NRBQ

“Slim Harpo’s on the old jukebox, stop pouring orange juice down my socks”. As most of the recent reviewers have pointed out, this is a review of the very first, eponymous NRBQ album, originally released on Columbia in 1969 but left to sit unreleased on CD for decades until now (with the exception of some cuts reissued on the Stay With Me anthology from 1993). The music is without question legendary and I would go so far as to rank it near the top of the many classic NRBQ albums. This is only one of two to feature Steve Ferguson before he left during the making of Scraps, and there was so much talent in this group at their inception that you can almost understand Fergie feeling he was being under-represented in terms of input into the band. Having said all that, the main purpose for my review is to laud the sound that Omnivore has managed to restore in this reissue. It is incredibly full and natural sounding, with Joey’s bass being audible and rich for probably the first time. All one has to do is compare this reissue with Columbia’s Stay With Me reissue from 1993 to hear the difference. Omnivore credits Norm DeMoura at Harmonium Studio in Haydenville, Mass. with “Sound Restoration” and that is an apt description of how much bloom has been restored to the original. Buy it for the music, of course, but even if you already have it on vinyl, you have to hear the way this reissue sounds to really appreciate what great music it was.

Amazon, please correct this page! The majority of reviews posted here are for the 1999 NRBQ album, not the 1969 NRBQ which is pictured on this page. That aside, this has to be one of the most dynamic, diverse, captivating debut album by any band in the 1960's. It is a complete picture of what this band has been for the last 50 years. This reissue has been long awaited by Q fans and it sounds wonderful.

Been extremely fortunate to have performed, written, produced, arranged on, as well as listened to a pretty wide span of music. Steve Ferguson's singing on the end of "I Didn't Know Myself"... is as good as it gets! NRBQ, in all of it's line ups and adaptations, has consistently been a NATIONAL TREASURE! i've been saying this, since before the term's been overused to describe much lesser talent. Can't take the 'hall of fame' seriously 'till NRBQ's in it. Through almost 50 years of experiencing them live and on record, it's always been the same...THEY MAKE ME GLAD TO BE ALIVE!!! Cant thank them all enough!!!

You know what your getting .

I love the album, but I hate the cardboard cover, rather than the conventional plastic case. If I weren't past the 30-day return period, I'd return it.

Any doubts about the bands changes are put to rest with this record. A happy thought they're still at it and as good as ever!

This is not a review, but to alert Amazon that "I'm a Thrett" and the songs listed have nothing to do with NRBQ.The NRBQ disc starts with "Ain't No Horse", then comes "Sail On Sail On", etc.Please correct, Amazon.(By the way, the NRBQ disc is great.)

NRBQ “NRBQ” 1969 Debut Album: Reissued, revisited & reviewed. Omnivore RecordingsNRBQ wasn’t exclusivelyTerry Adams’ band though he had a lot of input guiding the quintet from its inception. NRBQ’s debut was recorded by Eddie Kramer at New York City’s famous Record Plant at the end of 1968 and was released the following year making it almost a fifty year old album. This inaugural launch featured co-founders Terry Adams (keyboards and vocals) and Joey Spampinato (bass and vocals) with lead singer Frank Gadler, guitarist Steve Ferguson, and drummer Tom Staley. This inception is slightly different from latter day versions of NRBQ, but they broke-out with the same zaniness and eclecticism that still exudes in the current day NRBQ band of 2018.I couldn’t find any track-times or songwriting credits inside or outside of the packaging so I had to surf the net to verify that Eddie Cochran authored “C’mon Everybody;” the tune NRBQ chose to initiate their career in a rousing/chaotic mode. Throughout NRBQ’s lengthy career Terry Adams occasionally covered and (more often) performed Sun Ra’s compositions, so it’s no surprise that Ra’s “Rocket #9” makes its (quirky) appearance on their debut; it includes an offbeat guitar/trombone driven jam, with Terry’s brother Don Adams’ trombone. It was about ten years later that Terry Adams worked alongside Carla Bley so call Terry insightful for covering Bley’s “Ida,” which is given a wacky/country twang here. Sonny Terry’s and Brownie McGhee’s “C’mon If Your Comin’” makes its first appearance here performed traditionally, but it’s notable to mention that NRBQ reworked this Blues classic into a Blues-Rock romp that became a staple of their live shows, and was the opening song on their 1973 “Workshop” album. Jody St. Nicolas (also known as bassist Joey Spampinato) authored the rocking “You Can’t Hide” which also reappeared on their 1980 “Tiddlywinks” recording.Steve Ferguson authored the next three songs “I Didn’t Know Myself,” “Stomp,” and “Fergie’s Prayer;” Ferguson was soon replaced by Al Anderson. Terry Adams is on-fire on his kicking “Mama Get Down Those Rock and Roll Shoes” that also includes a hot-scotching guitar solo from Ferguson. Bruce Channel’s huge hit “Hey Baby” gets a makeover that’s twangy and fun, with most of the fine twang coming from Ferguson’s guitar, along with Terry Adams’ harmonica impersonation of Delbert McClinton’s harp playing that was featured on the original “Hey Baby” from 1961. I could have done without the barking dog on the traditional “Liza Jane.” Terry Adams’ “Stay with Me” closes NRBQ’s auspicious debut with tasteful jazz piano soloing from its author and dash of zaniness thrown in for their (till this day) emblematic kookiness.I’m not certain, but suspect that little did (NRBQ & Adams) know that they’d be around for nearly a half-century after its inception. Albeit with different musicians - except for co-creator Terry Adams. Future NRBQ albums offered (expected) development. Yet it’s interesting to investigate these beginnings as a glimpse of what was enhanced hereafter.Bob Putignano: Homegrown & On-Demand Sounds of Blue Radio Shows: Always on 24x7 at: SoundsofBlue

Truly FABULOUS album. The Q remain true to form even without the mighty Al Anderson!Please get back together guys!

Exakt 30 Jahre nach dem titellosen Debütalbum auf Columbia/CBS/Sony wieder ein titelloses Album, und während die meisten Bands mit dieser Lebensdauer nach drei Jahrzehnten außer Best of- und Greatest Hits-Programmen nicht mehr viel Kreativität unter Beweis stellen, hatten NRBQ zum Dreißiger noch viel Feuer zu versprühen. Gitarrero Big Al Anderson war schon aus der Band draußen, Johnny Spampinato, der Bruder des Bassisten (und Gründungsmitglieds) Joey hatte sich schon gut in die Band eingelebt, mit den beiden anderen Originalen der Grupe, Drummer Tom Ardolino und dem heimlichen Leader (und Bandgründer) Terry Adams. Mit der Unbekümmertheit einer Newcomerband legten sie los, und bis heute bleiben sie in ihrer Art einzigartig.Dass dieses feine Album von mir nicht die Höchstwertung kriegt liegt schlicht und einfach daran, dass die Songs nicht mehr ausnahmslos erster Klasse sind. Das war bei früheren Alben noch anders (wenn auch nicht durchgehend), aber rund zwei Drittel der 13 Nummern sind 5-Sterne-Rock, um hier nur Titel wie "Ain't No Horse", das beschwingte "Breakaway to My Dreams", "Take Me to Your Secret" (Pop!), "Careful What You Ask For", "Love Came To Me" (Edelschnulze, mit Betonung auf edel) und die fulminante Schlussnummer "Termites" zu erwähnen, wo sie soundmäßig bei den 80ern und 90ern vorbei schauen, ohne dass es auch nur im Geringsten anbiedernd klingt. Eine Ausnahmeband wie diese kann das eben.ZUSATZ-REZENSION am 7.12.2014: Soll kein böser Vorwurf an Amazon sein - aber hier ist wegen der Namensgleichheit die Rezi des 1999er-Albums irrtümlich auch bei der Seite des gleichfalls titellosen Debütalbums aus 1969! Daher hier ein paar Sätze zum Debüt: Für mich eine fantastische und allzeit unterbewertete Platte, alleine schon die Albumversion von "Stomp" (war auch Single-A-Seite), einer der unbekanntesten R'n'R-Klassiker aller Zeiten ist der pure Wahnsinn, auf der "Stay With We"-Compilation leider in einer anderen, nicht ganz so glänzenden Version. Und dann der ganze Rest der Platte, kein Füller, ob "Rocket Nr. 9", das bezaubernde "Ida" und das grandiose Eddie Cochran-Cover "C'mon Everybody" und und und ... Liebe Sony, diese Scheibe schreit nach einer Neuauflage (5 Sterne mindestens), wenn's geht mit einem passenden Remastering, am besten gleich mit der nachfolgenden "Boppin' The Blues" mit Carl Perkins (4 Sterne wert)! NRBQ spielten auf diesen beiden Scheiben und auch noch auf "Scraps" in ihrer originalen Quintettbesetzung. Wer die Neil Young-Weisheit "Rock'n'Roll will never die" für anachronistisch hält, kann sich hier voll vom Gegenteil überzeugen lassen.

the first album i listened to by nrbq as a 17 year old back in 69

. . . aus 1999 - die Altmeister um Terry Adams zeigen hier zum x-ten Male, warum manche Menschen auf dieser Welt diese Band für eine der besten (und unterschätzesten) halten!

I was expecting genuine rhythm and blues but all I got was the same dreary quaver based beat which infects all (and I do mean ALL) modern pop music.