Robert Cray
Some Rainy Morning (Mercury) (star) (star) (star)
Although it’s the first of Cray’s nine records not to include a horn section, “Some Rainy Morning” otherwise maintains his trademark sound and high standards of professional craftsmanship. His fluid, winding Southern soul melodies are downright elegant on songs such as “Moan” and “I’ll Go On.” Whether singing ballads such as “Little Boy Big” or uptempo material such as Bobby Womack’s “Jealous Love,” Cray’s smooth vocals are deeply felt without ever becoming overwrought. An overabundance of slower material constrains Cray as a soloist, but his stinging, spidery guitar playing fires up the jubilant “Tell the Landlord”; he and his band swing hard on the extended coda of “Enough for Me”; and on “Holdin’ On,” Cray cuts loose over Jim Pugh’s insistent piano vamp. Significantly, these last three songs were written or co-written by Cray’s bandmates. Though Cray’s restraint and tastefulness are commendable, on his own he’s often too staid for his own good.
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Ratings: Excellent (Star) (Star) (Star) (Star) Good (Star) (Star) (Star) Fair (Star) (Star) Poor (Star)