Alright

Album review

While he has remained a popular touring act, catering to a hardcore fan base with hundreds of American and European solo dates, rock singer/songwriter Jeffrey Gaines hasn't released a studio album since 2003's Mitchell Froom-produced Toward the Sun. A pair of live albums in 2004 and 2014 documented the soulful immediacy of his solo acoustic tours, and with 2017's Alright, he returns to the studio after a 15-year gap with a set of appropriately well-honed tunes. Since debuting in 1992, Gaines' bailiwick has always been in the somewhat mainstream folk-rock overlap of gritty Springsteen-style Americana and punchy Costello-esque smart pop, and he again melds the two here to great effect. A star-studded studio band of drummer Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello, Squeeze), bassist Davey Faragher (Cracker, Elvis Costello), and guitarist Val McCallum (Jackson Browne, Sheryl Crow), who also perform collectively as Jackshit, lend plenty of spirit and muscle to the proceedings, as does producer Chris Price (Emitt Rhodes, Linda Perhacs). It's a well-suited and nimble crew of veterans, but at its core, a record is only as good as its songwriting, and fortunately, Gaines offers plenty to like on this crafty ten-song set. Starting amiably enough with a trio of nicely built roots rockers, Alright hits its stride midway through with "Seems to Me" and "Frowned Upon," two undeniably hooky pop/rock gems that feel like the perfect showcase for the best of what all parties involved (Gaines, Price, and the band) have to offer. Similarly, "Promise of Passion" is an infectious power pop standout whose distinctly Attractions-like arrangement ought to be forgiven given the musicians involved. Sure, he's playing to some of his major influences, but for the most part Gaines' rock-solid songcraft holds its own on this very nice comeback record.

© Timothy Monger /TiVo