Steel-pedal virtuoso Robert Randolph and his Family Band have made a career out of replicating that good-time funky soul music with as much kick as that strong stuff you used to catch your grandpa sipping on. But after seeing glimpses of studio success on their 2006 full-length Colorblind and accompanying single "Ain't Nothing Wrong With That," Randolph is calling up the big guns for his band's third studio release.
Randolph recently announced his as-yet-untitled September release will be produced by the legendary T-Bone Burnett. Burnett has received recent critical acclaim for his work on soundtracks, such as Oh Brother Where Art Thou and Walk The Line, as well as Robert Plant and Alison Krauss's Raising Sand (which was one of Metacritic's top 5 reviewed albums of 2007). Randolph points to the latter as a touchstone that he and T-Bone discussed when planning and making his own.
"And by him hanging around Bob Dylan and doing the Robert Plant and Alison Krauss record, he just wanted to do something with me that people will look at as the kind of career-defining recording," he told Billboard.
Randolph says this album has far fewer guest appearances than the star-studded Colorblind because this record is about getting back to his roots. In accordance, he has traded the Clapton guitar solos for his own New Jersey hometown's Sacred Steel Outfit.
Randolph, who compares his creative mind to Willy Wonka because once one door is opened up all this other stuff starts coming out, will surely still be blurring the lines of genre on his new release, even including a cover of John Lennon's "I Don't Want To Be A Soldier."
And if Randolph's cover of "Jesus Is Just Alright" just left you with an unsatisfied hunger, then lay awake at night praying to the gods of guitar no more. Randolph also announced he will be joining current tourmate Eric Clapton in the studio soon to repay the favor.
Related links:
RobertRandolph.net
TBoneBurnett.com
YouTube: Robert Randolph - "Ain't Nothing Wrong With That"
Got news tips for Paste? E-mail news@pastemagazine.com.
"And by him hanging around Bob Dylan and doing the Robert Plant and Alison Krauss record, he just wanted to do something with me that people will look at as the kind of career-defining recording," he told Billboard.
Randolph says this album has far fewer guest appearances than the star-studded Colorblind because this record is about getting back to his roots. In accordance, he has traded the Clapton guitar solos for his own New Jersey hometown's Sacred Steel Outfit.
Randolph, who compares his creative mind to Willy Wonka because once one door is opened up all this other stuff starts coming out, will surely still be blurring the lines of genre on his new release, even including a cover of John Lennon's "I Don't Want To Be A Soldier."
And if Randolph's cover of "Jesus Is Just Alright" just left you with an unsatisfied hunger, then lay awake at night praying to the gods of guitar no more. Randolph also announced he will be joining current tourmate Eric Clapton in the studio soon to repay the favor.
Related links:
RobertRandolph.net
TBoneBurnett.com
YouTube: Robert Randolph - "Ain't Nothing Wrong With That"
Got news tips for Paste? E-mail news@pastemagazine.com.
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