LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings ranks #7 on Rolling Stone's Top Ten Reissues of 2003.A Renaissance Man of New Orleans R&B, Allen Toussaint has been performing, writing, and producing music for almost half a century. Toussaint's piano work graced records by such greats as Fats Domino and Smiley Lewis, and as a writer Allen's name -- or that of his pseudonym Naomi Neville -- can be found on such hits as "Mother-In-Law," "Fortune Teller," "Working In A Coal Mine," "Ride Your Pony," and many more. Rock performers like The Band, Paul Simon, and Little Feat lined up to employ his skills as an arranger. But as successful as his career was behind the scenes, Allen Toussaint also made some fine music as a solo artist. In the 1970s, Toussaint defined the sound of Crescent City funk with a string of albums and his work with legendary instrumental group The Meters. Toussaint's 1972 Reprise Records debut, Life, Love And Faith, and its 1975 followup, Southern Nights, both feature performances by Meters men; his 1978 Warner Bros. finale Motion ups the guest star wattage with background vocal work by the likes of Etta James and Bonnie Raitt. This Warner Bros./Rhino Handmade release presents all three of these Warner releases in their entirety on two discs. The original albums make their domestic CD debut here, and have been supplemented by ten live recordings cut in Philadelphia in 1975, plus liner notes from compilation producer (and fellow artist/R&B guru) Billy Vera, as well as packaging and remastered sound befitting this Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Famer. The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings is available as an individually numbered limited edition of 2,500 copies.
TRACK LISTING VICTIMS OF THE DARKNESS (3:30) AM I EXPECTING TOO MUCH (2:47) MY BABY IS THE REAL THING (3:03) GOIN' DOWN (2:56) SHE ONCE BELONGED TO ME (2:49) OUT OF THE CITY (INTO COUNTRY LIFE) (3:34) SOUL SISTER (2:47) FINGERS AND TOES (4:05) I'VE GOT TO CONVINCE MYSELF (2:40) ON YOUR WAY DOWN (3:58) GONE TOO FAR (3:26) ELECTRICITY (2:29) LAST TRAIN (2:59) WORLDWIDE (2:23) BACK IN BABY'S ARMS (4:45) COUNTRY JOHN (3:40) BASIC LADY (2:29) SOUTHERN NIGHTS (3:35) YOU WILL NOT LOSE (3:25) WHAT DO YOU WANT THE GIRL TO DO? (3:26) WHEN THE PARTY'S OVER (2:33) CRUEL WAY TO GO DOWN (3:25) COUNTRY JOHN (Single Version) (4:28) NIGHT PEOPLE (4:16) JUST A KISS AWAY (4:08) WITH YOU IN MIND (3:42) LOVER OF LOVE (3:14) TO BE WITH YOU (3:25) MOTION (6:01) VIVA LA MONEY (3:31) DECLARATION OF LOVE (4:37) HAPPINESS (3:25) THE OPTIMISM BLUES (3:04) INTRO/HIGH LIFE (1:55) TOUCH OF LOVE (3:09) BRICKYARD BLUES (3:44) WHAT IS SUCCESS (3:14) FREEDOM FOR THE STALLION (3:25) LAST TRAIN (2:56) SHOO-RA (3:29) ALLEN AND GARY BROWN (12:15) SOUTHERN NIGHTS (4:09) ALLEN'S CLOSING REMARKS (1:07)