The Robert Cray Band
You Know I Feel Alright (Live in Chicago 1985)
** out of *****
Robert Cray's was one of the best bluesmen to come of age in the 1980's and You Know I Feel Alright (Live in Chicago 1985) captures the artist during a very exciting period, just before his huge breakthrough album, Strong Persuader, which arrived the following year and brought Cray to legendary heights.
There is not a lot of info accompanying this release, and the recording quality feels like a high quality bootleg/radio broadcast as the cymbals are fuzzy, tunes have abrupt endings and levels fluctuate from song to song. These tracks could be from the same night or various shows as the band sounds well traveled however, the fading between songs (or before they even end) is frustrating. Following killer keyboard work from Peter Boe, and an intricate solo from Cray, things just annoyingly fade out mid song during "All About My Girl".
When full songs are allowed to finish, such as on the soulful singing of "Don't Touch Me" and the spicy "Too Many Cooks" Cray and band do a damn good job delivering the upbeat electric blues. "T-Bone Shuffle" gets down and dirty with gritty playing and extended solos, while "Porch Light" shows off the tighter, slicker, blues he would become famous for, with double entendres, sexy singing and great playing.
The drums push Cray on "Wrapped Up In Love Again" while the grooving "Let Me Love You Baby" has some excellent playing, as Cray picks, bob's and weave's with the best of them. "I Got My Eyes On You" continues that vibe allowing Cray and Boe to get loose before "I Got Loaded". Cray mentions that Los Lobos also covered this tune, but unfortunately this track also fades out before it is completed ending this odd collection on a very disappointing note.
For a blues artist who has not released many live albums, a set from the formative years of his career is fun to have, however, a true professional mastering and release would be even better for Cray and company. As it stands, You Know I Feel Alright (Live in Chicago 1985) is just an OK capturing of prime era Robert Cray.
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Support the artist, buy the album and peep some video below from a different live outing from Cray in 85:
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