[rating=9.00]
Ol’ Glory provides vigorous affirmation—as if any was needed—of the level of sophistication to which JJ Grey and Mofro have progressed from their days as an earthy little swamp blues band. Collaboration with long-time producer Dan Prothero, a road-honed band with real muscle and some contributions from kindred spirits in the form of Luther Dickinson and Derek Trucks insure these dozen tracks pack as much nuance as power.
Perfectly professional as this all sounds, there’s never so much polish on Ol’ Glory. Even as much as tracks like the rousing opener “Everything Is A Song” sound like vintage old school r&b soul, the subtle twists and turns in Grey and saxophonist Art Edmaiston’s horn arrangements render the sound personal and contemporary. JJ’s vocals sound equally authentic in large part because he sings with such spontaneity: his evolution as a vocalist has been perfectly natural over the course of previous splendid albums like 2008’s Orange Blossoms.
That’s because Grey has never lost track of his roots in country-blues the likes of which are on display during the quiet of “The Island.” Acoustic guitar, piano and dobro (from Dickinson) are a far cry from the more complex arrangements, at least on the surface, but the juxtaposition with the dense frenetic likes of the title song illustrate how seamless is Grey & Mofro’s style. And the unity on display within Ol’ Glory has as much to do with the vivid intelligence of the leader’s lyrics as the musicianship and production.
Appropriately adorned with a soaring Trucks slide solo that mirrors its expression of love for life, “Every Minute” evinces a self-ware introspection that explains why he includes all the words to these songs in a CD booklet where the graphics are of a piece with the bucolic images of the cover art. The high-stepping parade of that number artfully sets the stage for the jaunty swagger of “A Night to Remember” where, thanks to the clarity of the audio mix, the various components, from bass and drums to keyboards guitar and horns, are as readily identifiable as the tongue-in-cheek tone of a vocals and verbiage.
There’s nothing that’s not earthy about JJ Grey & Mofro which is what makes Ol’ Glory such an accurate representation of their collective virtues. The album’s a testament to co-producer Prothero’s understanding of this music as well because he’s able to catch the recordings of tunes such as “Light A Candle” at just the right moment in the creative transformation from composition to completed take. A similar humility radiates from the members of this band too, taking the form of genuine relish in their respective roles: guitarist Andrew Trube, for instance, is not the recipient of conventional solo spotlights, yet as his fills decorate the latter cut, his presence is unmistakable. Keyboardist Anthony Farrell fills a perfectly complementary role on “Turn Loose,” while “Brave Lil’ Fighter” immediately coalesces into a demonstration of Mofro’s unity, the heated delivery of Grey’s vocal inspiring the band to heights of near-majestic intensity.
Concluding with the whisper that is “The Hurricane” imprints the sensation Ol’Glory is as satisfying to admire in close careful listening as abandoned dance, those dual reactions a clear depiction of the versatility at the command of JJ Grey & Mofro. With the similarly-styled Merri Soul Sessions of Paul Kelly’s, it’s one of the standout new releases of this young year that will quite likely remain notable as 2015 progresses.
