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This is a very fine album, and for certain it's Rea's best ( if you don't count the solely instrumental "Hofner Blue Notes" ) since "On the Beach", which had been a long time.
This time, the rather "forced" feel that imo made most of "Stony Road" suffer a bit, gave way to a very relaxed, jazzy mood that suits me fine. And, most of all, the songs are fabulous,
especially "Steel River Blues", "Baby don't cry", "Speed" and, most outstanding, "Long is the time, hard is the road".
So Chris is a blues-artist now, and with that extra-shot of jazz it's more than fine with me. When songs are rather simple ( which is the case with traditional 12-bar ), it all depends on the feel and the way they are being executed. One can easily bore me if it's not done quite right. But one can also make me an addict if able to do it right !
On this album, not all of the songs are so simple, but all of the songs have been executed in a brilliant manner throughout, and that's what's hovering tracks like "Speed" and "Baby don't cry" far above the average.
"Speed" is developing such a haunting drive, it can make you go nuts for joy.
It's a rather simple composition but not a second of boredom ! You just get into the groove and want it to stay.
"Baby don't cry" does the very same thing in a more reflective mood. It's soulfully captivating with those female backing vocals so sensitively added it sends you shivers up and down your spine. This can only be achieved with great musicianship and lots of care for the details.
That's what's making stuff like "Let's do it" or "Let it roll" the same sheer pleasure to listen to, it's the way they've been delivered. So I simply have to shake my head to comments like "his worst performance", though tastes are ( obviously ) different - in an objective way that's an embarrasingly false judgement ( sorry ) even if one doesn't like the music itself ! Rea's guitar-playing, btw, never sounded better.
There's so much care and love and potency that went into these arrangements & performances I can't help but love them.
In a way, this album shows that Rea can easily stand face to face with J.J. Cale's best work ! I'm an addict to this - and, in order to make you understand me better, I've got to mention another example of how a rather simple song should be executed, although it's not on this album ( it's on "Blue Guitars" ): "Born bad" is "traditional" BLUES the way I want to ( am keen to ) hear it !!!
Well, though all of the songs are quite good, all of them together make the album a bit too long to listen through in one go. It's got that blue mood all over in spite of its up-beat-"frame" with "The Beat goes on" and "Speed", and you've just got to be in that mood.
This time, the rather "forced" feel that imo made most of "Stony Road" suffer a bit, gave way to a very relaxed, jazzy mood that suits me fine. And, most of all, the songs are fabulous,
especially "Steel River Blues", "Baby don't cry", "Speed" and, most outstanding, "Long is the time, hard is the road".
So Chris is a blues-artist now, and with that extra-shot of jazz it's more than fine with me. When songs are rather simple ( which is the case with traditional 12-bar ), it all depends on the feel and the way they are being executed. One can easily bore me if it's not done quite right. But one can also make me an addict if able to do it right !
On this album, not all of the songs are so simple, but all of the songs have been executed in a brilliant manner throughout, and that's what's hovering tracks like "Speed" and "Baby don't cry" far above the average.
"Speed" is developing such a haunting drive, it can make you go nuts for joy.
It's a rather simple composition but not a second of boredom ! You just get into the groove and want it to stay.
"Baby don't cry" does the very same thing in a more reflective mood. It's soulfully captivating with those female backing vocals so sensitively added it sends you shivers up and down your spine. This can only be achieved with great musicianship and lots of care for the details.
That's what's making stuff like "Let's do it" or "Let it roll" the same sheer pleasure to listen to, it's the way they've been delivered. So I simply have to shake my head to comments like "his worst performance", though tastes are ( obviously ) different - in an objective way that's an embarrasingly false judgement ( sorry ) even if one doesn't like the music itself ! Rea's guitar-playing, btw, never sounded better.
There's so much care and love and potency that went into these arrangements & performances I can't help but love them.
In a way, this album shows that Rea can easily stand face to face with J.J. Cale's best work ! I'm an addict to this - and, in order to make you understand me better, I've got to mention another example of how a rather simple song should be executed, although it's not on this album ( it's on "Blue Guitars" ): "Born bad" is "traditional" BLUES the way I want to ( am keen to ) hear it !!!
Well, though all of the songs are quite good, all of them together make the album a bit too long to listen through in one go. It's got that blue mood all over in spite of its up-beat-"frame" with "The Beat goes on" and "Speed", and you've just got to be in that mood.
Track listing
- "The Beat Goes On" - 4:31
- "Long Is the Time, Hard Is the Road" - 5:27
- "Let's Do It" - 5:01
- "Let It Roll" - 4:49
- "Steel River Blues" - 4:34
- "Somebody Say Amen" - 6:22
- "Blue Street" - 4:48
- "Monday Morning" - 4:14
- "Restless Soul" - 5:51
- "What Kind of Love Is This" - 6:37
- "Paint My Jukebox Blue" - 4:01
- "Baby Don't Cry" - 5:23
- "Speed" - 5:05
All songs written and composed by Chris Rea
Personnel
- Chris Rea – vocals, acoustic piano, slide guitar, bottleneck guitar, harmonica, electric bass
- Robert Ahwai – rhythm guitars
- Sylvin Marc – double bass
- Thierry Chauvet-Peillux – drums
- Eric Seva – saxophone
Production
- Kiadan Quinn – producer
- Edward McDonald – engineer, mastering
- Richard Welland – design
- Paul Slater – cover illustration
- Chris Rea – inside painting
- Juan Carlos Ferrigno – inside painting
- John Knowles – management
- Mastered at The Soundmasters (London, UK).
Notes
Released: 22 March 2004
Recorded at: Sol Studios, Berkshire / Studio Guillaume Tell, Paris
Genre: Blues, jazz
Length: 66:13
Label - Jazzee Blue/Edel
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