Blue Sky
Put Together, 2020
8/10
The Reverend Shawn Amos is in fine company as his band, The Brotherhood, brings players from Dave Matthews and Norah Jones, as well as long time collaborator Chris Roberts on guitar for this robust and swampy album.
“Stranger Than Today” starts the listen with a drum machine before pedal steel, acoustic guitar and a harmonica enter the soulful and breezy setting, and “Troubled Man”, with Ruthie Foster, follows with plenty of blues in the spirited picking.
In the middle, “Hold Back” flows with an anthemic quality in its upbeat rock’n’roll delilvery, while “The Job Is Never Done” recruits some R&B qualities amid the fluid and tuneful dynamcis. “The Pity And The Pain”, one of the album’s best, then offers some gospel nods in the beautiful duet that’s as timeless as it is genuine.
Near the end, “27 Dollars” brings the party with jumpy keys and some fuzzy fun in the retro festivities, and “Keep The Faith, Have Some Fun” continues that energy with the Mudbug Brass Band as brass infiltrates the lively percussion and call and response vocals.
Certainly a blues album at its core, there’s also funk, ‘70s swagger, R&B and folk ideas present in this highly contagious effort that will be sure to satiate die hard Amos fans, as well as attract new ones to the varied, bluesy landscape.
Travels well with: Albert Castiglia- Wild And Free; Backtrack Blues Band- Your Baby Has Left