Larry McCray - Blues Without You
It’s hard to believe it’s been fifteen long years since Larry McCray’s last all-new blues album (a self-titled release featuring the McCray traits of blues, soul and a splash of funk).
Sure, there was 2014’s The Gibson Sessions but that was close to eight years ago and a covers album featuring McCray in the company of his Les Paul 335 and Flying V Gibson in grittier, southern tinted blues rock mode (Skynyrd, ZZ Top, The Doobie Brothers, the Stones, even Uriah Heep).
However with Blues Without You Larry McCray returns to his muse, and in grand style – to the degree that he hasn’t been this impacting (bolstered by a Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith production and release on Bonamassa’s Keeping The Blue Alive Records) since his big label/ big production blues brace of debut album Ambition (1990) and Delta Hurricane (1993), both of which elegantly fused blues, AOR and soul.
Another strength of both album and present day Larry McCray is, having come through many personal twists, turns and darker hardships, the musician is now in a far better place and comfortably at peace with himself ("totally reborn," as McCray puts it); that comes through loud, proud, bluesy and clear on Blues Without You.
'Arkansas' is musically, lyrically and geographically the perfect place to start – a four-and-a-half minutes slice of Bo Diddley beat, horn punctuation and organ fuelled fun, topped off with some clean, cool Larry McCray licks and a lyrical reminisce about his home state, childhood years and the lives of a different generation.
Sure, there was 2014’s The Gibson Sessions but that was close to eight years ago and a covers album featuring McCray in the company of his Les Paul 335 and Flying V Gibson in grittier, southern tinted blues rock mode (Skynyrd, ZZ Top, The Doobie Brothers, the Stones, even Uriah Heep).
However with Blues Without You Larry McCray returns to his muse, and in grand style – to the degree that he hasn’t been this impacting (bolstered by a Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith production and release on Bonamassa’s Keeping The Blue Alive Records) since his big label/ big production blues brace of debut album Ambition (1990) and Delta Hurricane (1993), both of which elegantly fused blues, AOR and soul.
Another strength of both album and present day Larry McCray is, having come through many personal twists, turns and darker hardships, the musician is now in a far better place and comfortably at peace with himself ("totally reborn," as McCray puts it); that comes through loud, proud, bluesy and clear on Blues Without You.
'Arkansas' is musically, lyrically and geographically the perfect place to start – a four-and-a-half minutes slice of Bo Diddley beat, horn punctuation and organ fuelled fun, topped off with some clean, cool Larry McCray licks and a lyrical reminisce about his home state, childhood years and the lives of a different generation.
Second number 'Without Love It Doesn’t Matter' is old-time piano and bar-room blues, with snare drum beat from featured drummer Lemar Carter and soulful hollering from Larry McCray (along with some equally old school cryin’ blues licks BB would have been proud of).
It’s followed by the similarly impressive 'Good Die Young,' a horn-backed gospel meets soul-blues that is enhanced by the backing vocals of Jade McRae and Dannielle DeAndrea (as are most of the songs).
'Down to the Bottom,' featuring slide guitar maestro Warren Haynes, is an instant Larry McCray classic.
From soft acoustic opening (and one of the finest and most blues-sincere vocals McCray has ever laid down), the lyrically self-explanatory 'Down to the Bottom' slowly builds its layers (including subtle string backing) to become an expressive, southern slanted soulful cry of recovery (the dovetailing, call & answer guitar cries from Messrs McCray and Haynes on the finale is worth the admission fee on its own).
'Down to the Bottom' is a nigh on impossible act to follow but by shifting to the very different, 70s vibed (and initially jazz blues styled) 'Breaking News' (a lyrical jibe at the 24/7 media flood of misdirection and political back and forths), a musical counterpoint is established.
'Roadhouse Blues' (no, not that one) then allows Larry McCray to flex his slow blues chops, both vocally and through his fingers, where his guitar cries, sings and note bends in highly expressive style.
It’s back to the (12) bar-room for 'Drinkin’ Liquor and Chasin’ Women,' which features some great ivory tinkling from featured keys man Reese Wynans and another slide magician, Joanna Connor (who delivered her best album to date with the Joe Bonamassa/ KTBA helmed 4801 South Indiana Avenue in 2021).
The title track, with a bracketed sub-title of '(For Paul)' is clearly personal to Larry McCray but as a soulful, string-backed soliloquy to loss (with beautifully emotive soloing) it’s another winner and, like 'Down to the Bottom,' one of McCray's finest ever songs.
The slow soul-horns and musically spacious 'Mr Easy' is a vehicle for Joe Bonamassa and Larry McCray to showcase their talents but at over seven-minutes long its pedestrian pace outstays its welcome.
Far more impressive is 'No More Crying,' a lovely strings and piano soul-blues ballad (featuring another outstanding/ plaintive guitar solo) that lyrically balances between release and loss ("no more crying, and no more pain").
The mid-tempo soulful funk of 'Don’t Put Your Dreams To Bed' brings lighter contrast before the heartfelt
'I Play the Blues' brings the album to a solo acoustic conclusion (by title alone 'I Play the Blues' could only close out the album, much as 'Arkansas' opened it; the perfect bookends).
Blues Without You is a well spent blues hour in the company of Larry McCray – and proof that the Ambition of a musician who has been hiding in plain sight all these years has finally been realised.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Blues Without You will be released on 25th March on KTBA Records on CD, Digital & Vinyl.
Pre-order here: https://shop.jbonamassa.com/collections/larry-mccray
It’s followed by the similarly impressive 'Good Die Young,' a horn-backed gospel meets soul-blues that is enhanced by the backing vocals of Jade McRae and Dannielle DeAndrea (as are most of the songs).
'Down to the Bottom,' featuring slide guitar maestro Warren Haynes, is an instant Larry McCray classic.
From soft acoustic opening (and one of the finest and most blues-sincere vocals McCray has ever laid down), the lyrically self-explanatory 'Down to the Bottom' slowly builds its layers (including subtle string backing) to become an expressive, southern slanted soulful cry of recovery (the dovetailing, call & answer guitar cries from Messrs McCray and Haynes on the finale is worth the admission fee on its own).
'Down to the Bottom' is a nigh on impossible act to follow but by shifting to the very different, 70s vibed (and initially jazz blues styled) 'Breaking News' (a lyrical jibe at the 24/7 media flood of misdirection and political back and forths), a musical counterpoint is established.
'Roadhouse Blues' (no, not that one) then allows Larry McCray to flex his slow blues chops, both vocally and through his fingers, where his guitar cries, sings and note bends in highly expressive style.
It’s back to the (12) bar-room for 'Drinkin’ Liquor and Chasin’ Women,' which features some great ivory tinkling from featured keys man Reese Wynans and another slide magician, Joanna Connor (who delivered her best album to date with the Joe Bonamassa/ KTBA helmed 4801 South Indiana Avenue in 2021).
The title track, with a bracketed sub-title of '(For Paul)' is clearly personal to Larry McCray but as a soulful, string-backed soliloquy to loss (with beautifully emotive soloing) it’s another winner and, like 'Down to the Bottom,' one of McCray's finest ever songs.
The slow soul-horns and musically spacious 'Mr Easy' is a vehicle for Joe Bonamassa and Larry McCray to showcase their talents but at over seven-minutes long its pedestrian pace outstays its welcome.
Far more impressive is 'No More Crying,' a lovely strings and piano soul-blues ballad (featuring another outstanding/ plaintive guitar solo) that lyrically balances between release and loss ("no more crying, and no more pain").
The mid-tempo soulful funk of 'Don’t Put Your Dreams To Bed' brings lighter contrast before the heartfelt
'I Play the Blues' brings the album to a solo acoustic conclusion (by title alone 'I Play the Blues' could only close out the album, much as 'Arkansas' opened it; the perfect bookends).
Blues Without You is a well spent blues hour in the company of Larry McCray – and proof that the Ambition of a musician who has been hiding in plain sight all these years has finally been realised.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Blues Without You will be released on 25th March on KTBA Records on CD, Digital & Vinyl.
Pre-order here: https://shop.jbonamassa.com/collections/larry-mccray