Shoulda Been Home

Robert Cray | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 15, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rykodisc
• ASIN: B00005B16Y
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,921 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #47 in Music > Indie Music > Blues > Contemporary Blues
  • #51 in Music > Indie Music > Blues > Electric Blues Guitar

Track Listings

1. Baby's Arms

2. Already Gone

3. Anytime

4. Love Sickness

5. I'm Afraid

6. No One Special

7. Out Of Eden

8. Cry for Me Baby

9. Far Away

10. Renew blues

11. Help Me Forget

12. The 12 Year Old Boy

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shoulda' Been Home - Buying this CD, May 22, 2001

By 

"azdesertdweller" (The Desert) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shoulda Been Home (Audio CD)

Those familiar with the Robert Cray Band need no encouragement from my review - just click the order button and once again you will be treated with the best blend of passionate soul, blues, and r-n-b ever to grace our unworthy disk drives. Those of you less familiar with the work of these amazing talents, I envy you as you are in for a treat!

There is an evolution on SBH, (perhaps even more so than on the outstanding Grammy Winning release 'Take Your Shoes Off'), and it is something to behold. Yes, the 'tightest band' around still displays the genius. Jim Pugh continues to show he deserves the Handy for his keyboard and organ work every year. Kevin Hayes' work is impeccable as always, particularly shinning on the cover tunes. Karl Sevaried driving rhythm is flawless and on. The main evolution here comes from Mr. Cray himself. Gone is the guitar slinging 'Young Bob', self-professed road man of yesteryear. In his place the always confident, always humble, ever growing and creating 'not as young Bob' has obviously grown older and happier. It suits him well. There is a maturity here even beyond what we always expect. The subtleness and soft-spoken guitar work seems to fit perfect with his deeper, and closer to the mike vocals. While long ago Robert and his strat have been respected in the same class as his guitar hero's Collins and Copeland, with SBH perhaps he will finally truly be appreciated for his incomparable vocal talents with his Vocalist hero's Otis and OV.

The music seems to say: yah, we get the blues sometimes - relationships are tough - but I'm happy and life IS good, can I share it with you. The first track 'Baby's Arm's' highlights this fact...I popped this in my car stereo when I got back from a 7 day trip and it had smiling from ear-to-ear thinkin' about my baby.

The slow-burning bluesy-soul RCB is here with 'Already Gone' and 'Help Me Forget' recalling classic Cray love and relationship pain. One of the disks highlights 'Far Away' co-written with Mr. Cray's wife (the second such effort) shares a whole story in just a few versus. It seems to tell the painful too often occurrence of a man who still loves his family, but is having trouble loving himself, it makes you want to know the rest of the story and hope that it has a good ending. Another highlight, and one of the two tracks contributed by Mr. Pugh 'Anytime' is a perfect track for those that like their blues funky. While a retro feel, the groove is pure infectious and the albums best showcase of a band that seems to come together as one so effortlessly. The soft-spoken, mature 'No One Special could prove to be most listeners favorite as it drips sweet soul music. We can assume that the upcoming tour will feature the 10 minute plus blues jam 'Out Of Eden' as it offers excellent solo's from both Jim and Robert.

My only tinny-little wish is that in place of the 3 covers we had three more originals. While they provide some excellent blues for all us fanatics - I'm just greedy and would have liked more RCB. Also for those huge fans of the Memphis Horns like myself, we don't get them here - maybe next time.

My recommendation...add this disk and every other RCB disk you do not own to your shopping cart...and do it now!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Take it from a pro. Cray's the real deal., April 28, 2005

By 

Kevin L. Junemann "Working Pro Bass Player" (Midwest USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shoulda Been Home (Audio CD)

Being a working professional musician I am always looking for music that is true and inspiring. Regardless of if you are a blues fan or not, Robert Cray is one of the best performers out there in any genre. His recent work (Midnight Stroll and newer) leans more towards soul than traditional blues. The subject matter is your typical "she done me wrong" blues cannon but he sells it like it should be sold. It's completely genuine. He's an incomparable vocalist who sings like a bird. His guitar playing, while on the surface seeming simple, portrays exactly the proper "feeling" for the arrangement and song. His playing is a statement; emotionally mature and marked by brevity. It does what music is supposed to do, express feelings that words cannot. It doesn't suffer from the continuous, spaceless, blues-chops-heavy solos that most post-SRV blues players suffer from. This isn't music for chops-meisters. I've seen his live show and it's better live. Great guitar tone, super solid band, it's one of the best shows you'll see. If you're a fan of the groove and soul music check it out.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Robert Cray just keeps bringing us great music, March 10, 2002

By 

Martin Lemos (Millbrae) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shoulda Been Home (Audio CD)

I have been a Robert Cray fan since I first heard SMOKING GUN when I was 16 years old. Now some 16 years later, I am still a fan and can say that he keeps bringing us great music album after album. SHOULDA BEEN HOME is without a doubt continuing this feat and I can say that I think every song on this album is a great one, thats something you dont find much of these days with what is out there. In my opinion, I think that the songs that standout on this album are the slower tempo ones such as ALREADY GONE, FAR AWAY, ANYTIME. Mister Cray brings us a sound on this album that is Memphis soul meeting traditional blues with R&B also thrown into the mix. I have been fortunate enough to have seen him live and am looking forward to seeing him once again. In closing I will say that you the listener should also give BABY'S ARMS, LOVE SICKNESS, NO ONE SPECIAL a good listen to. I highly recommend this album for all of his fans.