For completists of these quintessential Crescent City funksters, this collection of mid-1970s outtakes and alternate takes will fill in some important gaps. Rock covers rule the day here, including a wonderfully nasty nine-minute reading of Neil Young's "Down by the River." Stephen Stills, the Stones, and the Beatles also get the Meters treatment, and the program is filled out by several New Orleans favorites such as "Big Chief," Hank Williams's "Jambalaya," and a rock & roll medley that includes cuts associated with Huey Smith and Fats Domino. For an album of leftovers, Kick Back is actually about as good as the albums whose sessions it comes from--1975's Fire on the Bayou and 1976's Trick Bag. Like those two records, this one is far from prime Meters, but has just enough high points and low-down grooves to be a worthwhile listen. --Marc Greilsamer