The Album Review Club - *** Christmas Break Playlist (next album 7/1/26) ***

I feel there's not much I can say about this that either hasn't already been said or doesn't sound like I'm overdoing it for the sake of saying something.

Really enjoyed it, great guitar, and vocals too. Not too long or laboured. I would have liked more pain, for a blues album, it is overly upbeat for me. I kept hoping for a song of the tone of 'since i've been loving you'. I Wonder came the closest, and was incidentally my favourite track on it, and I wish more of the album was like it. That's a me thing. Still enjoyed it though. A damn strong 7.
 
While we are on your week and the last bit if inbetween time @threespires, how did you get on with your re-visit to Crawler? What an album, right! Ultra Mono and Joy/reaistance are great collections of really good songs. Crawler though, is a fucking Album. Imo.
 
Coatigan said:
While we are on your week and the last bit if inbetween time @threespires, how did you get on with your re-visit to Crawler? What an album, right! Ultra Mono and Joy/reaistance are great collections of really good songs. Crawler though, is a fucking Album. Imo.
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Can't disagree with that at all. it doesn't have the immediate simplicity of the others albums but overall it's better for it, think I was just being lazy on first listening. The theme running though it works really well, as you say less about the individual songs and more about the album. Like the variety and pacing on it too compared to the other albums.

Once I got into it, my next thought was this really good but if they can carry on 'growing' (ughh) like this, there's a good chance that at some point they'll make an absolutely astonishing album.
 
@threespires - What's you recommendation for a RC album with a rawer bluesy sound? Preferably with original songs. He's one of those artists with so many albums that it's probably easier to ask somebody who knows than try to work it out!
 
Once again no time for a long-winded review but a 7/10, pushing 8. It’s not the fusion, it’s not the guitar, it’s not the singing — all of which work — it’s the lyrics on songs like I Guess I Showed Her and Foul Play and — especially — Right Next Door — that make this album. While other than Smoking Gun there isn’t a tune that goes immediately into my play list, and the fusion isn’t necessarily my top listening choice, and maybe this sounds just a trifle dated, it’s overall a workmanlike effort and in some spots quite winning and even brilliant. I can see why critics loved this and I can also see why they overrated it a tad. Still a very good listen.
 
RobMCFC said:
@threespires - What's you recommendation for a RC album with a rawer bluesy sound? Preferably with original songs. He's one of those artists with so many albums that it's probably easier to ask somebody who knows than try to work it out!
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I'd like to give you an easy answer but...

Raw isn't really his thing at least not for an entire album. If there is a criticism of him it's that he does rinse and repeat his wining formula. That said, if you want something a bit stripped back I would for one of his early albums like Bad Influence or False Accusations, alternatively one of the live albums like Live Smoking Gun by definition feels a bit rawer/less produced. Or Time Will Tell which is the one Bigga mentioned.

As for the songwriting, he always likes to do at least a couple of other people's song on his albums so unless I'm having a senior moment I can't think of one that has more than about 8 tracks penned by him.
 
RobMCFC said:
@threespires - What's you recommendation for a RC album with a rawer bluesy sound? Preferably with original songs. He's one of those artists with so many albums that it's probably easier to ask somebody who knows than try to work it out!
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For something a bit rawer but still in the urban / chicago blues space then if you're not familiar with Buddy Guy (ironically from Louisiana) then check him out, you could do a lot worse than start with his most recent: The Blues Don't Lie. It's got a few selebs but don't that let that put you off.
 
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threespires said:
For something a bit rawer but still in the urban / chicago blues space then if you're not familiar with Buddy Guy (ironically from Louisiana) then check him out, you could do a lot worse than start with his most recent: The Blues Don't Lie. It's got a few selebs but don't that let that put you off.
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Thanks for the suggestions. I'll definitely have a listen to some more blues by Robert Cray and I'll give Buddy Guy a go.
 
Apologies again for missing least week’s review - retirement can‘t come soon enough!
I think I saw Robert Cray tour this album, if not it was very close. Love his guitar style and sound. Very pleasant to be reunited with this after many many years. It’s blues lite for me, but the fusion with the horns is very listenable. A solid 8/10.
Interestingly, when the album finished it skipped into a JJ Cale track. Still loving that album from a few weeks back whoever nominated it!!
 
BimboBob said:
Sorry mate, quite ill at the mo, side effects etc etc so I'll have to pass.
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No worries, thanks for letting me know.

Hope you are feeling better soon.

@GoatersLeftShin - it's now officially your choice later today - If you can post your choice up later today, that would be great. If you need until tomorrow, that's OK too.

@Gaudion M - stand by just in case!
 
Just listened Robert Cray Band. live in 90 on Spotify.
His voice and band came over better on the 7 tracks on the EP.8/10
 
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Might as well do the weekly round-up now. Great choice from @threespires: Robert Cray's Strong Persuader certainly persuaded most listeners this week. 13 votes at an average of 6.85 sees the album miss out on a top 10 place by 0.01 of a point, settling in nicely in 11th place.

As for this week, well, we'll just have to wait and see.

@Coatigan - we are getting near the end of the round. Over Christmas, everybody seemed to enjoy the playlist guessing game and there seemed good support for doing one at the end of every round. You also volunteered to run the next one so I could join in the guessing. If you are still up for it, looks like it will be happening some time in the next few weeks.
 
FogBlueInSanFran said:
Once again no time for a long-winded review but a 7/10, pushing 8. It’s not the fusion, it’s not the guitar, it’s not the singing — all of which work — it’s the lyrics on songs like I Guess I Showed Her and Foul Play and — especially — Right Next Door — that make this album. While other than Smoking Gun there isn’t a tune that goes immediately into my play list, and the fusion isn’t necessarily my top listening choice, and maybe this sounds just a trifle dated, it’s overall a workmanlike effort and in some spots quite winning and even brilliant. I can see why critics loved this and I can also see why they overrated it a tad. Still a very good listen.
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Crazy, I thought the lyrics were way to cheesy and docked it a point for that reason
 
RobMCFC said:
Might as well do the weekly round-up now. Great choice from @threespires: Robert Cray's Strong Persuader certainly persuaded most listeners this week. 13 votes at an average of 6.85 sees the album miss out on a top 10 place by 0.01 of a point, settling in nicely in 11th place.

As for this week, well, we'll just have to wait and see.

@Coatigan - we are getting near the end of the round. Over Christmas, everybody seemed to enjoy the playlist guessing game and there seemed good support for doing one at the end of every round. You also volunteered to run the next one so I could join in the guessing. If you are still up for it, looks like it will be happening some time in the next few weeks.
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Yep, will gladly do that. Will need to go over the start and end of that week just to remind myself how it all worked etc.
 
threespires said:
For something a bit rawer but still in the urban / chicago blues space then if you're not familiar with Buddy Guy (ironically from Louisiana) then check him out, you could do a lot worse than start with his most recent: The Blues Don't Lie. It's got a few selebs but don't that let that put you off.
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Saw Buddy Guy at the Binic Autour du Blues festival in Brittany 2004. He was outstanding. He played some great stuff then started riffing with this is how Clapton would play it, this is how Hendrix would play it, etc..
The highlight was when he walked off stage into the surrounding streets still playing leaving his band on stage accompanying him.
It was a great couple of days.
 
Forgot to add i hear a lot of Keith Richards in Robert Cray Band.
Vintage Vinos a great collection of Keith solo stuff.
 
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