Leon Russell - Carney (1972) + Bonus Tracks

(U.S 1956 - 2016)

With his trademark top hat, hair well past his shoulders, a long, lush beard, an Oklahoma drawl and his fingers splashing two-fisted barrelhouse piano chords, future Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Leon Russell cut a flamboyant figure in the early 1970s. He recorded his first hit single "Tight Rope" with the release of his third, and most successful album Carney, in 1972, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 200.

Two years earlier Russell had already played on hundreds of songs as one of the top studio musicians in Los Angeles. The Oklahoma-born pianist, guitarist, songwriter and bandleader led Joe Cocker's band Mad Dogs & Englishmen, appeared at George Harrison's 1971 Concert for Bangladesh in New York City, and composed numerous hits of his own. He was in Phil Spector's Wall of Sound Orchestra, and played sessions for Frank Sinatra, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, the Ventures and the Monkees, among many others.

But it was the top-rated Carney that put Russell into the league of extraordinary musicians. Soulful roots-rock yields to dizzying psychedelia on this, Russell's most famous album. His all-time biggest hit, "Tight Rope," leads to "Out in the Woods," "Cajun Love Song," "Roller Derby" and more!

The album did not disappoint Russell's followers, the original slate of songs displaying Russell’s trademark quirkiness and musically adventuresome spirit. Nowhere is Russell’s free spirit more apparent than on the delightful “Tight Rope”, the album’s hit single and an unlikely radio hit that featured syncopated rhythms, staggered vocals, and a minimalist soundtrack on what is a metaphor for life lived in the spotlight. 

“Out In the Woods” offers up a swamp-blues vibe with double-tracked Russell vocals (effectively singing parallel to himself) and an overall rootsy vibe while “Cajun Love Song” moves out of the bayou and onto Bourbon Street with an infectious melody and mesmerizing vocal patois. “Roller Derby” (or sometimes labelled as Queen Of The Roller Derby) offers a similar up-tempo New Orleans R&B sound with soulful vocals, honky-tonk piano, and breathless backing vocals.

Many critics, both at the time and more recently in reappraising Carney, have dismissed the second side of the album as too psychedelically-influenced which, honestly, would have been terribly out-of-date by ’72. Other than the second-side-opening, instrumental flight-of-fancy that is the title track, or maybe the meandering and bizarre “Acid Annapolis,” much of side two of Carney is just as finely-crafted and imaginative as the flip side. “If the Shoe Fits” is a rollicking, mid-tempo romp with plenty of rowdy juke-joint piano-pounding while “This Masquerade,” which would become a Top 10 chart hit a few years later when recorded by jazz guitarist George Benson, is an ambient jazz-soul ballad with crooned lyrics and elegant fretwork. Album closer “Magic Mirror” is a blue-hued ballad with muted keyboards and haunted vocals.

Russell wrote scores of hits for others, among them "Superstar," (written with Bonnie Bramlett) for the Carpenters, "Delta Lady" for Joe Cocker and "This Masquerade," for George Benson. His own version of "This Masquerade" is featured on Carney. More than 100 acts recorded "A Song for You," which Russell said he wrote in 10 minutes. Ray Charles' recording of the song in 1993 received a Grammy Award.

Sadly, Russell's life as a musical muse and performer ended with his death at 74 on Nov. 13, 2016, at his home in Nashville. He will be forever remembered for making a broad, sophisticated palette of American music sound down-home and natural [Extracts from thatdevilmusic.com & elusivedisc.com]

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my 'Sample Release' vinyl which I acquired second hand back in the 80's from a street market. My older brother bought the LP when it was first released, and so I spent my early teen years listening to the amazing sounds and musicianship on this album.  The circus sounds of the title track were distinct and it was only later on in life that I made the connection when I leant that Carney was a term used to describe a person who worked in a circus. It only seemed fitting that the popular U.S music magazine 'Circus'  (see above) featured Leon Russell on the front cover of their Sept, 1972 edition.

As usual, I am including full album artwork for both vinyl and CD formats. To sweeten the deal, I thought I'd include several live tracks from his Long Beach Arena, Californian concert held on August 28th, 1972.

'Carney' was Russell's signature album release alongside his debut self-titled album, which also featured many of his popular hits. Perhaps I might post that album at a later stage.

Tracklisting

01. Tight Rope - 2:58

02. Out In The Woods - 3:35

03. Me And Baby Jane - 3:52

04. Manhattan Island Serenade - 3:24

05. Cajun Love Song - 3:08

06. Roller Derby - 2:21

07. Carney - 0:46

08. Acid Annapolis - 2:48

09. If The Shoe Fits - 2:21

10. My Cricket - 2:55

11. This Masquerade - 4:21

12. Magic Mirror - 4:54

13. Roller Derby-Roll Away The Stone (Bonus Live 1972)

14. Out In The Woods (Bonus Live 1972)

Personnel:

- Leon Russell (Claude Russell Bridges) - vocals, guitar, bass, piano, producer

- Don Preston - guitars, backing vocals

- Joey Cooper - guitars, backing vocals

- John Gallie - organ

- Carl Radle - bass

- Chuck Blackwell - drums

- Jim Keltner - drums

- Patrick, Phyllis, Mary Anne, Wacy - backing vocals

Leon Russell Link (289Mb) New Link 04/09/2023