Eric Krasno Makes Bold Statement on ‘Blood From A Stone’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

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In 2010 Eric Krasno released a solo album title that true to its title, Reminisce, recalled jazz-rock fusion at its best. In fact, the only blemish on the record was the intrusive vocal of Nigel Hall on an otherwise evocative cover of Jimi Hendrix’ “Manic Depression.”

The co-founder of Soulive and linchpin guitarist of Lettuce has now released the self-produced follow-up Blood From A Stone and it’s something of a mirror image of its predecessor in the sense vocals are included on every track of the self-produced album with the exception of its standout track, an instrumental featuring the brilliant Derek Trucks: “Curse Lifter.” However, this time around Krasno does the singing…

Krasno has done some touring since his initial solo album with an ensemble that featured vocals, not all of which were his own, but the music was similar to that which appears here in the form of “Waiting on Your Love,” that is a composite of rock, funk and soul. Yet the live presentation wasn’t nearly so heavily produced as that cut or “Torture,” in particular, the processing of Krasno’s vocals.

His voice isn’t all that distinctive to begin with, but it is next to impossible to recognize it with the combination of auto-tuning and phasing that sounds layered on the latter number. That said, the material itself, adorned as it regularly is with the more distinctive sounds of his guitar playing (including the fretboard firestorm  on “Natalie”), would become markedly more memorable if the arrangements included a singer with genuinely expressive gifts. Alecia Chakour’s appropriately ghostly presence on “Wicked This Way” constitutes an example of just such an improvement.

“Jezebel” is comprised of changes in both rhythm and melody that hearken to Krasno’s roots in contemporary soul and R &B, but it’s predictable in itself as a song and becomes even more so via the mechanical accompaniment, despite tantalizing guitar solos and fills. Highly polished as it is, there’s no question Blood From A Stone will resonate with the demographic that already follows this man’s eclectic work. But the album does beg the question of whether Krasno can extend upon it with subsequent work, even if he aligns himself with the same (or equally skilled and talented) musicians and recording artists that collaborate with him here, including Lettuce drummer/songwriter/producer Adam Deitch and saxophonist Ryan Zoidis from the Shady Horns complement.

Unless, of course, he collaborates with Derek Trucks at the latter’s home studio in Florida…?

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