ROBERT CRAY BAND
Shoulda Been Home (Rykodisc)
Reviewed by Eric Steiner

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From the upbeat "Baby's Arms" to Elmore James' "The 12 Year Old Boy," the Robert Cray Band's second Rykodisc release, Shoulda Been Home, is another great dozen from the Robert Cray Band. The Robert Cray Band has been one of the most popular blues bands over the past 25 years; the band takes some surprising risks with two long songs on Shoulda Been Home. Jim Pugh's "Out of Eden" chronicles the ups and downs of an urban neighborhood in nine minutes plus, and "Far Away" is over six minutes of love and loss. Longtime fans of Cray's smooth, soulful take on the blues will enjoy "Help Me Forget" and "Already Gone," two slow ballads that showcase Robert's vocals and lead guitar. While the Robert Cray Band continues its exploration of the blues flavored with a Memphis R & B sound, my favorite cuts on Shoulda Been Home are two gritty send-ups of Elmore James's urban Chicago sound: "Cry for Me Baby" and "The 12 Year Old Boy." These two new covers honor the early sides that Elmore cut on Chicago's South Side and Cray's blues hasn't sounded this raw in years. In its early days, the Robert Cray Band shared the stage with Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, and Willie Dixon and these two cuts give us a rare glimpse of the band's early days.

Track List:

Baby's Arms * Already Gone * Anytime * Love Sickness * I'm Afraid * No One Special * Out of Eden * Cry for Me Baby * Far Away * Renew Blues * Help Me Forget * The 12 Year Old Boy

© 2001 - Eric Steiner