better idea.

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