CD - Robert Randolph: Colorblind

The story of Robert Randolph is almost a Hollywood cliché - a guy who by his own admission was probably saved from a somewhat unsavoury existence by the power of music - or more particularly in his case by playing steel guitar in a House of God Church. As his own website would have it "Raised in a firestorm of faith and danger, dividing his time between battles in the streets and safety in the arms of his music, Robert Randolph found his way up from darkness with help from a most unusual source: the pedal steel guitar"

And the first thing that really matters about that story is just how well the guy can play. This is only his second studio CD, but even on the first ("Unclassified") he showed a mastery that belied the lack of experience. He plays from a deep understanding of the traditions of his instrument but adds very heavy doses of blues, funk, and rock to the mix

"Colorblind" features appearances by Eric Clapton and Dave Matthews and material from the likes of Tommy Simms, who has written for Eric and Bonnie Raitt. The playing is truly outstanding, capturing the excitement and energy of the live performances for which Robert and the band are already rightly acclaimed. Funky and dynamic, it marries steel guitar to modern production techniques and rhythms and most of the time it succeeds.
What slightly lets the whole thing down is the quality of the material. It's variable at best, with some real successes ('Ain't Nothing Wrong With That', 'Love Is The Only Way', 'Thrill Of It', a great cover of 'Jesus Is Just Alright') mixing with the mundane. The production is also a little thin, which doesn't help.

If you haven't heard Randolph, then buy this album, you're in for a treat. He's almost the Hendrix of pedal steel, but with a melodic feel that can rarely have been bettered. It's just that this release strives a little too hard to be fashionable and in so doing dilutes the power of the playing a little.
It's still a very fine testimony to the man's talent but there's an even better album to be made, with a less fussy production and stronger material - hopefully the next one.

October 2006