Sometimes even the most consistent artists need to shake things up a bit. In
Robert Cray
's case, that means shuffling his lineup -- he retained longtime bassist
Richard Cousins
but brought in drummer
Les Falconer
and keyboardist
Dover Weinberg
-- and bringing in producer
Steve Jordan
, who last worked with
Cray
on 1999's
Take Your Shoes Off
. There's a reason this record is called
In My Soul
:
Jordan
assists
in moving toward Memphis soul, dedicating the entire record to slow, sultry burners that emphasize his mellow vocals and dexterous grooves. This may primarily be a mood record but the individual songs are also quite strong, whether it's the originals ("Fine Yesterday" is so gorgeous it makes heartbreak seem welcome) or sharply chosen covers. Among the latter is a cleanly funky reading of
Otis Redding
's "Nobody's Fault But Mine," which features
Falconer
on co-lead vocals, an unusual change of pace for
that also signals how the veteran guitarist has been revitalized by his change in companions. He's willing to lay back into his soul but will also cede the spotlight, knowing that the groove is the main thing. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine