Always
Provogue, 2021
8/10
The Grammy Award winning guitarist Eric Krasno returns with this 4th solo album, where themes of family surround his many grooves, hooks and strong attention to structure.
“Silence” opens the listen with crisp drumming and warm guitar complementing Krasno’s soulful and expressive singing in the bluesy, jazzy setting, and “So Cold” follows with plenty of funk spirit entering the calm, hazy melody.
Approaching the middle, the timeless blues flavor of “The Man In Me” is easy to enjoy, which benefits from spirited guitar and subtle keys, while “Alone Together” radiates a dreamy demeanor amid the poetic singing and breezy landscape. “Leave Me Alone”, the album’s best, then bounces and glides with a very modern energy.
Near the end, “Hold Tight” emits a nearly R&B delivery with its cozy organ, eloquent singing and romantic vibe, and “Always With You” exits the listen with Victoria Canal on hand for a very pretty and lush finish that is all substance and no flash.
Krasno has quite an impressive body of work already, including several albums from both Lettuce and Soulive, and with Always he welcomes us into his family life, and it illustrates yet another avenue of his diverse and exceptional artistry.
Travels well with: Dumpstaphunk- Where Do We Go From Here; Pimps Of Joytime- Jukestone Paradise