While he has remained a popular touring act, catering to a hardcore fan base with hundreds of American and European solo dates, rock singer/songwriter
Jeffrey Gaines
hasn't released a studio album since 2003's
Mitchell Froom
-produced
Toward the Sun
. A pair of live albums in 2004 and 2014 documented the soulful immediacy of his solo acoustic tours, and with 2017's
Alright
, he returns to the studio after a 15-year gap with a set of appropriately well-honed tunes. Since debuting in 1992,
Gaines
' bailiwick has always been in the somewhat mainstream folk-rock overlap of gritty
Springsteen
-style Americana and punchy
Costello-esque
smart pop, and he again melds the two here to great effect. A star-studded studio band of drummer
Pete Thomas
(
Elvis Costello
,
Squeeze
), bassist
Davey Faragher
Cracker
), and guitarist
Val McCallum
Jackson Browne
Sheryl Crow
), who also perform collectively as
Jackshit
, lend plenty of spirit and muscle to the proceedings, as does producer
Chris Price
Emitt Rhodes
Linda Perhacs
). It's a well-suited and nimble crew of veterans, but at its core, a record is only as good as its songwriting, and fortunately,
offers plenty to like on this crafty ten-song set. Starting amiably enough with a trio of nicely built roots rockers,
hits its stride midway through with "Seems to Me" and "Frowned Upon," two undeniably hooky pop/rock gems that feel like the perfect showcase for the best of what all parties involved (
Price
, and the band) have to offer. Similarly, "Promise of Passion" is an infectious power pop standout whose distinctly
Attractions
-like arrangement ought to be forgiven given the musicians involved. Sure, he's playing to some of his major influences, but for the most part
' rock-solid songcraft holds its own on this very nice comeback record. ~ Timothy Monger