Album of the Day

Eric Burdon had already earned a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singing for The Animals when he stepped up to front a new group called War in 1970. ERIC BURDON DECLARES WAR was the debut album from this aggregate, and if a version of “Tobacco Road” recalls the Nashville Teens hit, the collection is far removed from the British Invasion. With call-outs to jazz and blues greats like Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Memphis Slim, the collection features funky extended jams that highlight the L.A.-based band’s considerable instrumental chops – along with a Top 10 smash in “Spill The Wine.” We’ll wish original War drummer Harold Brown a happy birthday with another spin of ERIC BURDON DECLARES WAR.