Now the reigning king of the blues at the age of 89 – after a lifetime of working the fringes, he won two Grammys for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2017 and 2021 – Bobby Rush settles into a comfortable groove on All My Love for You. The title, like Rawer Than Raw before it, offers an indication of what lies within. This 2023 set doesn't aspire to be as, well, raw as its predecessor. This is a bright, largely cheerful affair, filled with punchy rhythms, tart horns, and clean licks. Dialing back his signature raunch a notch, Rush sings with an audible grin throughout the record, and that amiable nature means that the album's title seems plausible: he really is giving the listeners nothing but good vibes.
You don't get to be known as the biggest cult band in the world without giving your fans what they want, a philosophy that Rush takes to heart on its live albums. On Clockwork Angels Tour, the legendary Canadian band doesn't just give fans a live version of its latest album, but a full-featured live experience. Over the course of the three-disc set, fans are given the royal treatment, with an album packed with new songs performed with a string ensemble, classics like "Subdivisions," "YYZ," and "Spirit of Radio," an encore featuring "Tom Sawyer" and "2112," three drum solos, and a soundcheck recording of "Limelight." With a few flubbed notes and vocal missteps sprinkled throughout the set, it's clear that the band's age is starting to show a little…
As far as tribute albums go, this homage to seminal Canadian rockers Rush is hard to beat. For one thing, Magna Carta has made an inspired decision to have each song recorded by an all-star lineup rather than letting one band handle all the chores (with one exception - Fates Warning get sole credit for "Closer to the Heart"). Often projects of this magnitude are doomed to failure from the start as a result of inadequate rehearsing, a shoestring budget, and sometimes a lack of talent capable of handling the songs with the respect they deserve. Working Man is a rare instance of everything going right. Terry Brown has done an incredible mixing job considering nearly all of the songs were recorded in different studios. The musicianship rivals the original versions - occasionally besting them, particularly where the vocals are concerned…