Cruisin' thru..."Slippin' through the Shadows"
Mark Juliano | Philadelphia, PA USA | 11/26/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The first time I heard Don sing one of these cuts, I thought I had come across some obscure, bootleg Doors' song I had never heard before..or, maybe something from that other Morrison, Van..or, perhaps, a Richard Starkey ballad..or, something-somewhere in between..? I think I told myself it resembled a definite California sound-woodsy, but simple and raw, like Airplane or, (dare I say it?)..like, Hot Tuna?...but, at the same time-totally LATIN!
That sound, the band calls 'Chabolero' (a blend of Cha-cha & Bolero), recalls feelings and flavors in me of something like a 'creole/island/rock' mix..somewhere between jerk chicken & margaritas and cheesburgers & shakes!
From first to last, everyone of these love songs are mesmerizing, and, in fact, the more I listened, the newer it seemed-sounds nuts, I know..but, it's like a Van Gogh you can't stop staring at, or a Dostoyevsky you can't put down..this work, really got to me and it sounded better each time...A truly classic work of art enriches you everytime you bring your soul to it...So it is here, for me.
The choices of instuments are so well honed and their timbres so precisely tweaked, that I imagined the band listening to the final studio mix, and Don quickly standing when it was over and shouting- "Don't touch a friggin' note!"...
..The lead guitar licks here sound so exact and diverse, it's as if there was a different artist with a different sounding axe and style on each of the ten songs..Un-friggin'-canny!
..The rhythm section (bass, conga and drums) is definitely the heart of that Chabolero sound, but its soul, is without a doubt, the everso flawless and confident work of the drummer. As a drummer myself, I was both envious yet proud all at once.
..The final precious touches of solo pieces are the only other riches that were needed-a slow, soft banjo and funky harmonica here..to a bold flute, smooth sax or haunting violin over there..and even a friggin' mandocaster-whatever the hell that looks like?
..Lastly, some damn-good and fantastically NAILED keyboards all around...
These tunes play more like a band's 'Greatest Hits' disc instead of their very first project together, and..
..all dem 'Red-Eyed Dogs' were growling real good that night! Not only is NO SONG here 'just a filler', but I'll tell ya, I have so many 'favorites', it's like im-po-si-ble to pick just one. They ALL have such unforgetable rhythms..but, there is one particular hit that I can NOT get out of my head- "Child of Love" really kicks and whenever I hear it, it really turns me upside down & rite around..It's impossible to sit still during this number-I defy you!
I will also tell you that the tunes each reminded me of a lovely lady I've known, and that one very special one- "I'm Loving You", even reminded me of my daughter, Robin. She's twenty now and starting to 'fly away'...I can't listen to this song without gettin' all kindsa misty...
Finally, I saved my best licks for last- Don's lyrics...Simply put, these gems trult speak for themselves, from..'your lips are full and your pants are tight'..and..'you believed in me through the slow parade of tears'..to..'can't reconcile the sacred and the profane'..and on and on-pure gold! His truest talent of them all lies here, and for me is certainly the brightest star in a 'sky..whose end you can not touch'...or even try to put down.... Viva Chabolero, amigos!"
Got that Doors sound to it....
Mark Juliano | 05/06/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This CD has alot of great qualities about it. I don't like to make comparisons, but it's got a real cool Doors vibe to it. I think that comes from the rich vocals. The arrangements have a lot to sink your teeth into. And the songwriting...the words and lyrics form a perfect union. It's definitely filled with great images and, most important to me, it has a poetic nature to it, but it never gets artsy, it's always conversational, very human."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1