Little Feat Strike Up The Band
Little Feat's Strike Up The Band returns the group to the swampy, roots-rock terrain that defined their best work, offering a mix of humor, storytelling and taut musicianship that critics largely found enjoyable if not revolutionary. Across five professional reviews the record earned a 61.6/100 consensus score, with reviewers pointing to live-in-studio energy and a continuity of lineup that keeps the classic Little Feat sound palpable. Critics consistently name standout tracks when asked about the best songs on Strike Up The Band, most often “Shipwrecks”, “Bluegrass Pines (feat. Molly Tuttle, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams)” and “Strike Up The Band (feat. Larkin Poe)” alongside fan-favorites like “Too High To Cut My Hair” and “Midnight Flight”.
Professional reviews praise the record's rhythmic focus - Tony Leone's drumming and the band’s swampy grooves underpin much of the praise - and highlight a blend of blues, country, funk and honky tonk that surfaces across the best tracks. Reviewers from Rolling Stone and Glide Magazine noted the album's lived-in, played-together feel and singled out emotionally persuasive moments such as the vulnerable “When Hearts Fall” and the carnival-tinged “Bluegrass Vines” for their immediacy. Conversely, a recurring caveat appears: while musicianship and guest collaborations (Larkin Poe, Molly Tuttle, Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams) add color, several critics observed there are few transcendent compositions, leaving the collection more satisfying than essential.
Taken together, the critical consensus suggests Strike Up The Band is worth listening to for fans of Little Feat's swampy Americana and for those hunting the best tracks on the record - especially “Shipwrecks”, “Bluegrass Pines (feat. Molly Tuttle, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams)” and “Strike Up The Band (feat. Larkin Poe)” - while acknowledging the album's modest consensus score and moments of safe familiarity. For readers seeking context and a clear take on whether Strike Up The Band is good, the reviews point to solid craftsmanship, spirited collaborations, and a reaffirmation of the band's legacy rather than a dramatic reinvention.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Bluegrass Pines (feat. Molly Tuttle, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams)
5 mentions
"And “Bluegrass Vines,” which sounds nothing like that genre, includes lyrics from the late Robert Hunter"— Rolling Stone
Shipwrecks
5 mentions
"On his own original “Shipwrecks,” for instance, his bluesy vocal sounds as deeply passionate"— Glide Magazine
Too High To Cut My Hair
3 mentions
"The horns are delicious and the funky groove is truly irresistible."— At The Barrier
And “Bluegrass Vines,” which sounds nothing like that genre, includes lyrics from the late Robert Hunter
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
4 Days of Heaven 3 Days of Work
Bayou Mama
Shipwrecks
Midnight Flight
Too High To Cut My Hair
When Hearts Fall
Strike Up The Band (feat. Larkin Poe)
Bluegrass Pines (feat. Molly Tuttle, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams)
Disappearing Ink
Love and Life (Never Fear)
Dance a Little
Running Out of Time with the Blues
New Orleans Cries When She Sings
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 5 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Little Feat's Strike Up The Band keeps the swampy, Mardi Gras atmosphere alive, and the reviewer singles out “When Hearts Fall” and “Bluegrass Vines” as the album's most affecting moments. In conversational, slightly rueful prose the critic notes that “When Hearts Fall” carries a sullen vulnerability that echoes Lowell George, while “Bluegrass Vines” surprises with Robert Hunter lyrics folded into the band's carnival script. The record's living-room, played-together energy makes these tracks feel immediate, which is why they stand out as the best songs on Strike Up The Band.
Key Points
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The best song, “When Hearts Fall”, is best for its sullen vulnerability that recalls Lowell George.
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The album's core strengths are its enduring swampy groove and live-in-studio, kinetic energy.
Themes
Critic's Take
In his warm and authoritative tone Aaron Badgley presents Little Feat's Strike Up The Band as classic-feeling yet vital, highlighting the best tracks like “4 Days Of Heaven 3 Days Of Work” and “Strike Up The Band” for their driving drums and inspired guest turns. He praises the album's rhythmic core - Tony Leone's drumming is foregrounded from the opening of “4 Days Of Heaven 3 Days Of Work” - while noting how collaborations, especially Larkin Poe on “Strike Up The Band” and the guests on “Bluegrass Pines”, add fresh color. The review frames the best songs as exemplars of Little Feat's southern rock and blues identity, with closing highlight “New Orleans Cries When She Sings” described as a moving, gospel-tinged finale that cements the album's strengths.
Key Points
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The best song, the opener "4 Days Of Heaven 3 Days Of Work", is best for its prominent, showy drumming and immediate band cohesion.
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The album's core strengths are rooted in Little Feat's enduring southern-rock and blues identity, strong rhythmic drive, and effective guest collaborations.
Themes
Critic's Take
In his characteristically measured and affectionate prose, Doug Collette presents Little Feat as a band that wears its history proudly on Strike Up The Band, finding particular surety in “Shipwrecks” and the title cut “Strike Up The Band (feat. Larkin Poe)”. He praises Scott Sharrard's muscular bluesy vocal and guitar on “Shipwrecks”, and notes how Larkin Poe fits with the sextet without diluting anyone's personality on the title song. Collette underscores the album's continuity with the Seventies Feat sound while admitting there are no truly great compositions, yet singles out these tracks as the record's most persuasive moments. The result reads as a respectful validation of the current lineup's authenticity and steady musicianship, useful for anyone searching for the best tracks on Strike Up The Band.
Key Points
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“Shipwrecks” is the best track due to Scott Sharrard’s passionate bluesy vocal and commanding guitar work.
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The album’s core strengths are its faithful evocation of classic Little Feat style, solid musicianship, and respectful continuity of lineup.
Themes
Critic's Take
Little Feat sound reinvigorated on Strike Up The Band, and the review pins the best tracks as the ones that most clearly carry the band’s gumbo of blues, country and funk - “Too High To Cut My Hair”, “Shipwrecks” and “Bluegrass Pines” stand out for deft playing and vivid songwriting. The tone is celebratory and assured, praising songs as "dexterous, considered, and creative" while noting humor and storytelling that make these the best songs on Strike Up The Band. The critic emphasizes musicianship and legacy, arguing this is the album fans have been waiting for, a clear return-to-form that spotlights the band at their best.
Key Points
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Too High To Cut My Hair is the best song because it functions as a perfect, funky reintroduction and showcases trademark growl and humor.
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The album's core strengths are seasoned musicianship, genre-blending songwriting, and a revitalized energy that recalls the band's classic sound.
Themes
Critic's Take
Little Feat return with Strike Up The Band, an album that leans into the band’s signature blend of blues, country and funk and rewards long-time fans. The review consistently crowns “Too High To Cut My Hair” as a clear high point - a funky, horn-splashed romp with a ripper of a guitar solo that brings the biggest smiles. There is also strong praise for “Bayou Mama” and “Shipwrecks”, each lauded for shimmering slide guitar and memorable solos that recall the classic era. Title track “Strike Up The Band” is celebrated for its harmonies with Larkin Poe and a catchy, building chorus, making it another of the best tracks on Strike Up The Band.
Key Points
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“Too High To Cut My Hair” is the album’s standout for its irresistible funk, delicious horns and an exceptional guitar solo.
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The album’s core strengths are its blend of blues, slide-guitar led solos, guest harmonies and faithful nods to classic Little Feat sound.