Customer Reviews

That River

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jim Byrnes is a blues treasure that is worth seeking! You may have to go to the Canadian distributor (Stony Plain Records) to find "That River", or a specialty blues store, since the American distributors have run out of copies, but Jim Byrnes's smooth, deep voice and authentic blues guitar is worth the long hunt. Find this album. Listen to it. "That River" is a blues classic.

Byrnes has an ideal blues voice -- rich and textured, but with a precision and relaxed ease that let you know that you're listening to someone who knows what he's doing. The band is also top-notch, particularly the brass, which has a crispness and clean-edged quality to it that supports the rough-and-ready blues feel of the rest of the band. All tracks are worth listening to, several more than once. Many CDs are worth buying for only four or five tracks -- "That River" is refreshingly unique in that the whole thing is excellent. Buy and enjoy!

I purchased this CD for the same reason everyone else did: I'm a bigtime HIGHLANDER fan. Jim Byrnes' character on that show was a big blues fan; when I learned that Byrnes himself was a blues singer, I had to get this album. THAT RIVER is Byrnes' third album, released in 1994, while HIGHLANDER was in its second or third season. A few of the songs from THAT RIVER actually showed up on the series at one point or another, including "No Special Rider" and "All Over You".

I must admit that I wasn't a huge blues fan prior to listening to THAT RIVER (hey, I was young!), but immediately after giving the CD a spin I came to appreciate blues music. Byrnes' brand of blues is very interesting; it's bluesy, for sure, but there's a lot of jazz here as well, and maybe even a little bit of rock. Perhaps what's so appealing about THAT RIVER is how surprisingly upbeat it is. There's usually a sort of lumbering sorrow to blues music, but THAT RIVER is upbeat, energetic, and damn enjoyable. All of the songs are wonderful; it's hard to pick a highlight, although Byrnes' heartfelt singing on "Every Waking Moment" makes that song especially delightful.

Byrnes' voice is husky and gritty, but it feels more warm than rough. His supporting band is truly fantastic. Especially excellent are Tim Hearsey, who co-wrote many of the songs and plays guitar, and Derry Byrne, who plays the trumpet. Each song is a delight, and the album as a whole is truly stellar. If you're a fan of HIGHLANDER or simply blues in general, I would highly recommend THAT RIVER. I've listened to it many, many times since I first purchased it, and it continues to impress me.

First off, let me just say that I am a Highlander fan, and I purchased this cd for that reason. If you are also a Highlander fan, you too may be moved to purchase this cd. I thoroughly enjoy this music, probably because when I hear it, I imagine that "Joe" has resigned from "the watchers," closed the bar, and decided to get serious about his music career. Seen in this light, this music is an easy five stars. But see, to feel that way, only fans would understand what I'm trying to say. However, if you are a die-hard blues fan, or a trained guitarist, you may have a lot more criteria for the whole crazy star system. For me, five stars for a jazz or blues guitarist cd means every track is a diamond. On that note, I'd say we've got some diamonds, like "That River", my favorite song on the album. Although Byrnes' also got some other gems here, not every one is a diamond, (by the way "Sweet Tea" by Buddy Guy is a perfect blues cd)! But, that's cool, cause it's Jim Byrnes and when he's got the blues that's good news for everyone. All in all a great cd.

This CD is one of those gems you either discover on your own quite by accident or have waved in your face by a good friend. Either way, it's definitely one you'll wish you found sooner. Jim Byrnes' unique talent, both vocally and instrumentally, will have you thinking back over these songs for weeks at a time. My copy lived in my CD player for weeks when I first got it!

The title track brilliant in any way you care to measure such things. The other tracks are by turns sad, raucous, rowdy...overall...this will quickly become one of your favorite blues collections!

Being an afficianado of both country music and the blues I found this album appealed to me in both genres. Jim's gravelly voice goes right to the soul whether he is performing the poignant "Every Waking Moment" or the rocking "Junior Burn the House Down". Every track is a treat. And the fact that's he's good looking doesn't hurt a bit.

I have to admit, I bought this album because I was a fan of the Highlander television series. Of course the album has nothing to do with it, but I try to be very open to a lot of different kinds of music and figured I'd give this a shot too.

Sure enough, this album took me by surprise. It is absolutely captivating blues music and I would say it was worth it at twice the price. I've heard blues before but never this well done and never this ... soothing. There's something about listening to "That River", my personal favorite track, that simply puts it in a class of its own. Jim has an amazing voice and I think that it shines the most in this particular track. Again, worth it at twice the price, especially for this song.

Whether you're a Highlander fan or not, this album is worth checking out. Heck, even if you're not a blues fan it is still worth it. As long as you don't utterly hate blues (and maybe even if you do), this album will not disappoint you. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in hearing some of the best blues music around.

I, too bought the CD because I was a highlander fan and particularly enjoyed the few guitar licks we would hear from time to time on that show.

I'm glad I bought it! It's a beautiful CD - Blues might be the best category to fit it in, except, you don't have to be a Blues fan to appreciate it.

If you're a blues fan and your significant other is into pop or classic rock - this is a CD you'll be able to agree on!

This album has a wonderfully calming effect. His voice is sad, tragic, and joyful at the same time. The melodies are original and poignant. In fact, I listened to this CD so much and carried it everywhere - I need to buy a replacement since I've managed to leave it somewhere when I wanted it somewhere else - very badly. I was a newer blues listener at the time, but this album cemented the music into my soul. I highly recommend it to anyone who isn't sure about the blues.

Jim's voice and playing style is totally unique. Once you listen to this one, you will end up wanting his original music. My personal favorites are "Junior Burn the House Down" and "That River". This is one that you can listen to over and over. Having seen him live in concert, he brings that energy to this CDs also and you can hear it in the voice.