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JFH Music Review


Robert Randolph and the Family Band, We Walk This Road
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Robert Randolph and the Family Band
We Walk This Road



Album length: 17 tracks
Street Date: June 22, 2010


Robert Randolph and the Family Band's latest, and fourth album, We Walk This Road continues the band's exploration of the traditional African-American musical experience, combining funk, rock, blues, R&B, and old slave songs. The album is a mix of all of these, showing how these old styles and the new styles that have spawned can be combined. Randolph tries to make them all work together in a cohesive whole.

We Walk This Road feels retro, even while retaining a freshness. It seems both new and familiar. During the creation of this album, Randolph and his band listened to music from field songs all the way to current day and sampled things they liked, remaking and revising old pieces. The resulting songs are accessible, simple, and fun, easy to sing-along with and dance to. The lyrics are fairly simple, with the repetition calling to mind the traditional songs of field workers.

The first song, "Traveling Shoes," introduces Randolph's signature use of the pedal steel guitar. This lends the song a country feel, with lyrics and harmonies that are very gospel-esque. These strong harmonies pervade the rest of the album. "Back to the Wall" has more of an R&B tone, with the guitars screaming like they were in a rock band. The "like whoa" unison refrain is a throwback to funk roots. In contrast, "Shot of Love" has a country-rock vibe, with some additional soul included.

"I Still Belong to Jesus" is more straightforward gospel, save for the guitar solo near the end. The song is lovely in its simple yet challenging words that chronicle the difficulties of the Christian life. "If I Had My Way" is a rollicking folk/country piece about Daniel and the lion's den, performed with help from Ben Harper and his guitar. "Don't Change" has jazz and blues elements, with some funk added in there for good measure.

"I Don't Want to Be a Soldier Mama" and "Walk Don't Walk" have great funk vibes, and both have social messages in their lyrics. "Walk Don't Walk" talks about walking one's own way instead of the way the world demands. I have to say, the "Sha-na-na-nas" followed by the low, low bass made me smile. I felt the same about the low bass on "Dry Bones." In a musical culture of falsetto (Muse, anyone?), it's nice to still hear a man's low voice on a recording. "Dry Bones" is one of the standout songs on this album, just because it makes encourages the listener to dance, and I'm fairly certain that Robert Randolph and his companions would highly encourage that.

"I'm Not Listening" continues the amazing harmonies that are throughout the album. The album's final song, "Salvation," brings the energy down a few notches, with some help from Leon Russell on piano. It was a soft and soulful exit to the record and a different feel from most of the other songs on the album. I would have enjoyed hearing more like this.

We Walk This Road is a fun album, and Robert Randolph and the Family Band are doing unique things in the musical sphere. One problem found within, however, is that it does get a little repetitive. The songs all have the same beat, the same tonal quality, the same exuberance. Songs don't really stand out because they all sound so similar. That is both a good and a bad thing: it brings cohesion to the album but sometimes wears the listener down with too much of the same thing.

I'd recommend giving We Walk This Road a shot. It's a musical journey, repetitive though it may be. Even if you decide it's not for you, give Robert Randolph and the Family Band some props for what they're doing musically - there's not many out there like them.

- Review date: 6/20/10, written by Sara Kelm of Jesusfreakhideout.com



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JFH Staff's Second Opinion



As one of the premier southern gospel artists, having played with The Clark Sisters, Third Day and Sacred Steel, Robert Randolph is back with The Family Band to release We Walk This Road. Each song is southern to the core, with each instrument doing its part to keep it that way. Most notably is the guitar and vocals that give the songs their southern sound, not to mention Robert Randolph's signature pedal steel guitar. Sadly, although Randolph is an amazing pedal steel guitarist who has been known to out and out jam his way through songs, there's very little of it on We Walk This Road (it's most noticeable in "I'm Not Listening"). The album is made up mostly of slower-tempo songs, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but in this case, it's not what the band does best. The songs are okay, but lack the quality I've heard from them in past releases. However, Robert Randolph and the Family Band do have a new album on their hands that is a good choice for fans of southern gospel, funk or jam bands. - Scott Fryberger, 6/12/10

 

. Record Label: Warner Bros.
. Album length: 17 tracks
. Street Date: June 22, 2010
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: iTunes (Deluxe Edition)
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. Segue 1 (0:25)
  2. Traveling Shoes (3:48)
  3. Segue 2 (0:09)
  4. Back To The Wall (3:30)
  5. Shot Of Love (5:36)
  6. I Still Belong To Jesus (6:01)
  7. Segue 3 (0:27)
  8. If I Had My Way (5:35)
  9. Segue 4 (0:21)
  10. Don't Change (4:47)
  11. I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama (5:49)
  12. Walk Don't Walk (4:06)
  13. Segue 5 (0:19)
  14. Dry Bones (3:42)
  15. Segue 6 (0:16)
  16. I'm Not Listening (5:03)
  17. Salvation (5:59)

    iTunes Deluxe Edition:
  18. Take My Hand (Bonus Track) (3:51)
  19. Don't Let The Devil Ride (Bonus Track) (4:23)
  20. Memphis Beat (Bonus Track) (3:34)

 

 

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