CD review: J.J. Cale, “Roll On”
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Rock
J.J. Cale “Roll On” (Rounder Records)
At 70, Oklahoma singer/songwriter/musician J.J. Cale continues to make masterfully earthy music, drawing on blues, folk, jazz and country to give his new album a richly diverse sound that is by turns laidback and mysterious.
Cale is mostly widely known as the songwriter behind the Eric Clapton hits “Cocaine” and “After Midnight.” For his last album, 2006′s “The Road to Escondido,” Cale partnered with Clapton and won his first Grammy.
Slowhand appears with Cale on the title track for “Roll On,” along with Oklahoman Steve Ripley on acoustic guitar. These skilled collaborators give a heady burst of guitar energy to the blues rock road anthem.
But for the most part, “Roll On” gives the notion of a solo album a whole new and quite literal meaning. Not only did Cale write and sing all 12 tracks, he also plays a range of instruments, including guitar, bass, piano and synthesizers.
The Oklahoma native opens the album in swinging fashion with the jazzy “Who Knew,” which features a jangly piano, rhythmic vocals and even a bit of scatting. He puts the jazz piano in the forefront but shifts to a bluesier sound for the introspective “Former Me.”
The funky “Fonda-Lina” matches an urgent synth groove with evocative gypsy guitars. The spacey and swampy “Strange Days” spotlights Cale’s formidable banjo-picking skills.
He uses a pedal steel guitar to give a mournful feel to the countrified “Leaving in the Morning.” He closes “Roll On” with the shuffling wryly funny “Bring Down the Curtain,” making it clear that “enough is enough” for one album.
“Roll On” isn’t showy or flashy, but no matter how easygoing the songs, they are clearly crafted by an expert.
- BAM
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Comments
i saw him in concert over 20 years ago in edmonton – incredible musician but not exciting on stage – lol – he sat on a chair with his guitar barely moving – but even with that – he created an aura of soul to everyone in the stadium – incredible musician – you missed twenty years of good tunes if you just found him now – i even got my bro in laws reel to reel of him – good thing about being the youngest of five – they discovered the great artists for me
Hi i just wanted to comment on your review (jj cale ROLL ON) which i fully agree with, i have been a fan of mr cale since the mid 70′s and i truly love this cd, long live jj cale the master.
cheers
brian h ( england )