I've been waiting for Melissa Etheridge to do this kind of an album. Memphis Rock and Soul (Stax/Concord) rocks with the same kind of staccato horns, fatback bass and organ spills that Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, Sam & Dave, Johnny Taylor, Albert King and all those great Memphis artists on the original Stax Records used. She has the perfect voice to interpret it all and one can only wonder why she didn't do this sooner. These songs-"Respect Yourself," "I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)," "Hold On I'm Coming," "Who's Making Love," "Born Under A Bad Sign" and seven other barn burners (no filler!)-turn this tribute to 1960s Memphis R'n'B into a modern dance party. Yeah, she's got the vocal chops alright, so much so that she positively seethes with pent-up grit like never before. To hear them done (and done right) by such a powerhouse as Etheridge just makes me want to get up and shake it on out.
And finally, it was that great wit Randy Newman who was cruel but hilarious when he penned "I'm Dead But I Don't Know It" about 1960s rock bands who continue to tour. "I have nothing left to say/But I'm gonna say it anyway/30 years upon a stage/And I hear the people say/Why won't he go away?" I couldn't help but think of that song upon listening to All The Way (Eagle Rock Entertainment) by Moody Blues singer/songwriter/guitarist Justin Hayward. Hayward, who put a grand total of one new song on this meandering 73:44 of a seemingly endless album, lives in an alternate universe where the lyrics of Don McLean are Shakespeare. Thus, he covers "Vincent" and makes it even more maudlin than the original. I mean, sure, there must be some Moody Blues fanatics out there who will gobble up this oatmeal like it's the finest caviar. But, just like his career, All The Way, a reorganization of his solo stuff, is way too long.
