I've been around (The Animals) (LP 4141 - 4143)

The Animals  The Animals (CD, EMI Records, 1964) ***  

The Animals  Animal Tracks (CD, EMI Records, 1965) ****  

The Animals  Animalisms (Vinyl, Decca Records, 1966, 2014 reissue) ***** 

Genre: Blues rock, pop, R&B

Places I remember: Fives, Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Roadrunner (Animal Tracks)

Gear costume: Worried Life Blues (Animal Tracks)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6

Active compensatory factors: In 1964 when the debut came out The Animals were Eric Burdon – lead vocals; Hilton Valentine – guitar, vocals; Alan Price – keyboards, vocals; Chas Chandler – bass guitar, vocals;John Steel – drums, percussion.

The debut is like a lot of other first albums by English groups of the time, mostly covers of blues and R&B songs. They do a good job of them as well, in a solid Newcastle, no frills, sort of way. That said, the Beatles references are pretty cool - Eric could certainly read the writing on the wall. Highlights: The Girl Can't Help It, Boom Boom.

Animal Tracks is their second album, and last with Alan Price. All songs are covers, except from For Miss. Caulker by Eric. It's only been a year but the band is now in a deeper groove and the whole album is not so po-faced. Eric's vocals are a lot more confident as well. Highlights: Roadrunner, Worried Life Blues.

Animalisms - their third album is their best. AllMusic summed it up well - "Outcast," "Maudie," "You're on My Mind," "Clapping," "That's All I Am to You," "Squeeze Her - Tease Her," "I Put a Spell on You," "She'll Return It," and "Gin House Blues" all rate among the best work the band ever did, passionate, gorgeous, and exciting R&B down to the last note, with Burdon at the peak of his career.

Where do they all belong? A couple of Eric Burdon and The Animals albums have already been covered here. The whole Animals' catalogue is confusing to the max! Animalisms was their final album in England before they broke up, but a U.S. only album called Animalism was released after they broke up! The two albums have nothing in common! I'm still looking for a copy of it.