Mighty Sam McClain
One More Bridge To Cross
Mighty Music
This is a CD that restores your faith (in some cases, literally) in music. Thirteen cuts of soul goodness, the likes of which you’d generally have to spin old Al Green records to hear. Sam McClain has been a legend in the “deep soul” field for decades, and he keeps releasing gems like this. From the stirring “Open Up Heaven’s Door” to the stinging “What’s Your Name,” McClain is total control of a sound that spans gospel to Memphis honk, with no radio-friendly gimmicks to fuss up the works. Backed by a horn section that harkens back to the Allen Toussaint arrangements on the Band records, and guitarist Chris Tofield, McClain has a both a supreme voice, and the taste to use it well. It simply doesn’t get better than this. Shorn of the trappings that clutter up most of what passes for R+B or soul these days, One More Bridge to Cross exceeds on its strengths, and in doing so makes lesser attempts sound weak. “Mighty” Sam McClain is an aptly named man.
Mighty Sam McClain: http://www.mightysam.com