CALE,JJ - OKIE Price: €9.99 Format: Compact Disc Availability: Immediate Dispatch

Along with J.J. Cale's debut NATURALLY and his sophomore release REALLY, OKIE completely laid the groundwork for everything Cale was to do in the decades following its release. The songs are all sturdily built, lyrically succinct, utilise the barest minimum of chords, and are powered by infectious and slinky laid-back grooves. In lesser hands this approach could be indulgent or boring, but Cale is a master songsmith. The almost offhand ease of his music belies the high level of artistry involved.
The rhythmic foundation, with drummer Karl Himmel and bassist Joel Green, is the heart and centre of the whole album, and consequentially there's a wonderfully unified feel here. This is a collection of beautiful minimalism--there's not an extraneous note or beat anywhere. Among the many memorable songs are the debuts of two Cale classics, "Crying", and "I Got the Same Old Blues".