The Animals – ‘Animalism’ (1966)

November 21, 1966 saw the final U.S. release by The Animals with guitarist Hilton Valentine, bassist/vocalist Chas Chandler and organist/pianist Dave Rowberry backing lead vocalist Eric Burdon, Barry Jenkins drumming on ten of twelve tracks, John Steele appearing on the other two. By the time ‘Animalism’ appeared in music shops Burdon was already touring with a new lineup under the name “Eric Burdon & The Animals.”

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The 2014 reissue of ‘Animalism’ reviewed here is the mono version and contains eleven bonus tracks recorded by the new lineup for a January 1967 appearance on the German television show ‘Beat Club’ and an August 1967 performance for BBC television. The LP itself was a commercial success, reaching #33 on the Billboard charts and a fine farewell for The Animals, setting the stage for the October 1967 debut LP ‘Winds Of Change’ by Eric Burdon & The Animals

‘Animalism’ , like previous albums by The Animals, was a collection of American R&B and blues standards by artists such as Sam Cooke, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters B.B. King and St. Louis Jimmy Oden, among others, in this case also including covers of tunes from rock guitar virtuoso Frank Zappa, American singer/songwriter Fred Neil and even British singer/songwriter Donovan, who, like The Animals, had been produced by hitmaker Mickie Most. The LP opens with the Zappa penned ‘All Night Long’ given the band’s usual treatment with Valentine’s guitar and Rowberry’s organ carrying the melody and both contributing solos. A five and a half minute take on B.B. King’s ‘Rock Me Baby’ showcases Valentine’s snaking lead guitar line and extended solo, aided by Rowberry’s organ. The group’s cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s ‘Smokestack Lightning’ finds Valentine and Rowberry leading the way with Chandler and Jenkins locked into a groove, Rowberry delivering an organ interlude while Valentine holds a steady riff as the band shifts into rave up mode for the tune’s final minute. Burdon’s vocals are front and center on Donovan’s ‘Hey Gyp’, Rowberry taking a mid-tune organ solo leading to one by Jenkins on drums as Valentine revs up to rock the song to a close. The real highlight, however, is the album closer, a six minute plus take on St. Louis Jimmy Oden’s ‘Going Down Slow’ which features a nicely restrained lead line by Valentine supported by Rowberry’s organ, with Chandler and Jenkins holding the beat. At 2:45 Valentine cuts loose with an extended solo that builds as it soars, the band comfortable with, and well suited for stretching out as it does on this tour de force, an incredible way for The Animals to close out their recorded legacy.

The bonus material starts with eight tracks from a January 1967 BBC appearance by the new lineup of Burdon (lead vocals), John Weider (guitar, violin), Vic Briggs (guitar, piano), Danny McCulloch (bass) and Barry Jenkins (drums). The performance begins with a revved up take on Ma Rainey’s classic ‘C.C. Rider’, with Weider and Briggs’ guitars and Rowberry’s organ roaring. A melodic, mid-tempo run through ‘A Love Like Yours’ leads to a fiery version of ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll’ with screaming guitars complementing vocal harmonies. A bluesy delivery of J.D. Loudermilk’s ‘Tobacco Road’ features a stinging guitar solo and driving lead guitar line. Weider and Briggs have their guitars revved up and ready to rock on Bo Diddley’s ‘Roadrunner’ which finds the band racing from start to finish. The group’s BBC performance begins with Burdon’s ‘When I Was Young’, which serves as a harbinger of things to come, being an original, and combining Weider’s violin and Briggs’ guitar as the sound explodes on this tale of youth and sexual experimentation. The band follows with relaxed takes on ‘A Love Like Yours’ and the Jagger/Richard composition ‘Connection’. A white hot run through the Burdon blues based original ‘It’s All Meat’ again features Weider on violin and Briggs on guitar while named dropping Muddy Water, Jimmy Reed, Eric Clapton and Muhammad Ali among others. ‘San Franciscan Nights’ showcases the new lineup at their best, Weider and Briggs trading guitar licks while Burdon sings the praises of San Francisco during the summer of love, the band performing with such ease as to appear capable of operating on autopilot. The appearance ends where this reissue begins with a nice run through Zappa’s ‘All Night Long’, guitars blazing over Burdon’s vocals.

‘Animalism’ is presented in its mono version on this release from the Swedish Flawed Gems label utilizing a mint vinyl source. With the recently released mono versions of the first four US albums by The Animals and Esoteric Recordings’ 2020 5 CD boxed set ‘When I Was Young-The MGM Recordings 1967-1968’ using original master tape sources, one hopes ‘Animalism’ follows suit soon. Until then however, this CD is the best available for ‘Animalism’ in mono, (it is available in stereo on the 1995 Oxford label reissue ‘Animalism & Bonus Hits’), thus filling a hole in The Animals discography for collectors. The disc has a run time of 76:55 and contains original album artwork, full track listings and musician credits as well as a four page insert with liner notes by DoDo Bruneau and a two panel centerfold of the band.

Kevin Rathert

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The Animals – ‘Animalism’ (1966, 2014 Flawed Gems reissue)