Robert Jon & The Wreck generate gospel-tinged euphoria on Shine A Light On Me Brother

Robert Jon & The Wreck play soulful rock’n’roll, the old-fashioned way, on Shine A Light On Me Brother

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Robert Jon & The Wreck: Shine A Light On Me Brother album cover
(Image: © Continental Blue Heaven)

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From Southern California, but with a sound evoking the Deep South, Robert Jon & The Wreck had flown under the radar for a decade until their 2020 album Last Light On The Highway connected with a wider audience. 

That album was compared to Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Black Crowes, with its beautifully crafted songs – Oh Miss Carolina in particular – lit up by singer Robert Jon Burrison, a bear of a man with a voice full of soul.

In this follow-up there’s a subtle difference. As the title suggests, Shine A Light On Me Brother leans more towards soul music. There’s a gospel-influenced euphoria in the title track, and in Chicago a slow groove recalling the Memphis soul sound of Al Green. 

And while there’s nothing as ambitious as Last Light On The Highway’s title track, a rock epic in two parts, it’s a fine album. Simple stuff, but it goes deep.

Paul Elliott
Paul Elliott

Freelance writer for Classic Rock since 2005, Paul Elliott has worked for leading music titles since 1985, including Sounds, Kerrang!, MOJO and Q. He is the author of several books including the first biography of Guns N’ Roses and the autobiography of bodyguard-to-the-stars Danny Francis. He has written liner notes for classic album reissues by artists such as Def Leppard, Thin Lizzy and Kiss, and currently works as content editor for Total Guitar. He lives in Bath - of which David Coverdale recently said: “How very Roman of you!”