This is a true gem to be found within anyone's record collection as far as I'm concerned. The debut of Little Feat is a bonafide classic and shows the group's musical "du-jour"(style) and eclectic ensemble interpretation. Lowell George and Roy Estrada were formerly part of Frank Zappa's then current Mothers of Invention lineup and had been let go to freely express themselves within another musical configuration. The additions of Bill Payne and Ritchie Hayward rounded out the lineup and the songwriting core became established with Lowell and Bill as the central forces of inspiration for this auspicious and extraordinary debut.

Snakes on Everything begins with Hayward's intro kit beats and the wailing slide guitar of Lowell George which also became a driving force within Little Feat's defining style. A horn arrangement compliments the main melody of the track and one compares the style of the Band and the Rolling Stones here, in regards to the general sound of the group. Strawberry Flats features Lowell's vocal "snide-growl" and the music arrangement given is of an R&B boogie, Muscle-Shoals style flavor(and Feat's from California!). Truck Stop Girl would later be covered by the Byrds(sung by Clarence White) and is a track about the peril's of a trucker named Danny whom held affections for a fast woman that did him wrong. Its strange that, in today's world, parts of Little Feat's debut could've been accepted as country instead of the pop/rock genre, which explains the cross-lateral influences of music culture within the band. Yet another facet of their prolific style is the following number, Brides of Jesus which is ballad-like and contains a string arrangement within its piano driven arrangement.  

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Another Lowell penned number, Willin', would become a staple in Feat's later years, even into the late eighties reformation and its rumored that Lowell had played this song for Zappa and supposedly Frank told Lowell that he should start a band; hence the formation of Little Feat. Hamburger Midnight and Crack in the Door are a bit similar in melody and feel and continue the funky, R&B Muscle-Shoals sound the band were cultivating. Ry Cooder guests on the Howlin' Wolf tribute 44 Blues/How Many More Years medley with some amazing bottleneck guitar offered and Lowell pulls off a damn fine imitation of the Wolf's voice on this definitive homage to him.  I've Been the One and Takin' My Time are more of the contemplative ballad-like tracks by Lowell and Bill Payne, that gives another shape of musical style into the band's growing repertoire; resulting in finely written pieces. The record ends with the George/Payne collaboration, Crazy Captain Gunboat Willie which is a humorous track that seems nonsensical and is a fun way to the end the record.

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For all of this recording's quirky and innovative measures taken within their songwriting, production and fine musicianship , Little Feat's debut album, for me, is one of the greatest debut albums ever released within popular music and Feat would only grow a little more with each outstanding release until Lowell's untimely death in 1979. Big fan of Lowell George, God Bless Him.

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Rating Grade- A+