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.
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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.
