Comments on: KEB’ MO’ / “The Times They Are A Changin’ “ http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2008/04/21/keb%e2%80%99-mo%e2%80%99-%e2%80%9cthe-times-they-are-a-changin%e2%80%99/ a conversation about black music Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:42:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5 by: Q http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2008/04/21/keb%e2%80%99-mo%e2%80%99-%e2%80%9cthe-times-they-are-a-changin%e2%80%99/#comment-52939 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:31:49 -0500 http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2008/04/21/keb%e2%80%99-mo%e2%80%99-%e2%80%9cthe-times-they-are-a-changin%e2%80%99/#comment-52939 I can dig calling him the "Working Man's Blues Singer", but isn't that what authentic Blues Singers are anyway. Not that I would call Dan Akroyd or John Belushi ones, but even they gave the "working man's" image. Musically, I can appreciate what Keb Mo does. His covers are good in some spots, others sound too poppish and/or lounge act-ish. "For What It's Worth" and "People Gotta Be Free" are examples of that. 'The Time's They Are Changin' is probably the best. There is a great bit of sincerity and authenticity in his voice. If I didn't know about Dylan, I could actually believe Keb Mo wrote this. The rest suffer from being "almost" great. The arrangement for "What's Happening, Brother" is great but the singing is almost too mellow for this song. I won't compare him to Marvin, but this version lacks the serious inquisitiveness of the original. "Isn't She Lovely" is pretty good. Not sung with Stevie's energy, but good nonetheless. Kudos for the arrangement of the tracks. You have a song from a "son" about admiration for a "father". Then you follow it with a song from a "father" about a "daughter." Genius!!! As far as the guitar work, it is pretty good as well. No knocking his musician ship. I can dig calling him the “Working Man’s Blues Singer”, but isn’t that what authentic Blues Singers are anyway. Not that I would call Dan Akroyd or John Belushi ones, but even they gave the “working man’s” image.

Musically, I can appreciate what Keb Mo does. His covers are good in some spots, others sound too poppish and/or lounge act-ish. “For What It’s Worth” and “People Gotta Be Free” are examples of that.

‘The Time’s They Are Changin’ is probably the best. There is a great bit of sincerity and authenticity in his voice. If I didn’t know about Dylan, I could actually believe Keb Mo wrote this.

The rest suffer from being “almost” great. The arrangement for “What’s Happening, Brother” is great but the singing is almost too mellow for this song. I won’t compare him to Marvin, but this version lacks the serious inquisitiveness of the original.

“Isn’t She Lovely” is pretty good. Not sung with Stevie’s energy, but good nonetheless. Kudos for the arrangement of the tracks. You have a song from a “son” about admiration for a “father”. Then you follow it with a song from a “father” about a “daughter.” Genius!!!

As far as the guitar work, it is pretty good as well. No knocking his musician ship.

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