Trax
By Bliss 08/28/2008
J.J. GREY & MOFRO, Orange Blossoms (Alligator) (3.5 stars out of 5)
Swamp rock, R&B, Southern soul, deep funk and classic rock simmer and stew and occasionally combust on this deep-grooved party platter from the Jacksonville, Fla., jamband, their fourth proper album. But while Grey & Co. clearly know their Muscle Shoals from their Stax, not to mention their Tom Petty from their Steve Cropper guitar licks, they manage to synthesize rather than mimic those influences. Grey’s fervent rasp adds a gospel-like conviction to ballads, dance-floor grinders and rocking anthems alike. www.jjgrey.com.
LEON WARE, Moon Ride (Stax) (2.5 stars out of 5)
Contemporary jazz meets über-smooth soul in the latest offering from Motown veteran Ware, who’s penned tunes for the likes of Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson and Ike & Tina Turner. This romantic return to form finds Ware once again reverently blending suavity and grooves at the altar of sensuality on bedroom ballads like “Smoovin’,” “To Serve You (All My Love”) and “From Inside,” with background vox from ’80s hitmaker James Ingram. Try this if you’re jonesing for another Usher fix. www.leonware.com.
BILL JACKSON, Steel and Bone (Soundvault) (3 stars out of 5)
Dubbed “Australia’s Lyle Lovett” by a festival promoter Down Under, Jackson loads his gratifying third solo disc with melodic, vividly detailed story songs swimming in Pete Fidler’s greasy Dobro and lap steel licks. Jackson may not be as deadpan quirky as Lovett, but the earthy poet demonstrates a similar gift for balancing dark humor and humane intelligence, most strikingly on “You Evil Bitch Morphine,” the suspenseful “Long Way From Water,” “John Lee Hooker,” the anti-war anthem “Bring ’Em On Home” and “God Botherin’ Blues #7” (about Sunday morning missionaries unexpectedly knocking on the devil’s door). At Coffee Gallery Backstage Thursday, Sept. 4. www.myspace.com/billjacksonmusic.
BURNING SPEAR, Jah is Real (Burning Music) (3 stars out of 5)
Roots reggae legend Burning Spear, aka Winston Rodney, calls out for “the true history of Africa” to be taught in schools (“One Africa”), and also suggests a “slavery holiday” while citing nannies and recent headlines (“Grandfather”). More than anything on this agreeable, vintage-sounding disc, he reaches out to young artists, likening record companies and distributors to oppressors (“Run for Your Life”) and encouraging artists to focus on the process, not the result (“Stick to the Plan,” “No Compromise”), while forging paths to creative and spiritual independence. www.burningspear.net.
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