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The album opens with the title track ‘Walk This Road’ which has a nice upbeat
shuffle to it and features the amazing voice of Mavis Staples. ‘Angels & Mercy’ has
a nice swampy folk rock guitar riffing that drives the song forward, really liked

this one. ‘Call Me’ is a more easy going tune whilst ‘Learn To Let Go’ has soul and
the great sounding Michael McDonald on vocals. Things slow down a little with

‘State Of Grace’ a reflective ballad.

‘Here To Stay’ has that blues rock pop swagger about it whilst ‘The Kind That

Lasts’ has an unusual funky groove to it that almost borders on reggae. ‘New
Orleans’ as the name suggests pays tribute to this great city with some tasty blues

guitar ripping up the outro. ‘Speed Of Pain’ is a soul based offering before the
album closes with ‘Lahaina’ which celebrates this historic Hawaiian town and has
hints of Steely Dan in there, a great track.

Ok there is nothing new or edgy here but the band are still doing what they do

best, making great music. The production is really strong and the songs are well
constructed. I particularly liked the great vocal arrangements and of course
Michael McDonald in particular, for me you just can’t go wrong. The band mem-

bers are all well into their 70’s now but they are still making great albums and
long may that continue.

Ged Wilson
Janiva Magness—Back For Me—Blue Élan
Records (Rough Trade)

This is Janiva’s seventeenth studio album and
comes with contributions from Joe Bonamassa,
Sue Foley and Jesse Dayton.

As always Janiva invests her God given vocal and
emotional powers in delivering an album which
hums with passion, conviction and ardent vigour.

Produced by Dave Darling who also joins the core
band, John Schroeder (g), Sasha Smith, Phil
Parlapiano (keybds), Ian Walker (b) and W.F.
Quinn (dms), the album delivers some
outstanding vocals and some occasional fireworks, not least the solo delivered by
Jesse Dayton in the Allen Toussaint penned, ‘Hitting On Nothing’ which aptly closes
the album.

Before that we are treated to songs penned by the likes of Ray LaMontagne’s (‘You
Can Bring Me Flowers’), Ann Peebles (‘Down So Low’ ) and Tracy Nelson (‘Do I
Need You’).

As always the singing is spot-on and Janiva delivers a master class in vocal control
and delivery. Excellent stuff.

Ian K McKenzie