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Sonny Landreth
From the Reach
(Landfall)
First Appeared in The Music Box, October 2009, Volume 16, #10
Written by John Metzger
Thu October 22, 2009, 06:30 AM CDT
It is difficult to imagine that anything good possibly could have come from
the wreckage left by a combination of Hurricane Katrina’s wind and rain, a
dilapidated system of protective levees, and the utter failure of absolutely
every level of government to respond to the resulting catastrophe in a timely
fashion. Yet, although it likely is only of minor consolation to the poor souls
who, six years later, remain uprooted and homeless, a beacon of light has begun
to burn brightly from within New Orleans’ artistic community. Fueled by feelings
of frustration and anger, an array of musicians has pledged their devotion to
the Crescent City’s recovery by refusing to let the matter slip from the
public’s purview. Like clockwork, albums have surfaced with tremendous
regularity, each of which has used the integrity of the region’s cultural
heritage as a means of maintaining a focus upon the problems that continue to
linger.
Issued in May 2008, Sonny Landreth’s From the Reach initially might
seem as if it has joined the protest party rather late. Landreth has slowed down
the pace of his recording projects over the past 15 years, and as a result, the
endeavor is his first solo set since the disaster occurred. Fittingly, he wastes
no time in addressing the concerns that have been weighing upon his mind. Blue Tarp Blues, the album’s opening track, is a biting indictment of a
cultural climate that allowed Third-World conditions to invade American shores.
Mostly, however, Landreth uses From the
Reach to delve into the
fertile ground of relationships. He pours over the slow decay outlined in Storm of Worry. He burrows into the wistful reminiscence of When I Still
Had You and revels in the lusty intoxication of Howling Moon.
Although Katrina’s blowing winds, driving rain, and rampant devastation
continually hover over the proceedings, the outing is doused in optimism as
Landreth holds out hope that the future will be better than the present.
Musically, From the Reach adheres closely to the hard-hitting,
barroom-blues arrangements that have become Landreth’s stock-in-trade. As
always, he swaddles his material in the colorful textures of New Orleans, while
also making room for flourishes of country, soul, and pop to drift in and out of
his songs. This time, however, Landreth succeeds in striking the right balance
between the impassioned intensity of his guitar onslaughts and the polished
production that he long has applied to his work.
An array of special guests — including Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Jimmy Buffett,
Eric Johnson, Robben Ford, Mark Knopfler, and Vince Gill — stoke the smoldering
embers of Landreth’s compositions. Often such star-studded efforts leave fans
wanting, but surprising as it may seem, none of Landreth’s collaborators on From the Reach holds anything back. Treated as neither a superior nor an
underling, Landreth feeds off the energy of the performances, elevating the
joyful exuberance that radiates through The Milky Way Home and magnifying
the torment inherent in Storm of Worry.
In the wake of his 1995 effort South of I-10, Landreth looked as if he
was on the verge of finding some semblance of crossover appeal. When fame and
fortune eluded him, however, he began to stumble, at least in the recording
studio. Like many talented sidemen, Landreth has shown a tendency, at times, to
allow his vision to become clouded by expectations. From the Reach, then,
has given Landreth an opportunity not only to correct the course of his career
but also to make another bid at mainstream acceptance. Much like South of
I-10, the outing showcases songs that are as engaging as his blistering
guitar solos. A musician’s musician whose talents have long been admired by his
peers but ignored by the masses, Landreth finally has made an album that
everyone can appreciate.  ½
Of Further Interest...
Willie Nelson / Wynton Marsalis - Two Men with the Blues
B.B. King - One Kind Favor
Irma Thomas - Simply Grand
From the Reach is available
from Amazon. To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
Click Here!
For UK orders, please
Click Here!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2009 The Music Box
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