Review: Colin James – Chasing The Sun
Colin James – Chasing The Sun
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital / Label: Stony Plain Records
Release: 2024
Text: Tom Wouters
Canadian singer-guitarist Colin James has been working his socks off as a straight forward blues rocker for almost 40 years. But on his 21st album, ‘Chasing The Sun,’ the influence of producer Colin Linden on James’ sound is particularly big. Not only has Linden provided some very good accompanists (he plays guitar himself on the album), but his production is crystal clear and he has chosen to emphasize Colin James’ vocal qualities in a beautiful laid-back sound, which is reminiscent of albums by Doyle Bramhall III and Bonnie Raitt.
Incidentally, ‘Chasing The Sun’ opens with solid played blues rock in Lucinda Williams‘ Protection (I need protection from the enemies of love), a song with the sound of Keith Richards’ hobby band The X-Pensive Winos, not so strange of course with a Stonesy rhythm section with bassist Darryl Jones (Bill Wyman’s successor in the Stones) and X-Pensive Wino Charlie Drayton on drums. The song is carried by the vocal duet of James and Lucinda Williams herself, with the backing vocals of gospel greats Ann and Regina McCrary adding an emotional touch.
Devilment, with Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica in the lead role, and This Song Kills Hate are also beautiful blues rock songs. But for the rest, the emphasis on the album is on laid-back songs, in which James’ vocal qualities come into their own, such as I’m Still Alive, Crystal Ball, How It Feels To Be Loved and Star Studded Sky, all more than excellently sung and crystal clear produced songs. And it says a lot that James and Linden dared to record Billy Sherrill’s soul song Too Far Gone, because that song is an absolute challenge for singers. They succeed with flying colours and approach the perhaps most beautiful version of the song by British vocalist Jess Roden.
Also striking is the cover of Paul Butterfield’s In My Own Dream in a semi-acoustic version with beautiful sitar-like guitar playing by James, which gives the song a nice touch of psychedelica.
Finally, two bonus tracks have been added as a digital download: Come To Find Out, a great acoustic delta blues song in which James’ guitar and vocals merge with Charlie Musselwhite’s harmonica in a performance that will make Eric Clapton (a specialist in such songs) go crazy. The other bonus track is Open Your Mind, a beautifully performed gospel song, in which we again hear that fusion of James’ vocals and slide guitar and the backing vocals of Ann and Regina McCrary.
‘Chasing The Sun’ is a very beautiful album produced by Colin Linden, in which the vocal qualities of blues rocker Colin James in particular are exposed. Everybody should hear this!
Tracks:
01. Protection (Featuring Lucinda Williams)
02. I’m Still Alive
03. Devilment (Featuring Charlie Musselwhite)
04. Crystal Ball
05. How It Feels To Be Loved
06. Star Studded Sky
07. Too Far Gone
08. In My Own Dream
09. This Song Kills Hate
10. Come To Find Out (Featuring Charlie Musselwhite)
11. Open Your Mind
Website: https://colinjames.com/