Soul Express Album Review SAM MOORE: Overnight Sensational US/UK Rhino, 2006 1) Can’t Stand The Rain (with WYNONNA and special guests BEKKA BRAMLETT, BEBE WINANS & BILLY PRESTON) 2) Better To Have And Not Need (with BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN) 3) Blame It On The Rain (with FANTASIA) 4) Lookin’ For A Love (with JON BON JOVI) 5) Ain’t No Love (with STEVE WINWOOD) 6) None Of Us Are Free (with STING and special guest SHEILA E) 7) It’s Only Make Believe (with MARIAH CAREY & VINCE GILL ) 8) Don’t Play That Song (You Lied) (with BEKKA BRAMLETT) 9) If I Had No Loot (with VAN HUNT and NIKKA COSTA and special guest BILLY F. GIBBONS) 10) Riding Thumb (withTRAVIS TRITT and special guest ROBERT RANDOLPH) 11) We Shall Be Free (with PAUL RODGERS) 12) You Are So Beautiful (with BILLY PRESTON and special guests ZUCCHERO, ERIC CLAPTON & ROBERT RANDOLPH) I was looking forward to a new album from the legendary Sam Moore. I was also intrigued when I discovered that Raphael Saadiq was to have an input it it, along with BeBe Winans and the late, great Billy Preston. This was indeed going to be an attractive album and something to look forward to. It was an event for anyone who loved the man’s past work. Sadly the reality could not be further from what I had hoped for. This is a very confusing, oft schizophrenic mish-mash of songs that is truly unlistenable. The CD is a who’s who of the great and the bewildering of the music scene and far from being a soulful, powerful tour-de-force it is a damp squib. To be honest, I think that the guest list may be more telling of who sent Sam a Christmas card last year than anything else. This is similar to Quincy Jones’ last befuddling effort. I would not have been surprised to see Tiny Tim, Mrs. Mills, The Beverly Sisters, Spike Milligan or even Derek Guyler on his washboard make an appearance. Seriously though, I can say that Sam’s voice is as great as ever, and it is warming that many musical talents such as Bruce Springsteen, Sting and Steve Winwood wish to collaborate, but this just was not for me. I think readers of Rolling Stone or NME will embrace this album with open arms, but I fear I just cannot get into it. Producer, Randy Jackson, has done what he can to hold it together but I think that this was well beyond his talents or skill. Musically I can manage to listen to "I Can’t Stand The Rain" and the rootsy "Blame It On The Rain" featuring a singer called Fantasia. "If I Had No Loot" is a cover of the 1993 Toni! Tony! Toné! Hit, and Sam works with the talented Van Hunt to turn this into a fair Stax/Atlantic ‘60s offering so this is quite nice, but nothing as good as the original. I hope that Sam returns soon with a new album of new tunes. By all means work with today’s producers like Raphael Saadiq, but please, please keep it soulful. -Barry Towler Other Fresh CD Reviews Albums of the Month in 2006 Albums of the Month in 2005 Albums of the Month in 2004 Albums of the Month in 2003 Albums of the Month in 2002 Albums of the Month in 2001 Albums of the Month in 2000 Albums of the Month in 1999 Albums of the Month in 1998 Albums of the Month in 1997 |
