Bronson Arroyo Covering The Bases CD

Just shy of a year after the Boston Red Sox won the World Series in 2004 (their first taste of that glory in nearly a century), Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo furthered the most storied rivalry in sports history. Arroyo followed New York Yankees centerfielder and fellow guitar player Bernie Williams's Verve debut THE JOURNEY WITHIN with his own album, COVERING THE BASES. The releases befit the personalities of the two teams: where Williams's was a sober, serious jazz affair, Arroyo's spills out loosely, like the Sox sometimes do to the bars outside Fenway Park for a post-game celebration.

A straightforward collection of cover songs (most of which date from the 1990s), COVERING THE BASES doesn't break any new ground and isn't trying to. It's merely Arroyo, a talented guitarist with a gravelly voice perfectly suited to the music, singing some of his favorite tunes, and pouring his soul in every one. He even occasionally inserts his own little touches, accentuating the demented voices in the breakdown of the Foo Fighters' "Everlong" (with help from writer Stephen King) , or adding his own elegant coda to Pearl Jam's "Black." Arroyo closes the record on a note that should please Sox fans--joined by fellow Soxer Johnny Damon and others, he affectionately belts out "Dirty Water," a team theme.

Recording information: Audio Images, Bradenton, FL; Blue Room, North Hollywood, CA; Castle Oaks Studios, Calabasas, CA; Cypersound, Boston, MA; Emerald City Recording, Oldsmar, FL; Unity Gain Recording, Fy. Meyers, FL.

Photographer: Kevin Mazur.

Personnel: Bronson Arroyo (vocals, spoken vocals, percussion, background vocals); Bronson Arroyo; Stephen King (spoken vocals); John Thomas (strings, Hammond b-3 organ, Wurlitzer organ); Leland Sklar, Mike Inez (bass guitar); Clydene Jackson Edwards, Kevin Youkilis, Terry Wood, Kevin Youkilis, Carmen Twillie (background vocals); Amy Keys (vocals); Tim Pierce (acoustic guitar, mandolin); Michael Landau (electric guitar); Kenny Aronoff (drums); David Isaacs, Lenny Dinardo, Johnny Damon (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: Talley Sherwood.