Friendlytown – Green Marble

You know how some records just feel destined to become fixtures in your collection? Steve Cropper’s “Friendlytown” is precisely that kind of album – the one you’ll find yourself reaching for repeatedly when friends come over and ask, “Play something good.”

I got my hands on the limited edition 140-gram “Green Marble” vinyl pressing last week, and holy hell, this thing is gorgeous. The swirling emerald patterns catch the light in a way that perfectly complements Cropper’s crystalline guitar work. It’s not just a record; it’s a visual statement sitting on your turntable.

For those keeping score, that’s Cropper’s follow-up to 2021’s “Fire It Up,” which topped the Billboard Blues Album Chart and snagged a Grammy nomination. But “Friendlytown” feels like the legendary guitarist is somehow still ascending, still finding new corners of his sound to explore at an age when most musicians have settled comfortably into their lane.

The guest list here reads like a guitarist’s fever dream: Billy Gibbons brings his Texas grit, Brian May adds his orchestral precision, and Tim Montana injects some raw contemporary energy. But make no mistake – that’s Cropper’s show, and his fingerprints (quite literally) are all over these tracks.

“It’s like guitar heaven,” Cropper said about the album, and this is no hyperbole. The man who co-wrote “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” and played on countless Stax Records classics hasn’t lost a step. If anything, there’s a newfound looseness here, a playfulness that comes from having nothing left to prove.

The production is warm and immediate – exactly what you want from a vinyl experience. Each instrument occupies its own space without stepping on the others, creating that three-dimensional soundscape that makes analog listening so rewarding. The bass response is particularly impressive, with a presence that you can feel in your chest without overwhelming the mix.

What strikes me most is how contemporary “Friendlytown” sounds without chasing trends. Cropper has managed that impossible feat of honoring his legacy while making music that feels entirely present. These songs aren’t museum pieces; they’re living, breathing creations that demand repeated listens.

The limited edition green marble pressing isn’t just a collector’s item – though it certainly is that – it’s also a superior listening experience. The heavyweight vinyl minimizes surface noise and maximizes dynamic range, letting you hear every nuance of Cropper’s legendary Telecaster tone.

Provogue Records has done justice to this material with a package that feels premium in every respect. From the moment you slide it out of its sleeve, there’s an unmistakable quality that matches the music contained in those grooves.

If you’re on the fence about adding this to your collection, don’t hesitate. “Friendlytown” drops August 23rd, 2024, and I suspect the limited green marble edition won’t last long. Some records are worth making shelf space for, and this is undoubtedly one of them.

Ah, Steve Cropper’s “Friendlytown” on green marble vinyl? Let me tell you something about this slice of guitar heaven that is about to grace your turntable.

Look, I’ve been following Cropper since his Booker T & the MG’s days, and the man simply doesn’t know how to make a mediocre record. This latest offering, “Friendlytown,” continues that sacred tradition with the kind of effortless virtuosity only a genuine legend can muster at this stage in their career.

Cropper isn’t just any guitarist – he is the architectural genius behind some of soul music’s most definitive moments. The man who co-wrote “Sittin’ On The Dock of The Bay” with Otis Redding. The rhythm guitarist whose precise, economical playing defined the Stax Records sound. The shadow figure whose fingerprints are all over “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” “Knock on Wood,” and “In the Midnight Hour.” His guitar doesn’t scream for attention; it speaks with elegant authority.

What makes “Friendlytown” particularly intriguing is the collision of worlds it represents. Cropper has assembled a guitar pantheon here – ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons bringing that Texas grit, Queen’s Brian May with his orchestral flourishes, and Tim Montana adding some contemporary muscle. It’s like watching several generations of guitar philosophy having a conversation over whiskey after hours.

There’s a story I heard about the recording sessions that perfectly captures Cropper’s essence. Apparently, during one of the tracking days, Brian May was overthinking a particular solo, laying down take after take, each more complex than the last. Cropper simply walked into the control room, listened once, and said, “Brian, play what the song needs, not what your fingers want.” The next take was the keeper – simple, emotional, perfect. This is Cropper in a nutshell: the master of saying more with less.

The limited edition green marble vinyl isn’t just a pretty face, either. There’s something fitting about this record having a physical presence as distinctive as the music it contains. In an age of ephemeral streaming, Cropper’s music deserves the weight and ceremony of vinyl.

If you’re already familiar with Cropper’s work, whether from his Stax heyday or his 2021 Grammy-nominated “Fire It Up,” this album feels like reconnecting with an old friend who’s aged like fine bourbon. If you are new to his genius, prepare for a masterclass in how guitar playing can serve a song rather than dominate it.

The record belongs in the collection of anyone who appreciates the subtle art of restraint driven by renewed attention to of excess, anyone who understands that soul music isn’t just a genre but a commitment to emotional truth, and certainly anyone who wants to hear what happens when one of music’s great architects invites some fellow masters over to build something beautiful together.

The green marble edition of “Friendlytown” isn’t just a record – it’s a document of American musical history still being written by one of its most important authors.