Southern Star

まるで＜ウッドストック～ベアズヴィル系＞なハートウォーム傑作!
前作『Keep'em On They Toes(2020)』は21世紀の『スウィート・ベイビー・ジェームス』『ハーヴェスト』の趣きだったブレント・コブ。本作は、ジョージア州メイコンの名スタジオ、カプリコーン録音と南部印でありながらジャケの冬景色とソフトでウォームなサウンドはウッドストック系のボビー・チャールズやジョン・セバスチャンあたりを思わせナイス。温もりあるエレピが効いた(1)(6)に加え、ニューオリンズR&B緩めファンキーな(3)(5)(7)は絶妙な塩梅でカッコいい!しんみり(10)での終幕も見事!

After taking a gospel sojourn with 2022s And Now, Lets Turn to Page…, Brent Cobb returns to his roots with Southern Star, going all the way back to the source of his Southern-fried country-soul: Capricorn Sound Studios in Macon, Georgia. Capricorn is where the Allman Brothers Band, the Charlie Daniels Band and the Marshall Tucker Band recorded some of their best material, and some of that magic has rubbed off on Cobb. Southern Star has a loose, funky gait that complements his casual eclecticism, the way he blends familiar elements of country, soul, blues, and rock into something distinctly laconic. Cobbs honeyed drawl seems particularly thick here -- it almost seems like another instrument in the mix. His words are worth hearing, but the appeal of Southern Star lies in its mellow vibe. Its funk can seem as deeply felt and idiosyncratic as Leon Russell in his prime, while the backyard balladeering is as tender as James Taylors, a combination thats cozy and endearing. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine