| Room To Breathe - Delbert McClinton | |
|
Reviewed by Kathy Coleman
Delbert McClinton is a solid musical everyman. With his sharp and incredible blend of
smooth country, blues, and rock, he presents a consistent foundation of music. With his newest
album, Room To Breathe, McClinton does it again, raising the bar yet again for everyone who
aspires to make good music in any of those genres.
While largely considered a blues artist, the mix of country and blues has always
characterized the formidable McClinton, and he shows it with his deep affection for his home
state of Texas and Texas country artists who join him on "Lone Star Blues" such as Steve Earle,
Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Joe Ely and Jimmie Dale Gilmore. Delbert's predominant
blues sound takes a vacation with this track, as the pure fiddles and steel shoot to the forefront
and amply demonstrate the connection between the blues sound and the country sound, blending
them seamlessly into one fun little song presented with no pretension, just enjoyment in the
music.
McClinton starts out the disc strong, with the infectious "Same Kind of Crazy," rockin'
blues with a hint of tongue-in-cheek humor, but eventually segues into such warm blues love
songs as "Don't Want To Love You," from the start to finish there is nothing on this disc but
unsurpassed musical skill. Emotion that is raw and real comes glowing through in every track.
All in all, Delbert presents nothing more than a terrific, amazing disc. With Delbert's
strong vocals and the powerful backing of his musicians, the music never lays down. Each track
is a glorious gem, Detroit blues and Texas country wound up nicely in a sharp, tight package that
cannot possibly fail to please.
Song List:
Audio clips courtest of Barnes & Noble.
Album cover, used with permission of New West Records
Click on the button below to find the best price for this CD and purchase it from a retailer on the Internet.
