McCray’s first new album for 7 years and he’s produced here by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith. The album features Joe Bonamassa, Warren Haynes, Joanna Connor, and Reese Wynans. The result is a big and brassy Blues album with a strong Mississippi Blues beat.
He has all the classic influences – the three Kings, Luther Allison, Little Milton and more – and he played with all of them over the years and you can hear touches of all of them in his playing but even more in his singing. He has a fine, deep voice with an Arkansas accent and his playing and the production suit it perfectly.
Musically, the album is full of brass laden Blues and, while he doesn’t cut any brand new furrows, the playing is absolutely top notch.
The whole album sounds as if it were being played live in a club, it’s got that sort of tight and upfront sound to it.
I found myself picking out tracks and playing and replaying them, there is a lot going on and sometimes it needs a few goes to really ‘get’ the tracks but the results are well worth it - one of the better Blues albums around and a real delight if you like your Blues with full on soul.
Standout tracks are the single ‘Breaking News’ and the opener ‘Arkansas’ but every track has its delights.
