Dan Penn
doesn't hurry. It took him a full 26 years to deliver
Living on Mercy
, his sequel to 1994's
Do Right Man
, a good stretch of time by any measure, so it follows that the album itself glides by at a relaxed pace. Occasionally, the record works up a head of steam -- "Edge of Love" gets down and dirty with its gritty guitars and sweaty horns -- but nothing on the album is revved up, which may be appropriate for a man just a few years shy of his 80th birthday.
Penn
does sound comfortable in his skin, possibly even a little weathered, throughout
, yet there's a honeyed quality to his singing; he's seasoned but he's not old. The same sentiment could be applied to the songs on
, some of which are new, some of which were handed out to other musicians over the years. When collected on
-- and delivered by a crew of empathetic old pros -- they feel of a piece, a sweet, soulful, and reflective effort from a masterful singer/songwriter that benefits from its mellowness and slow, assured gait. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine