NRBQ - NRBQ 1969

NRBQ have evolved considerably over the course of a career that's lasted over 50 years and isn't done just yet. But the band's self-titled debut album, originally released in 1969, is joyous evidence that their originality and spark were there right from the very start. Cut several years before NRBQ settled into their "classic" lineup, here founders Terry Adams (keyboards and vocals) and Joey Spampinato (bass and vocals) are joined by lead singer Frank Gadler, guitarist Steve Ferguson, and drummer Tom Staley. Gadler and Ferguson's musical personalities put a different spin on this music than NRBQ would generate a few years down the line, when Al Anderson's guitar work and songwriting would become a key part of their recipe. Here, they sound more like a boogie band than they did when they hit their stride, albeit one with a very individual approach. But the group's trademark eclecticism and sense of fun are very much in evidence. The album's opening one-two punch of Q-approved reworkings of Eddie Cochran's "C'mon Everybody" and Sun Ra's "Rocket #9" demonstrate both their musical reach and the depth of their influences, Adams' crazy-quilt melodic ideas and inspired keyboard work are featured on "Kentucky Slop Song" and "Stay with We," Spampinato contributes a first-class rocker in "You Can't Hide" (NRBQ would revisit the song on 1980's Tiddlywinks), and Steve Ferguson's estimable guitar work and songwriting bona fides ("I Didn't Know Myself," "Stomp," and "Fergie's Prayer") are a reminder of what a potent force he was in the band's early days. NRBQ is the work of a band that sometimes sounds like it's still finding its way in the recording studio, and Eddie Kramer's production sometimes lacks the punch the musicians needed. But even though NRBQ would make better albums in the future, their debut is the work of a group that already had a sound all its own and a love of music that was wildly infectious, and this is an often overlooked gem in the Q's catalog. AMG.

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NRBQ - Workshop 1973

Originally titled Age of Aquariums, Workshop became the first album to feature what is considered by many to be the "classic quartet" version of NRBQ. This incarnation incorporated the talents of bandleader Terry Adams (keyboard/coronet/trumpet), Joey Spampinato (bass/guitar/sax/vocals), Al Anderson (guitar/vocals), and, in his final studio appearance with the band, Tom Staley (drums). Although they had been performing with an evolving makeshift horn section -- which could (and often would) include coronet/trumpet player Terry Adams and saxophonist Joey Spampinato -- this disc also debuts the semi-permanent Whole Wheat Horn section, consisting of Terry's brother Donn Adams on trombone and Keith Spring on sax. The shift in personnel served the 'Q well, as Workshop was lauded and raved about by enthusiasts as well as pop music critics. Producer Eddie Kramer was able to further enhance the band's practically indefinable style, ranging from the undeniable Paul McCartney-influenced Spampinato rocker "Deaf, Dumb and Blind" to the understated grace and complex rhythmic syncopation of Terry Adams' "Miss Moses." Another Spampinato gem is the organic pop ballad "Mona." Instrumentally, the track is notable for Terry's accordion accents, as well as the conspicuous absence of drums. In addition to the copious originals, the guys revived the C&W-tinged "Blues Stay Away From Me," which had actually been recorded for inclusion on their previous long-player, Scraps. Likewise, their second stab at Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry's "Come On If You're Comin'" reinforced the popularity of the track, which became a performance and enthusiast favorite. A similar fate would befall the 'Q's unofficial anthem -- the down-home rockabilly rave-up "RC Cola & a Moon Pie." Sadly, Workshop was never reprinted, although several notable compilations such as RC Cola & a Moon Pie (1986) have included key tracks. AMG.

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