Robert Cray Band "Nothin But Love"

 

Jumped on this guy's bandwagon when he started out on Hightone Records in '83.  The album with Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland a couple of years later was spectacular.  He won a Grammy the following year and had an extremely successful world tour.  Took too long to follow up after that, in my opinion.  The records started sounding the same and I leapt off the wagon in '97. 

Started reading some very positive reviews about this new album and noticed hot-producer-of-the-moment, Kevin Shirley, was manning the board.  I've always liked Cray's vocals, his fret work is usually very concise, and the big releases for the 4th Q hadn't dropped yet when I ordered this five weeks ago.  Wish I had waited...

As I told a friend on Facebook the other day as we traded comments on the new Donald Fagan, "...it sounds fine but I don't need more of the same ol', same ol'."  That statement applies to "Nothin But Love."  I think owning five RC albums is more than enough.  The sweet vocals are still there and the musicianship across the band is fine, but the songs themselves are too sterile and similar to everything he's done before.  Not a total disappointment...



Live from Fordham University last month.  Best song on the record for many reasons.  But I had to make it to the last track before a big smile came across my face.  It's a live version of  "You Belong To Me," a 60-year-old track most famously recorded by Jo Stafford and also charted for Dean Martin and Patti Page.  You may recall it in the Shrek movie or Bob Dylan's version in Natural Born Killers.  The live setting smokes...makes you tap your feet and nod your head. 

In other words, skip this album and use the money to see him in concert domestically before Christmas.