Monday, January 9, 2012

Steady Love reviewed by Steve Jones

Steady Love
Maria Muldaur
Stony Plain Records
www.mariamuldaur.com
13 tracks

Let me say that any teenage boy who was about my age growing up that did not have a crush on Maria Muldaur after just listening to “Midnight At The Oasis” was either deaf or on their deathbed.  That bias aside, Maria is a superbly talented singer who can make any song sound good.  With “Steady Love” she has returned to the Crescent City and surrounded herself with a huge cast of over a dozen outstanding supporting artists and has produced a really great CD!

The title track has a great horn arrangement provided by the inimitable Jimmy Carpenter.  Muldaur sings of what a “more seasoned” woman appreciates in her relationships.  She growls and purrs nicely through this one; Shane Theriot adds a cool little guitar solo, too.   The CD opens to the driving , stomping strains of Theriots guitar.  Elvin Bishop’s “I’ll Be Glad” is a good vehicle for Muldaur to set the stage with- it jumps out at the listener and grabs them by the collar.  The Bobby Charles standard “Why Are People Like That?” shows Muldaur at her bluesiest.   Rick Vito penned “I Am Not Alone” and plays slide on it; the cut is a slow and grooving spiritual that Maria nails.  “Walk By Faith” and “I Done Made Up My Mind” let Maria take the spiritual in musically different directions and succeeds each time. Muldaur takes us to church in “As An Eagle Stirreth In Her Nest” and makes you want to throw your hands up and dance.  Percy Mayfield’s “Please Send Me Someone to Love” gets a sultry and sensual cover by Muldaur. 

She gives us a great ride top to bottom on this CD.  I really enjoyed it and you can see she had a good time putting it together in her performances.  I liked this CD a lot.  Her fans will love it and those new to Muldaur can see her bluesy side by buying this well done CD!

Reviewed by Steve Jones

  

No comments: