David St. Romain – Glory

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In some ways this feels like it can’t find a direction. Still, it’s a very strong album with nothing really coming across as weak. Imagine combining the horns of Madness with Booker T. and the MGs organ laden sound and the blues of B.B. King. That’s a lot like what the opening song, “If You Want It,” sounds like.

There is a slow soul groove to “Even the Bad Times Are Good.” I like it quite a bit, but I wish it had a bit more energy. There is a bit of a Madness vibe to “It’s Gone,” too. That’s a good thing. Although, it’s based more on roots rock than the ska of Madness. This is fun and one of my favorites here. More of a mainstream song, “Subtleties of Rain” is classy stuff.

With a lot of energy and groove, “Glory” is a fun song. In fact, it’s one of the best things here. Of course, you expect that of a title track. Jazz and soul combine on “Hold On.” It’s a good song, but not really a standout. In some ways, “A Lot of Room” makes me think of 80s/90s soulful pop music. That’s a good thing. This is one of my favorites here. It really has a great sound to it. With “Every Little Thing” I’m feeling a lot of the same elements as on the previous cut. That makes this a reasonably strong one, too.

Although the groove to “Trouble” is more vintage than set in the direction of the 80s/90s stuff, it still resonates nicely with me. It’s mellow and powerful. “She Can’t Remember” brings a great combination of the classic sounds and those 80s/90s one. It’s another highlight for sure.

There’s some increased energy on “Glad That I’m the One,” but it loses a bit of the magic of the last couple pieces. Although “I’m Not Just Any Fool” is pretty good, it’s not as potent as some of the rest. I can make out some E-Street band in a lot of ways. While this album doesn’t always amaze, it consistently entertains.

Review by Brian White

Purchase Link: https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/davidstromain1

Eight and a half stars.