Artist: Bob Malone
Album: Good People
Label: Delta Moon Records
Release Date: 5.21.21
Bob Malone is a soulful songwriter, passionate singer, exuberant piano player and ecstatic performer whose astounding, abounding talents are immediately evident throughout 11 inspired and inspiring songs on his glorious ninth album, Good People. The optimistic opening title track rousingly reminds us that “beauty, kindness, empathy” may be in short supply, “but it’s out there.” Amen, Brother Bob!
Following a slow, steady, swampy, killerdiller cover of CCR’s ominous “Bad Moon Rising” we’re treated to a trinity of Psalms from Malone’s personal Book Of Lamentations… 1: The plaintive, prayerful, bedside lullagoodbye “Empty Hallways” features gorgeous, soaring falsetto sung by a True Believer in Everlasting Love and Eternal Life, despite impending loss and his aching loneliness. 2: On the lively, thriving, driving, four-on-the-dance-floor chorus of “All There Is” a seeker and sojourner implores “Please tell me there’s more.” 3: Bob dives in “Head First” (heart second) to bare some unbearable truths on this most intimate, vulnerable, open, honest, bleeding-heart-on-sleeve composition.
The unmistakable riff of Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green’s 1969 opus “Oh Well” kick-starts this CD’s perfectly placed centerpiece de resistance—a percussive, rhythm-driven, dynamic, fantastic piano-organ orgy with Bob DeMarco (guitars) Kenny Aronoff (drums) Chris Trujillo (percussion) and James Lomenzo (bass). Sadly, this gem is omitted from the album’s vinyl version.
“My Friends & I” an eulogistic elegy and anthem for misfits, broken toys and brave-faced but frightened older girls and boys, soars. “Prelude & Blues” is a way cool, then sizzling hot, rockin’ and rollicking FUNdamental instrumental showcase. Imagine Jeff Beck playing keyboard instead of fretboard with a Spyro Gyrating, Weather Reporting, Bitches Brewing band! In this case drummer Doug Belote, guitarist Shane Theroit, percussionist Trujillo and superbadass bassist Calvin Turner. Oh, yeah!
Malone gets a lot of good help along the way. He follows the sweet, sweet “Sound Of A Saxophone” to a Metro platform “searching for the man behind the horn so I can be reborn,” and finds him (Tom Evans on sax) along with rebirth, revival and salvation in a subway station. On “The River Gives” the heavenly voices of L.B. Seetal, Celeste Butler, Karen Nash and Trysette offer harmonious thanks and reverential praise. Right on, sisters!
Malone outplays (with conviction), out-sings (with diction) and outdoes Dylan as he tears the cover off of that other Bob’s “Tangled Up In Blue” on a riveting, rip-roaring, jaw-dropping, heart-popping, floor-mopping, hip-hopping, jazzy/horny/groovy grand finale. Drummer Rich Zukor and bassist Ritt Henn are locked in the pocket and kick out the jams as six different electrifying guitar solos (by Theriot, Demarco, Troy Dexter, Marty Rifkin on pedal steel, Stefano “Il Gatto” Sanguini and Tommy Williams) punctuate this smother of a cover that’s so dynamic and energetic it sounds live. Thank BOB and Hallelujah!
—Dennis McDoNoUgh!
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