Genre: soul
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Back To Back
Company: Stax
Catalog: 720
Year: 1967
Country/State: US
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: small cut out hole top left corner; mono pressing
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4740
Price: $25.00
Cost: $66.00
Recorded at a Paris concert during the 1967 Stax Revue European tour, "Back To Back" captures these two groups during their prime. Okay, tehnically that may not be a 100% accurate description since the MG's started out as The Mar-Keys' rhythm section. Regardless of their heritage, there's nothing particularly fancy here - no special effects and other than some minor audience noises, little apparent post-production work. Instead you get these two groups pounding out energetic renditions of some of their best known work. Highlights included a steaming 'Hip Hug Her', a nice cover of The Spencer Davis Group's 'Gimme Some Lovin'' and The Mar-Keys cover of Rufus Thomas' 'Philly Dog'. As you'd probably expect the track line up is heavily tilted to the MG's (eight of the thirteen tracks), but they had the majority of charts hits so that makes marketing sense. One other comment, the sound is surprisingly clean and impressive.
"Back To Back" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Introduction (Booker T. & the MG's) - 0:43
2.) Green Onions (instrumental) (Steve Cropper - Al Jackson - Booker T. Jones - Lewis Steinberg) - 4:12
3.) Red Beans and Rice (instrumental) (Steve Cropper - Al Jackson - Booker T. Jones - Donald Dunn) - 1:55
4.) Tic-Tac-Toe (instrumental) (Steve Cropper - Al Jackson - Booker T. Jones - Donald Dunn) - 2:35
5.) Hip Hug Her (instrumental) (Steve Cropper - Al Jackson - Booker T. Jones - Donald Dunn) - 2:51
6.) Introduction (The Mar-Keys) - 0:19
7.) Philly Dog (instrumental) (Rufus Thomas) - 2:55
(side
2)
1.) Grab This Thing (instrumental) (Steve Cropper - Isbell) -
2:25
2.) Last Night (instrumental) (The Mar-Keys) - 3:18
3.) Gimme Some Lovin' (instrumental) (Fred Carter) - 2:58
4.) Booker Loo (instrumental) (Steve Cropper - Al Jackson - Booker T. Jones - Donald Dunn) - 3:18
5.) Outrage (instrumental) (Allan - Steve Cropper - Booker T. Jones - Lewis Steinberg) - 2:40