The Animals Animal Tracks Import LP

Formed in the northeast coastal coal mining and shipbuilding town of Newcastle in 1962 after emotive lead singer Eric Burdon joined expressive keyboardist Alan Price's Rhythm and Blues Combo, blues rockers The Animals based themselves in London at the suggestion of Yardbirds manager, Giorgio Gomelsky. Signing in 1964 to Columbia for UK releases and MGM for the US, they achieved spectacular chart hits produced by Mickie Most, beginning with their infectuous rendition of New Orleans blues ode, "House of the Rising Sun" and furthered by "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," earlier a sizable hit for Nina Simone.

As with their previous album releases, Animal Tracks, the group's third studio set, featured Chas Chandler on bass, John Steel on drums and Hilton Valentine on guitar, alongside Burdon and Price, the classic lineup that preceded the arrival of Dave Rowberry and subsequent emphasis on Burdon; this reissue is of the British edition of the disc as issued by Columbia, but here with six thematic bonus tracks, including a spirited take of Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me" and outstanding original hit, "We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place."