Customer Reviews

Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have three Robert Cray CDs, and they're all enjoyable. But if you want to be haunted by songs, I'd recommend the Strong Persauder CD instead. But that one's so good that you'll love Robert and buy more of his CDs -- so I guess it doesn't really matter which you buy first. Just make sure that you buy Strong Persauder!

Only artist I have seen in concert 6 times. I feel so sad to see him leave the stage after only 3 hours of performing. Best live artist to see. This is my 4th copy of this CD. I wear them out. A MUST have for any fan of jazz or just great laid back music. When I saw him in concert with Eric Clapton....best show ever. They make each other better on stage. Buy this CD.

I dont know why everybody is saying this album is weaker than strong persuader,I think its just as good,I love cray and the way he mixes soul and blues, some tracks like "I cant go home" make my hair stand up.I strongly reccomend this album to any fan of cray or anyone looking for some soul.

Tough to follow up an album that catapulted you to stardom, but I still give this one 4 stars. I like to think of this as Young Bob's Guitar Slinger album. He's just squeezing sparks out of his Stratocaster all over the place. If you've ever encountered homelessness & thought "there but for the grace of God...", then Night Patrol is gonna speak to you. I can remember the first time I heard this song like it was yesterday. I think this song is Mr. Cray's greatest recorded guitar playing.

I am buying this CD for about the fifth time! I hope Young Bob puts me in his will. I have seen him live several times and he puts out a masterful effort every time. If you dont own a copy of SHOWDOWN, with Albert "Iceman" Collins, Johnny "The Texas Twister" Copeland and Robert Cray, produced by T Bone Burnett,you are missing out on some of the best guitar playing ever. What a treat! Recently, I grabbed a stack of CDs without looking, for a road trip. And there was Dont be Afraid of the Dark. I'd hid it from myself and now it was like hearing it brand new. When the opening notes of Across the Line came on, I howled out the window. Like seeing an old friend after a long time away... I give it 5 stars and a Boy Howdy!

I own Strong Persuader, Midnight Stroll, and this disc, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. This one is by far my favorite. It's not gritty blues, but neither is it sellout pop. It's a set of solidly constructed R&B/blues tunes with great songwriting, strong playing and singing, and stellar production values that give the licks, riffs and charts a polish and shine. The themes are similar to Persuader, but the tempos and production are more upbeat.

Great set from the Georgia-born bluesman and his band, despite the criticisms that the album was too pop oriented and that Cray had sold out. While this album certainly does not top its predecessor "Strong Persuader", it does manage to deliver some great blues from one of the music's finest performers. Cray needs no introduction to fans of the blues, playing to sold-out concerts and working the blues circuit loyally.

"Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" is a solid release from the veteran Cray, though he has made better albums since. As is always the case with Robert Cray releases, I listen intently to the dazzling guitar work to remember why Cray gets paid to do this. The band does not often get the credit they so duly deserve, as Richard Cousins (bass), Peter Boe (keyboards) and David Olson (drums) do an excellent job of accompanying Cray on these tunes.

The horns on here are supplied by The Memphis Horns and Wayne Jackson, and David Sanborn appeared courtesy of Warner Brothers playing saxophone on "Acting This Way". "At Last", track 9, is a 50s feeling blues ballad with Cray singing backed by the horns. Overall this is a high quality outing by the old hand of blues vocals and guitar, deserving a spot in your music collections today!

Personnel:
Robert Cray (guitar & vocals)
Richard Cousins (bass)
Peter Boe (keyboards)
David Olson (drums)
The Memphis Horns (horn section)
Wayne Jackson (trumpet & trombone)
David Sanborn (alto sax on "Acting This Way")

When Robert Cray is at the top of his game, his smooth vocals, stinging guitar work and clever songwriting put him on par with the best the modern, electricified blues has to offer. The title track, "Your Secret's Safe With Me," and "Across The Line" fall in this category, in my opinion. Most of the other tracks are pretty good, the rest are okay, although if you appreciate a more soulful sound, you might enjoy this album more than I do. Still, I've had this CD for years, I play it often, and it has aged well.

Great blues, populated with lyrics that could have been penned by Hitchcock or Serling.

"You're secrets safe with me"--absolutely fantastic song about voyeurism. I buy all of Cray's CDs because of this one song.

I actually saw the video for "Smokin' Gun" on MTV when I was 9 or 10. My parents bought me the "Strong Persuader" LP (I am only 30)and we wore it out. What Cray is really doing is taking R & B music (chord progressions)and playing it like a blues guy. SRV was starting to do this on In Step (Crossfire, Wall of Denial, Tightrope). Blues as a genre has been kind of stuck with the same three chords forever. If you go too far from that it's not blues anymore, but if you stay there it can get boring. To me Cray was always the best at this. I have seen him live 5 or 6 times and I have listened to every albumn (many, many times). For one his lesser efforts, this albumn is still pretty good. That being said, get the others first, then if you want more come back and get it. Don't Forget to give each album a few listens to sink in. Here's my rating of his top five.
1. Strong Persuader
2. Some Rainy Morning (could be number one killer blues album, check out the outro solo on holdin' on whoa)
3. Sweet Potato Pie (RC gets romantic, what happened to cheatin and lyin)
4. Shame and Sin
5. Midnight Stroll (these things, move a mountain whew.. killer)
Next I was Warned (Modern, funky), Bad Influence (raw), or Take Your Shoes off (stax)