Gary U.S. Bonds
Back in 20

(M.C.)

First Appeared in The Music Box, July 2004, Volume 11, #7

Written by John Metzger

The title of Gary U.S. Bonds’ latest effort Back in 20 pokes fun at the singer’s strange habit of slipping onto the mainstream radar every two decades. Born Gary Anderson, he first gained the public’s attention in the early ’60s when he scored a hit with New Orleans, though his career undoubtedly was helped when a local record producer issued the song under the moniker of U.S. Bonds in the hopes that distracted disc jockeys would think the platter was a public service announcement. After a handful of other successes, which included the timeless Quarter to Three, Bonds virtually disappeared only to reemerge in the early ’80s with Bruce Springsteen by his side. Propelled by the understandably massive publicity push, he once again became a star, though this surge in interest also was relatively short-lived.

Bonds’ most recent rebirth Back in 20 re-teams the R&B sensation with Springsteen. This time, however, The Boss’ presence is limited to one track — the opening cut Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks — although Dickey Betts, Southside Johnny, and Phoebe Snow also join the celebration, respectively adding guitar, harmonica, and vocals to several other tunes. Much like all of Bonds’ efforts, however, the collection is largely a perfunctory, yet eminently enjoyable set that inhabits a happy-go-lucky space of grooving, horn-driven, blues-based rhythms and is perfectly suited for a Saturday night of cavorting in the roadhouses of middle America. Ironically, it’s during the latter half of the album — after he jettisons his sidekicks — that Back in 20 springs to life with arrangements that swing without distraction, thereby allowing Bond’s emotive, soulful self to bubble to the surface.

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Ratings

1 Star:   Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2004 The Music Box