Search - Robert Cray :: Midnight Stroll

A Rockin' after Midnite.

Diamond Dave | Chicago, Home of the Blues | 06/03/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I never understand all the nay sayers who bust Robert Cray's chops because he covers much of the same ground. They call him safe and predictable. If you do something well and it pleases you, why not. I owned a few of these songs as CD singles before acquiring this CD on Amazon. I can not find fault with any of these cuts. His voice is strong and assured.



Cray may never have stretched out his pipes more than he does the near-classic manic screams on "THESES THINGS". He uses enough whoops and hollers to bring James Brown to his knees, and I like it. The guitarist's playing is solid, theband firmly on board for the ride. Cray won't be confused with all the SRV wannabees out there but he structures his songs well and keeps things moving along, generally limiting his business to about 4 minutes a shot. The Memphis Horns add a soul backbone that one can't help but enjoy, or should like. Cray is a Blues Artist first and forecast in my books, but he ventures plenty down to the dark end of the street, taking in roads into Southern Soul, Northern R&B and to the fringes of Gospel on occasional, and I think pulls it all off wonderfully. I own maybe 10 Cray discs and find gems on each offering. He continues to surprise me with clever hooks and sure fire vocals. If you like ROBERT CRAY and have a hole in your CD collection that can include tis one, you can't go wrong.



"FORECAST CALLS FOR PAIN" received a fair bit of air play and is a fine opener.



I dug the quiet swagger of a man on the rebound that "BOUNCIN BACK" is, the horns are charming, great tune.



"MY PROBLEM" is something Otis Clay could have sung.



"CONSEQUENCES" is typical Cray. Forceful and to the point, like many of his sings he tackles the subject of love, lust and points in between, and beyond. I laugh that Robert Cray refers to himself, in song, in the second person some of the time. Oh, he will refer to himself as "Robert, "Bobbie", or "Rob", you can hear it on a few songs and I get the biggest kick out of it. Most songs are sung in the I am you, but not Cray. The person he sings about is Robert Cray, and that honestly comes thru. Load and clear,.



"WALK AROUND TIME", is one of those unheralded Cray album tracks that holds an album together. Once again the horns punch and punctuate the story. The rhythm second rives the beat and Cary chugs along singing his song. The song may be called Walk Around time, but Bobbie should have you up out of your chair and dancing.



On "MOVE A MOUNTAIN" the beat churns along as if Robert is actually taking steps up, up, up high on the mountain of love...and back down, down, down from lover's peak, once the thrill is gone. The blues baby, not a happy lyrical subject, but how can the blues bring such joy to the listener as this? Great album. This cut includes a patented lunch pale Cray guitar solo; nothing flashy, but he hits all the right notes, and gets out of the way to let the story end. That's Robert Cary in a nut shell. And I like it.



"HOLDIN' COURT" is in the Lonnie Mack / Stevie Ray Vaughn, Texas Blues pattern, and features a walking guitar line that hits the spot.



Long before he airwaves were overtaken by rap music, the Bluesman (and ladies) used to be the boasters braggers and jesters. Just look at John Lee Hooker ("Boom-Boom-Boom-Boom, gonna shoot ya right down") or Muddy Waters for affirmation ("I spell it M-A-N. Ain't that a man?"). So it is no surprise that this CD closes with a Cray's own blues boast as he and the boys "MIDNIGHT STROLL" on out the door and into the night looking for action.



Hey if the Everly Brothers could sing the same way for 30 years, why can't Robert Cary perform consistantancy, year after year? Works for me.....no apology needed "Bobby", now go on and take your stroll..."