This is the fourth album released by guitarist and musician Chuck Berry during his time at Mercury Records in the late 60s. Unlike previous efforts, Berry took on production duties on From St Louie to Frisco. Recorded in San Francisco, it features Berry backed by musicians including The Sir Douglas Quintet, Johnnie Johnson, Quincy Macon, Forrest Frierson, Ebbie Hardy, George Rains and Eugene Washington, among others. His daughter, Ingrid Berry, features as backing vocals on several tracks, including “Little Fox” and the catchy “Ma Dear”
Thoughts on the Album
The album begins with the typical Berry title track, which bears similarity to some of his other material, including “Let’s Boogie”. It’s a safe start that will feel familiar to fans of the artist, and it will feel fresh no matter how many times you hear it. The drums are crisp and prominent, and the lead guitar is characteristic of Chuck’s tone, but with a little reverb added. If I have one criticism, it’s that the arrangement could be even more stripped back.
There are other flourishes of typical Chuck Berry on the album. “Little Fox” is an upbeat rocking track in the “Johnny B Goode” mould. The guitars are prominent, but other layers make it sound quite busy. “Soul Rockin'” is another clone that sparingly mixes in horns to add extra flavour. “Misery” is the third, this time with funky Rhodes piano fills. They are also pleasing to hear, but perhaps would feel a little heavy-handed in production for some fans.
In the 1970s, Chuck Berry had a hit with the song “My Ding-A-Ling”, a cover of a song by Dave Bartholomew. Here, we hear Chuck experimenting with the song in the form of “My Tambourine”. It takes away the risque lyrics and makes it a fun sing-along. Guitars, horns and a sporadic tambourine backed Berry’s vocals. The reverb is quite heavy here and creates an over-busy effect on the vocals. Chuck’s slower side is beautifully presented in the form of “I Can’t Believe”, one of his mellow ballads that people forget was a strength.
Aside from archetypal Berry tunes, there is a lot of experimentation on this album. One of those was the two little compositions that could have been expanded. “Rock Cradle Rock” is only one minute and twenty-four seconds, and somehow finds a balance between satisfaction and leaving you wanting more. The same could be said for the album’s closer, the funky “Mum’s the Word”.
“I Love Her, I Love Her” starts with a two-minute repetitive instrumental that locks you into the groove, before Chuck sings over variations of the same motifs. Although perhaps a little overlong and indulgent, the 6-minute track has enough for the listener not to care. It ends on a chord uncharacteristic of the rest of the song..
“Oh, Captain” is easily the most bizarre track in Berry’s entire career. It sounds like a jumbled mess on first listen, with conflicting rhythms and overlapping vocals. On the fifth go around, it is still quite perplexing. It’s a track that isn’t easy to describe, and a product of its time.
Conclusion
Overall, this is an album that could be seen as progressive. It mostly attempts to modernise Berry’s sound while keeping some of the characteristics of his music. The setback, in this reviewer’s opinion, is the slight heavy-handedness of the production. The playing showcased here is top-notch, but the instrumentation can feel busy in some moments.
Berry, at times, uses a lot of reverb on his guitar and vocals. While this may have been a studio technique common at the time, it can feel a little grating to modern ears if used too much. Some of the storytelling gets a little lost, too.
Not one of the definitive albums, but one to check out if you’re intrigued to hear how Chuck slowly adapted to the changing musical world. Some of it works, some of it doesn’t, but it’s still pretty rockin’! From St. Louie to Frisco is available as part of a multi-album set on BGO Records.
Tracklisting:
“Louie to Frisco” – 2:20
“Ma Dear” – 2:15
“The Love I Lost” – 3:03
“I Love Her, I Love Her” – 5:55
“Little Fox” – 2:58
“Rock Cradle Rock” – 1:23
“Soul Rockin'” – 2:47
“I Can’t Believe” – 2:43
“Misery” – 2:30
“My Tambourine” (Dave Bartholomew-Chuck Berry) – 2:17
“Oh Captain” – 2:25
“Mum’s the Word” – 1:33
