JJ Grey & Mofro "This River"

 

I got comped to see Mofro maybe a dozen years ago at a small club in downtown Orlando.  Hot, sweaty, funky motherf*#@er......me and the band!  Made sure I listened to the album the next day.  "Wait a minute?  This can't be the same band I saw last night..."   And that's been pretty much my take on every release since.  There are two, or maybe three, killer tunes on each album but the majority are just OK, nothing to write home about.  It's blues, R&B, funk, roots, "front-porch soul."  In the initial days when their name was just Mofro, the band was cancelled by a black club in London when they found out JJ was white.  There, you should have an idea now...



That's the lead track and first official video.  If you found it to be wonderful, then this album is for you.  It is not one of my three (of ten) keepers.  Album's opener is good.  Found some live clips online but the quality wasn't good enough to show you.  It was half the record later before a second keeper arrived.  Again, you'll have to search yourself.  It's a funky little number à la Prince & The Revolution called "Florabama."  The final keeper is a concert staple over the years that finally gets a studio treatment. 

I highly recommend seeing these guys live.  I believe they just played a small stage at Glastonbury and they'll be back stateside in two weeks, playing dates all over North America through early November (it's a nightmare of a travel schedule). 

"This River" is the highest charting release for the band.  They are here to stay.  Please investigate them for yourself.  They are certainly worthy of your effort.  Just not my cup o' sweet tea...