I began listening to the Animals in September 2022.
The Animals (1964): B+
The Animals on Tour (1965): B
Animal Tracks (1965): B
Animalization (1966): B
The Animals (1964):
Only a few months after the Rolling Stones released their American debut, the Animals became the latest British band to break into the American charts. These days, they are only remembered by their popular single "The House of the Rising Sun," which was incredibly captured in one take, but this LP introduces a young and dirty R&B group entering the scene as strongly as the Who or the Kinks. Eric Burdon offers tremendous energy and command as the lead singer while the band's imaginative arrangements of R&B standards are as impressive as many of the Byrds’ covers. Here's to their future, which I hope isn't sidetracked by the lures of concept albums about dumb and blind boys named Tommy or carpet-layers named Arthur. B+
The Animals on Tour (1965):
Because Mickie Most never put much emphasis on albums and the band is without a strong songwriter, the Animals's second album is not a very cohesive or consistent collection of songs. Nevertheless, even this band's filler is competent and, as one of Britain's most talented bands during this period, their second round of singles still hold up. B
Animal Tracks (1965):
Like their sophomore album, this isn't much in terms of an album but the singles once again sound fresh and "The Story of Bo Diddley" is one of the greatest talking blues I've ever heard--I hope it's as improvised as it appears. B
Animalization (1966):
Though I expressed hope that this band would stay committed to R&B, I now wish that they would develop a little more. Although legendary producer Tom Wilson pushes them a little, they still sound stuck in 1964. B
