Customer Reviews

Supernatural

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Supernatural is Robben Ford's first pop album and conceptually is not unlike a typical Eric Clapton album which sprinkles a couple of blues tunes among a collection of ballads/rock/funk/gospel numbers. While there's nothing particularly unique about the mix of songs on this album, it's definitely a departure from the guitar-heavy albums Robben has made before.

The musicianship on the album is, naturally, top flight. And there are plenty of stellar guitar solos to escape into. My main struggle is that the songwriting doesn't keep pace. Over his career, Robben has penned some solid tunes (When I Leave Here from Handful of Blues is my personal favorite), but on balance, I'm partial to the covers he's done. While I don't dislike Supernatural, and it's grown on me somewhat after a dozen or so listenings, I haven't found myself particularly drawn to it either. (Because I'm a longtime fan of Robben's I gave this CD many more spins than I might have otherwise.)

Still I applaud him for trying new things -- especially string arrangements! I'd get bored if he were to release nothing but Blue Line-esque albums. (I must admit though, that my favorite song on Supernatural is the Blue Line-esque "Nothing to Nobody" -- not an example of Robben exploring new territories.) The songs on Supernatural are nice, but I can't imagine anyone rushing to cover any of them. Many of the songs are reminiscent of other aritists: I hear strains of Steely Dan and even later Steve Winwood, but there's nothing here that's bold or original.

The new album's lyrics would suggest that this is the most personal expression of Robben's feelings to date, but beyond having read about his musical influences and his equipment preferences, I don't know enough about Robben to connect the sentiment of his lyrics to the man himself. It's not like listening to Eric Clapton's latest confessional album, where the void left by a less-than-great song is filled in by his personal history which is pretty much a matter of public record these days. With Robben, I know he's a really likeable guy, but he's not exactly a public figure. He seems very shy to me. Without the personal connection, the lyrics, though heartfelt, come off as boilerplate. Maybe it's time to set up the Barabara Walters interview. (Just kidding.)

I have no idea what kind of sales figures Robben's albums have generated but judging from the number of listener's reviews at amazon.com I'm guessing that Talk to Your Daughter is his best-selling album, and the one for which he is best known. TTYD is all covers except for two songs. Almost 12 years after its release, Robben has yet to find a songwriting voice equal to that of his guitar playing abilities.

Demographically, Robben's appeal is as a musician's musician. This is pretty obvious to anyone who attends one of his shows. Robben is a far way off from mainstream appeal. It remains to be seen whether Susan Rogers' production will do for Supernatural what she accomplished for the Barenaked Ladies and their recent huge success in the US, but it seems clear that with this album Robben is intent on his broadening his profile. Supernatural has been advertised in the NYC media more prominently than I can recall any of his past albums.

Am I alone in my observation that the most songwriting comes easier to those musicians who aren't virtuosos at their instruments? The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Carole King, Sting, Jimmy Webb, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John are a very short list that immediately come to mind. Certainly there are exceptions: Eric Clapton (though he's no RF), Billy Joel (he's got serious keyboard chops) are successful songwriters who are often considered virtuosos. By and large though, monster instrumentalists tend not to be monster songwriters -- not in the rock/pop realm anyway.

Anyway, I'm not through yet with Supernatural; hopefully it will continue to grow on me.

Robben Ford's "Supernatural" is now 5 years old and is certainly aging well. My favorite track is the bluesy "Nothing to Nobody." Ford's juicy guitar weeps woefully, "The preacher on Sunday tells me I'm just another child of God; Lord, if you're there & if you care, could you see fit to answer my prayer?" "Water for the Wicked" was co-written with the Doobie Brothers' Michael McDonald and has plenty of that blue-eyed funk & soul. "Don't Lose Your Faith In Me" experiments with a clever string arrangement on a soft samba-like track. One of my personal favorites is the little-known David Batteau who co-wrote "Hey, Brother" with Ford that is a great track about trying to heal injured friendships. Another addictive track is the funky "Deaf, Dumb & Blind," "I couldn't see when you showed your love to me; I was thinking only of myself & missing all that light from you." Ford cuts a slow smoking groove on the Arthur Alexander classic, "You Got Me Knockin'" with Ricky Peterson's soulful Hammond B3 organ swelling the emotional wave. The set closes with Paul Butterfield's toe-tapper "Lovin' Cup." "Supernatural" is a good set with enough strong tracks to warrant a second listen five years later! Enjoy!

Robben Ford is not only a guitar player. He's also an amazing writer. People need to wake up and notice these songs. These are real songs written by a real guy.

This album is the perfect "classic rock" album. If this album came out in 1979 it would have been huge. (Especially since it's got Michael MacDonald guest singing!). That's not to say this album is dated, it's not. It's lyrically very timely, but the music has a classic southern rock feel that reminds me of great old album oriented music from the 70s.

Water for the Wicked (with Michael MacDonald) is the perfect fusion of blues and soul rock. Supernatural is a great straight ahead blues rock track. If and Don't Lose Your faith in me both make me want to cry. And the dude can play the guitar like no one's business. I'd like to see him rock out with Santana (Rob Thomas [stinks]). If this had a good fast straight ahead rock instrumental, I'd been in my absolute glory!
This is absolute perfect Saturday night getting ready to go out music...

robben really landed this one! this is his best yet , highlights/ hey brother, a great soul, funkster! i've read negative reviews from a blues magazine, saying that its not bluesy enough, well! thats whats wrong with this gendre, no room to grow , thats why blues as an art form is in big trouble, theres no room to grow! too much close mindedness and not enough listening, robben has a great cd no matter what these close minded critics say! why can't good music be just that! GOOD MUSIC! stop being so close minded! rock on robben!

Reading the reviews for this disc, it seems there are two schools of thought. People either love it or hate it. I love it. As a guitarist, I have long admired Robben's lyrical approach to the instrument. But this album marries his blues/jazz chops with some good, coherent songs that move! I was impressed by the quality of Robben's song writing, which was given short shrift on his more guitaristic releases. But with the addition of some quality keys to flesh out he sound, Ford branches out into new melodic territory that, as mentioned by other reviewers, has a Steely Dan/70s feel to it. Some people I know did have to listen to the disc a couple of times for it to gel for them. If the disc comes off as uninspiring to you -- listen to it again.

Robben Ford's latest work is but a testiment to his versatility as an artist and his willingness to show us a polished, softer and more soulful side...in this listners humble opinion. Eariler works were a showcase for his masterful blues guitar solos and hard edged vocals, living the blues as the notes fly by! With Supernautral he is out on the edge again, not just with great guitar work but with cleaner soulful vocals. We get the hard edge with "Supernatural" and "Lovin' Cup", tenderness with "Don't Lose Your Faith In Me" and life's lessons learned with "Hey, Brother"...and many more great tracks! Do I recommend this album...you bet! Order it, play it (a few dozen times) then go back and play "Tiger Walk", "SunRise", "Mystic Mile" and enjoy Robben Ford! My collection is missing one thing however...a live session! If you have not seen Robben Ford live, do so as soon as possible. He is incredible! I had the pleasure of seeing Robben Ford at the Coach House last month and heard for the first time a few of the tracks off the new CD...I bought it on the way out! RF...keep up the great studio work...also, produce something live fo us!

Robben Ford is still one of the unsung great guitarists of this day. "Supernatural" is a reminder of his guitar prows. A blues guitarist that is not afraid to get funky and go outside with some jazz scales. When it comes to phrasing, Ford knows exactly what he's trying to say and does so with a minimum number of notes and spacing. He's not going to blow you away by sticking five hundred notes in a measure. Instead, he plays with feeling, letting the rests speak as loud as his notes.

There are some cool licks on this album. The title track has a good funk to it and a cool solo. "Nothing to Nobody" has that great blues feel with his guitar responding in the silence of his lyrics. "Deaf, Dumb and Blind (for O.T)" continues with that wah-wah funk and Ford's voice fits well. Another heavy blues song on the album is "When I Cry Today." He finishes with a good cover of Paul Butterfield's "Lovin' Cup." Songs like "If" and "Hey Brother" are a departure from his earlier days. Soft ballads that have a smooth feel to them.

As a guitar player, Ford is one of the best, but as a complete musician he's not my favorite. His voice is too weak for the type of music that he plays. As for the lyrics, they are not outstanding. Besides a couple of songs, you'll be hard pressed to remember the lyrics an hour after you've listened to the song. Still, his guitar work makes it all worthwhile.

Alot of die-hard fans aren't gonna like this change that Mr. Ford has made, but I respect it. Known for his jazz-inflected leads and buttery tone, Robben is one of the world's best and most respected players--a musician's musician. Interviews, however, reveal a man who realizes he has taken his niche on the guitar (and it's a big niche) far enough. He's got a desire to write great songs, too, and I believe he's hit the mark on this album. He probably wants to reach more people, and there's nothing wrong with that as long as you stay true to your roots, which Robben does here with this batch of jazzy, bluesy, and gospel-inflected tunes. These songs contain alot of great singing from Ford, nice melodies, and outside harmony. Two of them, Don't Lose Your Faith & If (both penned by Ford), have string sections and melodies so beautiful they'll make you melt. Other standouts are the lovely, yet grooving Deaf Dumb & Blind as well as the jazzy Let Me In (also both penned by Robben).Fear not, though, cuz there's still plenty of Robben's trademark chromatic wail and punchy chord comping on this disc to please guitarists. Please respect this man's decision to shift direction without selling out. Try it, you'll like it.

The amazing Robben Ford returns with a collection of great new songs reminiscent of the seventies.Combining R&B,jazz,and blues, Ford managed to create an excellent package that-consciously or not-pays tribute to the seventies era while remaining thoroughly grounded in the present.

This CD is a departure from Robben's previous hard blues, riff-filled efforts. It's more pop and more polished, with horns and strings in places. There is still plenty of soulful guitar work. It's just that the riffs and solos are in service of the song instead of the other way around. This is his best vocal work to date, and the harmonies are great. Water for the Wicked is a great example. He still rocks, too. Nothing to Nobody, Deaf Dumb and Blind, When I Cry Today, and Lovin' Cup are a great fusion of blues rock and pop.