Warren Haynes
Million Voices Whisper
***and1/2 out of *****
When the legendary James Brown passed away in 2006, Warren Haynes may have inherited the hardest working man in show business title, as he was active with The Allman Brothers Band, solo shows, Gov't Mule, Phil and Friends, and more. Haynes has slowed down a bit, but rarely takes a break from writing songs.
His past solo albums seemed to scratch an itch that his main projects weren't addressing but on his newest solo release, Million Voices Whisper, the tunes had been in various stages of completion since Covid and Haynes just wanted to get together with old friends to record them.
This is never a bad thing as Haynes' voice and guitar playing are incredibly fluid, soothing and spiritual. In the past his solo releases gave him an outlet with Man In Motion letting him explore his slicker pop rock/Clapton love. The excellent Ashes and Dust was an acoustic based wonder (making our top ten albums of 2015 list) but Million Voices Whisper feels more haphazard, and while the song writing might not be up to some past levels, the playing, production and singing are all fantastic.
Derek Trucks shows up a few times on the record, first on the opening "These Changes" as the two guitarists share a special bond stretching out, dueling with each other; had the full album featured Trucks and played as a mini Allman reunion, it would have been a very special thing. Trucks also pops up on "Real Real Love" which, like the album as a whole, could use some editing to make it tighter and more effective, but the critiques end when Trucks returns on the closing "Hall of Future Saints".
The final track is nine and half minutes of a glorious southern rock jam session goodness as slide guitar, twangy blues, electro rocking and Haynes ode to his heroes in heaven is magical and could roll on forever. Everyone is locked in and pumping, reason alone to check out this album.
There are other highlights, such as the Van Morrison sounding "Go Down Swinging", and the dark fire and brimstone gospel of "Day of Reckoning" which ft. Lukas Nelson and Jamey Johnson. Those aren't the only A listers here as the band backing Haynes is dynamite with Terence Higgins on drums, organist and keyboard John Medeski, and Mule bassist Kevin Scott keeping it moving. Medeski's organ highlights the very Gov't Mule sounding "Lies, Lies, Lies > Monkey Dance > Lies, Lies, Lies" and the funky jam "Terrified". Haynes also brings in horns for the bright "Here On Out" and deploys shimmering pop ("This Life As We Know It") and bluesy slide guitar work ("Till The Sun Comes Shining Through") with equal ease.
There is no grand statement to take from Warren Haynes on this album. It ends up somewhere between a solid Gov't Mule album and his best solo work, Million Voices Whisper, is just another collection of soulful rock from one of the best to do it for the last thirty plus years in any formation.
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