Steve Cropper & The Midnight Hour: "Friendly Town" (Mascot Label Group/Provogue) 23rd August 2024

“If your booty is not shaking in the first two bars of this album, you’re already dead in a chair!” – Steve Cropper

(4 / 5)

If you need me to tell you who Steve “The Colonel” Cropper is and what he has done across a 66-year career, my bet is you are either not at all interested in music; and therefore I wonder why you are even reading this! Or, you live in a cave and have nipped to your nearest internet cafe to get some reading in and stumbled across this man’s amazing output.

The legendary guitarist, songwriter and producer with a penchant for soul music and (the original) r&b from back in the 1960s and onwards, has a CV that’d make most mere mortal musicians drool and go weak at the knees.

From his days as a Stax Records house band player in Booker T & The MGs, a founder member of the Mar-Keys, co-writer of “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” with Otis Redding, co-writer of “In The Midnight Hour” with Wilson Pickett, co-writer of Eddie Floyd’s hit “Knock On Wood”, name-checked on Sam & Dave’s iconic “Soul Man” – when Sam Moore says, “Play it Steve” on the track.

And of course, Steve is a member of the infamous Blues Brothers band, in the two movies and when they have toured globally. There’s absolutely masses more in his sparkling career.

On his latest solo album, Steve has guests Billy F. Gibbons of ZZ Top, Brian May of Queen, and country-rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Tim Montana making an appearance.

Producer’s credits go to the same dream team of Jon Tiven, ace session multi-instrumentalist and veteran hit songwriter, and Mr Cropper himself, as on the Grammy-nominated album, “Fire It Up”, the previous Cropper solo record back in 2021. [Jon Tiven is an occasional columnist for this very magazine, with a credible pedigree as a top music writer as well as being a respected musician and producer].

Following the release of the critically acclaimed single “Too Much Stress” featuring Brian May,” today (9th August) comes the title track from “Friendly Town”, which highlights Cropper’s signature loping riff, enhanced by the low-down Texas blues guitar leads of ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons. The track’s muscular, blues-rock sound is further distinguished by Roger C. Reale’s powerful vocals.

The track was penned by Steve and his bandmates Roger C. Reale, Jon Tiven, and his longtime friend Billy F. Gibbons. Billy’s instantly identifiable guitar style features prominently on the track.

The previous single release, “Too Much Stress”, features a star-studded collaboration between not only Steve Cropper and Billy F. Gibbons, but adds Brian May to the mix. Brian and Roger sing the song as a duet, with Brian’s gospel-style backing vocals and a seamless exchange of guitar solos punctuating the track. Another highlight is “You Can’t Refuse,” the infectious, Bo Diddley-styled romp featuring slithery blues licks from Tim Montana.

Top end Nashville session man Nioshi Jackson is the drummer across the record. It is engineered by Eddie Gore, who also plays organ on the album. Jon Tiven hits the nail on the head when he states: “If there was a Mount Rushmore of guitar pickers, Mr. Steve Cropper would be there.” Yes sir, he sure should be.

As he releases “Friendly Town”, the guitar legend reflects on his career and life with humility: “When I think about my legacy, I want it to be said that I was a nice guy.”

Missouri-born (on a farm), Memphis-raised from the age of nine, Steven Lee Cropper, [who will be 83 in October], has won a brace of Grammy awards from his seven nominations. His name synonymous with the world-famous soul label Stax Records, he is featured in HBO’s new documentary, “Stax: Soulsville U.S.A.”

While at Stax, Cropper co-wrote hits, played guitar behind, and produced such legends as Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Albert King, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, and Johnnie Taylor. Post-Stax, Cropper produced and/or played on sessions for Jeff Beck, Jose Feliciano, Yvonne Elliman, John Prine, Tower Of Power, John Cougar, Ringo Starr, Buddy Guy, Johnny Lang, Elton John, and Steppenwolf, and many others.

The tracks on “Friendly Town” have one thing in common: Groove and sheer class. Ok, that is two things. So I cannot count. But I know my music and I know when it is special. This soulful little gem sure is. Dare I say, the songs here and the arrangements are even better/stronger than the great stuff on the previous Cropper album, “Fire It Up”, three years ago. There, I just said it! Maybe this one bags a gong at the Grammy awards this time. [Put $$$ on it!]

Sir (he should be!) Steve Cropper gets the last word here: “If your booty is not shaking in the first two bars of this album, you’re already dead in a chair! I feel so good about this batch of songs. They’re packed with radio hooks, and we have Billy Gibbons, Brian May, and Tim Montana playing on the album—it’s like guitar heaven.”