Under the Radar

by Matthew GreenwaldLittle Feat's first album for CMC International, Under the Radar, found the group's new lineup fully assimilated, with Shaun Murphy sharing many of the lead vocals with mainstays Paul Barrére and Bill Payne. While the record is not as instantly accessible and spontaneous as the previous record with Murphy, Ain't Had Enough Fun, there is a confidence that permeates every cut. Feat's slightly trippy Southern-fried music made an amazing leap into the 1990s, and Under the Radar continued their rebirth. Tracks such as Barrére's "Home Ground" and "Loco Motives" are good-time funky rockers, driven by Barrére's excellent slide guitar. Payne's title cut and "Eden's Wall" have a slightly dark hopefulness that had become a big part of the band's style. The final cut, "Calling the Children Home," is one of the group's greatest records, closing the album out in joyous New Orleans style.