Ludlow Garage 1970
By the time Columbia released NRBQ's self-titled debut in 1970, the band was already having fractious dealings with their label (a pattern that would become all too familiar over the course of their nearly 40-year career). This live date at Cincinnati's Ludlow Garage has circulated clandestinely among fans for some time, and is finally being released in stunning clarity. The 18 songs are a veritable tour through the vast musical landscape that captured the band's imagination. Besides originals, there are covers of songs by Sun Ra, Little Richard, Carla Bley, Wilson Pickett, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk, among others. NRBQ's sense of both tradition and invention is remarkable for musicians who were in their early 20s at the time. They were accidental iconoclasts, refusing to adhere to any of the expectations of the day, honoring their musical inclinations at every turn. It's also amazing to hear the sound of the audience slowly gather momentum as they're transformed from baffled newcomers to fans.--David Greenberger