The only vocal on
Eric Krasno's 2010 solo debut album Reminisce was from
Nigel Hall on a cover of
Jimi Hendrix's "Manic Depression."
Blood from a Stone offers the opposite -- nine of the ten tracks feature the guitarist and producer on lead vocals. With longtime writing partner Dave Gutter,
Krasno penned these songs to pay intimate tribute to the many classic rock and R&B sounds that influenced him before he became a new-breed jazz-funk icon with
Soulive and
Lettuce, and a producer equally adept at realizing rock, hip-hop, and R&B for a wide array of artists. Recorded in Portland, Maine and mixed in Brooklyn,
Krasno and friends dig deep for inspiration. On the opening track and first single, "Waiting on Your Love,"
Krasno does everything but play organ. It's a funky, big-beat rock track whose hook and melody derive from vintage
Steve Miller. The production is a hell of a lot dirtier, though -- as evidenced by a Moog bassline -- and contains far funkier breaks. The breezy, bluesy soul in "Jezebel" is offset by a hazy psychedelic production that distracts from its fine hook. "Unconditional Love" is pure California psych-pop with bubbling saxophones, bright guitars, cascading strings, and an Augie Myers-esque organ. "Please Ya" may be the set's longest cut, but it's also the dullest. A soul ballad in waltz time, it attempts to combine
Doc Pomus with
Dan Penn and
Spooner Oldham, but
Krasno's thin, reedy voice can't compete with the richness of his fine backing singers or his string arrangements.
Derek Trucks guests on "Curse Lifter," the set's lone instrumental. Interestingly, its twinned leads, swelling organs, and rolling drum kit intentionally recall the jazzed-up blues groove of the
Allman Brothers Band's "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed." It smokes. "Natalie" is a funky rocker, all strut and swagger with a mean clavinet and keyboard bass played by
Neal Evans. It lies right on the seam where
Funkadelic meets
Hendrix. "When the Day Comes" is another souled-out ballad, but this one works beautifully.
Jeremy Most's gospel organ and his and Mary Corso's rich but soothing backing vocals (à la
Delaney & Bonnie) challenge
Krasno's singing to greater depths. His vocal sounds natural, expressive, and true in what amounts to an exceptionally well-written song. His guitar playing punctuates every line in it, and he wrings a ton of emotion from the melody and bridge.
Blood from a Stone is, to be sure, another retro "new classicist" date. Its biggest weakness is the very thing
Krasno sought to showcase: his singing. It's far from substandard, but it remains too indistinct in this overly warm, raw mix. That said, there is enough here -- solid songs, great playing, and an abundance of inspiration -- to warrant more than casual interest from fans. ~ Thom Jurek