Little 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. ~ Matthew Greenwald