Search - Little Milton :: Grits Ain't Groceries (Mlps)

Short but soulful set by Little Milton

Docendo Discimus | Vita scholae | 04/10/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A running time of 38 minutes isn't impressive, even by LP age standarts, but what's here is very enjoyable, a nice collection of soul and blues.



"Grits Ain't Groceries" was recorded in 1972 at the Summit Club in Los Angeles with a sympathetic backing band which included a horn section led by MIltons nephew, trumpeter Joseph Campbell. Milton performs the first three songs without his guitar, resulting in a slightly sluggish and over-long "Let Me Down Easy", but then comes the title track, a tight, punchy "Grits Ain't Groceries (All Around The World)" which is one of the highlights of the disc. Willie Dixon's classic "I Can't Quit You Baby" is another, a smouldering slow blues with Little Milton himself playing lead guitar. And a swaggering, energetic rendition of Milton's own "That's What Love Will Make You Do" is perhaps the best song on the album.



A few more up-tempo numbers would have been nice, though; four slowies in a set of just six songs are too many, and this would have been a more exciting record with just one or two more fast or even mid-tempo songs.

It's not that Milton doesn't do a great job with these slow tunes. The album closer, a seven-minute "Walking The Back Streets And Crying" is a terrific performance, but it's also one which was probably more exciting if you were actually there.

Still, fans of Little Milton shouldn't hesitate. There are certainly enough excellent performances here to make it worth your while, enough for some 3½ stars or thereabout."