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Keb Mo: The Reflection

  Tobias Fischer

Very few people have the right musical DNA to pull off bedroom-soul the way this guy does.

Most attempts fall a little short, either too sexed-up, or not chill enough, though mostly it’s a problem with cartoonish vocals, not at issue here; “unadorned” is the most common adjective used to describe Mo’s voice, which, yes, sounds like someone’s dad with an disdain for throaty shtick and enough training to be dangerous. As a guitarist-singer, then, he’s BB King (who has covered Mo’s Grammy-winning stuff in the past) with a friendly baritone, and this time out he explores the depths of soul-chill, tabling a “What’s Love Got To Do with It” vibe in the title track, harnessing gospel elsewhere (“All the Way,” the wah-wah-decorated “The Whole Enchilada”).

Nothing wrong here, obviously.

By Eric Saeger

Homepage: Keb Mo
Homepage: Yolabelle International Records