DVDfever.co.uk - JJ Cale: Roll On CD reviewDVDfever.co.uk - Charts, News and Reviews of Blu-rays, DVDs, Games, CDs, Hardware, Laserdiscs, Cinema Films & more
Reclusive Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter JJ Cale returns with his 14th studio album. His first, Shock Hop / Sneaky was way back in 1958. Cale is best known for covers of his After Midnight and Cocaine by Eric Clapton.
Though plugged as a new album, some tracks were recorded at David Teegarden’s studio in Tulsa Oklahoma in 2003.
A roll-call of 16 musical buddies help out including Eric Clapton, Jim Keltner and Teegarden himself on track one, as drummer.
In addition to self production, Cale has written all the songs. The Oklahoma-born artist continues his penchant near-whispered vocals with a string of radio-friendly gems which retains his laidback mellow rhythm and blues grooves. Also thrown in for good measure are dollops of jazz and country inflections like the simple (and Dylan-like folk) of Leaving In The Morning complete with cool lashings of pedal steel.
Rooted deep at Cale’s measured and often understated sublime workouts are boogie-like touchstones which are scattered throughout Roll On. It stars at a predictably gentle pace – Who Knew- attributing much to swinging avante garde Jazz with his wiry guitar ghosting in and out of the shuffle. On Where The Sun Don’t Shine, he hits an infectious funky groove, priming himself nicely for the album’s jewel in the crown: the happy –go-luck Down To Memphis, which would be an even a great introduction and better single release than Roll On.
He opts for a foot-tapping country-styled follow-on in the shape of Strange Days. Again, this would be a cracking single. The sparkling banjo is an absolute delight. Resurfacing is the bluesy pedal steel a la Allman Brothers which ties the pulsating shuffle of Cherry Street. The pace quickens even more for the lush and funky Fonda-Lina. Cale’s mastery of the understated guitar picks is at its maximum here.
Oh Mary’s groovy drive is truly inspirational while the brass section swings as if to save their lives, and a mind-boggling piano solo gives it a touch of earthy Rock’n’Roll. Closing what can be described as a warm and cuddly album, he leaves us wanting more with appropriately titled Bring Down The Curtain.
He may only pop out to play now and again, but when he does, he’s well worth waiting for.
Radio: Hear tracks soon on THE PLUG at
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The full list of tracks included are :
1. Who Knew
2. Former Me
3. Where The Sun Don’t Shine
4. Down To Memphis
5. Strange Days
6. Cherry Street
7. Fonda-Lina
8. Leaving In The Morning
9. Oh Mary
10. Old Friend
11. Roll On feat. Eric Clapton
12. Bring Down The Curtain
DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV
connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and
played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier.
PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
Since Nov 2005: Intel Pentium D 830 3.0Ghz, 1Gb RAM, 128Mb nVidia GeForce 6700XL, Windows XP
Since Aug 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.66Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb GeForce4 MX440 graphics, Windows XP
Since May 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.6Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb ATI Radeon 9600TX graphics, Windows XP
Since Jun 2002: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, 64Mb ATI Radeon 8500LE
Since May 2000: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, Voodoo 3 3000 AGP
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.