Colorblind
Funky and fabulous: There are no better words to sum up the latest offering from the man Rolling Stone magazine named one of the top 100 guitarists of all time.
Robert Randolph honed his impressive music skills at his home church in Orange, N.J., and since has played or toured with everyone from the Blind Boys of Alabama to Ozzy Osbourne. And on Colorblind, he is joined by the likes of Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews and blues singer Leela James.
While Randolph’s previous effort, Unclassified, did a great job capturing the band’s live performance, it suffered from too much repetition and a lack of cohesion. Colorblind fixes these flaws by focusing on the songs themselves.
And great songs abound. “Deliver Me” has all the power of a revival tent meeting, with a ’70s guitar hook that would make Lenny Kravitz jealous. Dave Matthews joins Randolph on a down-tempo track about unconditional love. And the soulful “Blessed” finds reason for joy in the midst of difficult circumstances.
This fun-loving fusion of gospel, blues and rock is a sure-fire recipe for soul.
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Review by: Norm McDonald
Originally published November 01, 2006.
