Rollout With Labelle

I love my geriatric girlbands (The Jacob Sisters, Las Supremas etc), so I really couldn't resist checking out Labelle's first record in over 30 years and I was not disappointed. "Back To Now" is a great comeback album with an even greater cover. Drag queens around the globe would kill for those outfits! The highly glamorous trio invite the listener on an enjoyable trip down memory lane by delivering a solid set of soulful jams. Patti, Nona and Sarah still know how to bring the funk and they're not afraid to use it! Some critics have described the album as dated but I think timeless better describes their sound. However, the majority of songs will only be of interest to fans of old school soul (like myself) with one glaring exception - the incredibly trashtastic and utterly fabulous "Rollout".

Produced by ex-Fugee Wyclef Jean, "Rollout" is an endearing attempt to drag Labelle kicking and screaming into the 21st century. This could be the best urban pop tune ever recorded by a bunch of 60+ year old women! Patti takes the lead for this empowering tale of girl granny power and kicks her useless man to the curb by declaring "Buy your own cigarettes, walk your own pets - I'm out the door"! The production on this is superb. I love the heavy groove, occasional synth and, most of all, the way Patti screams "Lay-deez!" throughout the entire song. "Rollout" was chosen as the first single but it hasn't really taken off yet. No doubt if image wasn't important and music was simply judged on its merits, this fierce jam would be burning up the charts. It really is well worth a listen, so check it out below. You can order "Back To Now" from Chaos or simply download "Rollout" from iTunes.