Customer Reviews

Just Like You

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

We were in the front row of a Keb Mo concert tonight and I didn't get enough so here I am listening to more on the web. This is a wonderful cd with some of his best and catchiest songs on it - his lyrics are so honest, obviously from a man who's lived life with all its grief and grins. There's feeling, emotion, humor - especially his delivery in person - a great light in his eyes. Great on cd but amazing in person. Beat is impossible to sit still to - can't get enough of Keb Mo. Looking forward to all new albums.

I'm a professional writer and I haven't the words to express how much this album moved me. I'm not a blues snob. I know some people who say that Keb' Mo' is not the authentic article. All I can say to that is, I DON'T CARE!!!. He's genuine enough for me and thousands of other music lovers who get pleasure from the sound of his wonderful voice, the way he strums that guitar and banjo and plays the harmonica. I love him! I own all three of his compact discs now and as soon as he comes out with another one, I'll be right there to buy it...As Soon As I Get Paid.

Well, Keb Mo may claim to be just like me and you, but... well, let's face it, if we all had this guys amazing voice we would live in one talented society (not to mention me having a man's voice would be extremely odd ;-) ). I would be the first to admit, I am not a blues fan. Just doesn't do it for me. But from the first time I heard this album, I just loved it. There are some fantastic tunes on this album, including That's not Love, Just Like You, I'm on Your side, Dangerous Mood, the Action, Hand it Over, and my all time favourite, More than one way home (okay, i've listed just about the whole album...). If you want something smooth and soulful to listen too, then Keb Mo is your man. I think any Babyface fans out there would enjoy this work too.

Keb' Mo' is one of those musicians who hits you like a punch to the solar plexus. The first time I heard him, I was absolutely floored. Obviously a student of the great Delta Blues masters, Keb' Mo' also is a child of our times as well and he effortlessly blends older styles of Blues with modern production and arranging.

On this CD, Keb' Mo' plays like he spent his entire life in the Mississippi Delta as well as spending his summers in the inner city. The production is lavish without being over-produced. His singing is first-rate, not too much, not too little, just right. His guitar playing is wise beyond his years and the harmonica playing is exactly right for the music that he plays.

I definitely recommend that you give this CD a listen.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a blues artist making an album that attempts to draw in new listeners who might otherwise never experience the magic of the blues. By embracing and incorporating elements of R&B, soul and folk into his music, Keb Mo has developed a style all his own that's inclusive rather than exclusive of people who aren't necessarily blues purists. You snobs go ahead and pick at the man for not being who YOU want him to be -- the bottom line is he's created some great music for a very appreciative audience. Go Keb!

Keb' Mo' is a very talanted musician and singer, and it's definately obvious on 'Just Like You'. But I have to say, the better songs on this CD are usually the ones where he is playing by himself. A lot of the tunes with the band sound more like pop than blues. This isn't really a bad thing, I just personally enjoy blues more than pop music. So it really depends on your musical taste. To any music fan though, this is worth getting simply to hear 'You can love your self' which is just plain beautiful.

while not all of hardly any album or submission by an artist can be expected to please 100%, some of the negative i'm picking up in some reviews seems to come from the fact that Keb' doesn't sound like he "did," or "should." an artist is just that, and should be reaching out and pushing their limits, style and range. that doesn't always work out at the "box office," but it should be recognized for what it is and considered within that context, not some preconceived narrow definition based on art in the past. it's ok to dislike a piece or to feel indifferently about it. i think it's important to dig inside ourselves in order to have a meaningful sense of why and/or how we are affected by a piece. that is our responsibility as the viewer or listener of any art form. keep reaching, stretching and trying Keb'----i'll be there for the exploration.
t.d.

First off, I like Keb' Mo'. I saw him play a fantastic solo set at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and was astounded. He played the steel guitar and the audience better than anyone there. I would highly recommend seeing him live, preferably solo. As for his albums, they seem to have gotten progressively slicker. This one suffered from an overabundance of "special guests" including the queen of blues overproduction, Bonnie Raitt and the increasingly anachronistic, Jackson Browne. Nevertheless, the tunes that survive the assistance give hints of what lies below all the dubs--good, raw, contemporary retro blues.

Keb Mo is a very talented guy. His vocals are deep and powerful, his lyrics are original, his harmonica work impressive, and his slide guitar amazing. But when all of them are put together, the end result seems to me like a second-rate commercial reproduction of the blues. Some of the better songs include "Perpetual Blues Machine" and "You Can Love Yourself", two of the catchiest blues tunes around, and "Where's my Daddy", which has some of the most moving lyrics I've ever heard. It just seems that Keb is trying to have his cake and eat it too: imitating the gritty, soulful playing and singing of his hero Robert Johnson while at the same time making a stylish, commercially acceptable album. And no two things clash harder than Robert Johnson and commercialism.

In my own twisted mind I think that at least 7 of the songs here are hit. My favorite song on this CD is "The Action", because the lyrics sum up feelings that everybody has for that special someone in their life. Other stand out songs here are,"That's Not Love", Dangerous Mood", Standin' at the Station","Perpetual Blues Machine","Momma Where's my Daddy". On a few of his CD, Keb has done covers of Robert Johnson and his cover of "Last Fair Deal Gone Down" would do RJ proud. If you are a true music fan, I dont think that you will be disappointed adding this to your collection.