Randall Bramblett No More Mr. Lucky CD

On the cover of this album you see a picture that looks like it was taken in the 1940s: a man wearing a suit and old leather shoes, carrying an old leather suitcase in one hand and a hat in the other. Add these visual clues to the fact that the album is on the New West label, and you might end up expecting a program of gritty, country-influenced singer/songwriter fare, with chiming guitars, angst-ridden lyrics, and the occasional pedal steel in the background. Wrong. The very first song, "God Was in the Water," starts things off with an almost Bootsy Collins-ish bass sound and over-tremoloed guitar, both of which lead up to the entrance of Bramlett' s artlessly rough voice. He keeps you off guard through the rest of the album, chugging funkily through the talking blues of "Get in Get out," veering off into horn-driven jangle pop on the gorgeous "Peace in Here," and mixing rusty-sounding slide guitar with drum loops and flat vocal declamation on "Hard to Be a Human." This is one of those albums that keeps revealing itself; you may not start really cluing in until the third or fourth listen. ~ Rick Anderson

2nd Solo;He Was In Sea Level

Recorded at John Keana Studios, Athens, Georgia.

Personnel: Randall Bramblett (vocals, acoustic guitar, saxophone, horns, piano, electric piano, Wurlitzer organ, keyboards, tabla, programming); John Keane (guitar, acoustic guitar, shaker, percussion, programming, background vocals); Jason Slatton (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric 12-string guitar, background vocals); Davis Causey (electric guitar, 12-string guitar, slide guitar, dobro, percussion); Tim White (keyboards); Joe Bonadio (drums, tambourine, percussion); Zeke Turner (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: John Keane.

Recording information: John Keane Studios, Atlanta, GA; Last House Studio, Atlanta, GA.

Personnel: Randall Bramblett (vocals, acoustic guitar, saxophone, horns, piano, organ); Davis Cousey (electric & slide guitars, dobro, percussion); Jason Slatton (electric guitar, background vocals); Tom Ryan (baritone saxophone); Tim White (keyboards); Michael Rhodes (bass); Joe Bonadio (drums, percussion); John Keane (percussion, programming); Zeke Turner, Chauncer Turner (background vocals).