Genre: rock
Rating: 2 stars **
Title: Naked Songs
Company: Columbia
Catalog: KC
31723
Year: 1972
Country/State: US
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: gatefold sleeve
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5539
Price: $15.00
For a contractual obligation set (his last release for Columbia), 1972's "Naked Songs" wasn't half bad. Perhaps because he wasn't feeling any commercial pressure (not like Columbia was going to drop him any quicker), Kooper took the opportunity to record what may have been his most stylistically diverse set. Yeah, this one bounced all over the musical spectrum - hardcore blues ('As The Years Go Passing By'), country ('Blind Baby'), gospel ('Touch The Hem Of His Garment'), top-40 pop ('Jolie'), and straightforward rock ('Where Were You When I Needed You'). The funny thing was that while the LP didn't hang together very well stylistically, it served as a nice primer displaying Kooper's broad and almost chameleon-like ability to work across musical genres (witness The Atlanta Rhythm Section backed him on 'Jolie' and 'Sam Stone'). The album was also surprising in that Kooper's limited vocal abilities weren't a real issue. Most of the songs were good enough to overcome his barebones, raspy voice - female backing choruses helping out on songs like 'Be Real'. Columbia also tapped the album for a single in the form of 'Sam Stone' b/w 'Be Real' (Columbia catalog number 4-45691).
Kooper maintains an entertaining website and included some comments on the LP: "The first solo album not to bear a song title as it's name. This one was recorded in Atlanta and New York City. The Atlanta tracks are Jolie, Sam Stone, and Touch The Hem Of His Garment. The Atlanta Rhythm Section are the backing band for Jolie and Sam Stone. On the NYC tracks, my touring band plays back-up: Frank Ribando & I on guitars, John Paul Fetta on bass, and Eddie Barbato on drums. This album was mostly preoccupied with an affair I was having with avant garde jazz singer Annette Peacock - hence the inclusion of her song, Been & Gone, and my songs Peacock Lady and Unrequited. John Prine's Sam Stone is given an r & b workout. John really liked this version. Albert King's As The Years Go Passing By is played live in the studio with Albert Kooper on lead guitar and tinkly piano. My song Jolie was an inch away from being recorded by Al Green. It was picked for the session by producer Willie Mitchell, only to be bumped by Mr. Green, who brought a new self-penned ditty to that session. Damn !!!! This was my last album for Sony under the existing deal."
"Naked
Songs" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) (Be Yourself) Be Real (Al Kooper) - 3:25
2.) As The Years Go Passing By (Don Malone) - 6:04
3.) Jolie (Al Kooper) - 3:46
4.) Blind Baby (Al Kooper) - 3:06
5.) Been And Gone (Annette Peacock) - 2:35
(side
2)
1.) Sam Stone (John
Prine) - 4:43
2.) Peacock Lady (Al Kooper) - 3:23
3.) Touch The Hem Of His Garment (Sam Cooke) - 4:04
4.) Where Were You When I Needed You (Al Levin - Irwin Levine) - 3:14
5.) Unrequited (Al Kooper) - 2:44