Customer Reviews

The Word

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The WORD is an all instrumental cd of some of the most inspirational gospel music these ears have ever heard. The band was put together by Luther Dickinson of the good young blues band the North Mississippi Allstars, and John Medeski from the cutting edge jazz group Medeski, Martin, and Wood. These two also recruited the services of pedal steel guitar player elite Robert Randolph. When I first listened to this cd, I thought it was Luther Dickinson who was doing the primary guitar leads here. But I recently saw this band play on a late night television show, and as it turned out, all these great guitar sounds were coming from the pedal steel guitar of Randolph. This kid is incredible! What a find this guy was. In reading the liner notes to this album, it sounded like it was divine intervention how Randolph's and Luther Dickinson's paths even crossed. This guy had never even performed "live" outside his pentecostal church before joining up with this band. It's a great story in itself, and after hearing this cd, I can see where they think there might me a little extra something going on here. The first song off the album JOYFUL SOUNDS is a real grabber that, if it don't make ya wanna get up, clap your hands and dance, you might want to check yourself for a pulse. This is the same song I saw them perform on television. Randolph's playing here sounds much like the early Eat A Peach era Allman Brothers guitar sound. And it's that good too. Another standout track on this is WITHOUT GOD, which offers up some incredibly fast steel guitar playing, complimented by some very tasty Luther Dickinson guitar work. This tune is fantastic. It's 6:48 of pure gospel music that you wish would never end. Not to be overlooked in this mix is the keyboard work of John Medeski. This guy is a world class player who offers up enough sizzling organ work that really makes this cd go. Except for a couple tunes the band wrote, all the music here is old standard public domain goodtime gospel music, updated for the 21st century. I hope this band does more of these projects in the future. It's obvious they have some great chemistry playing together. As for this album, I smell a Grammy Award in it's future. Outstanding!

Both the name of the album and the name of the band, The Word is some of the most impressive instrumental blues I've ever heard. The brainchild of North Mississippi Allstars guitarist Luther Dickinson and keyboardist (read: unbelievble B3 chops) John Medeski (of Medeski, Martin & Wood fame), coupled with a hand-of-fate collaboration with the heretofore unknown pedal steel wizard Robert Randolph, this album is being billed as a Gospel record, but don't let the appellation fool you. Anyone raised in a church going family is likely to recognize a few of the tunes on the record, but their interpretation is like nothing you've ever heard. Nonetheless, the album is likely to move you. It is raw and it is beautiful; it is jubilant and it is soulful. It is blues that will make you shout for joy and it is instrumental music that will make your heart sing. Robert Randolph is already being hailed as the next-big thing in blues (an expectation he most likely resents) and his unbelievable pedal steel guitar work belies his 22 years. If you want something a little different, something that will reach down into your soul and pull out a feeling, pick up The Word and let yourself be moved.

First, let me say that Robert Randolph is a monster. I've never heard pedal steel guitar played so well. The North Mississippi AllStars and John Medeski (of Medeski, Martin and Wood) team up with this amazing guitar player to create a great mixture of gospel and blues. Each musician is a master of their instrument and the songs are amazing.
I was a bit hesitant about John Medeski as I don't really like his other band (MMW) because they get a little too far out there and it sounds more like noise than music to me. I was surprised to hear Medeski playing great keyboards and never really offending my ears.
This album grooves and it screams. Hear The Word and be healed!

Robert Randolph is insane! I saw him live with Clapton a month or so ago, and was amazed. I purchased this, and it has since opened me up to the work of the North Mississippi Allstars, who are also amazing. The shear emotion that Mr. Randolph plays with is astounding.

Robert Randolph does the amazing with the Pedal Steel Guitar. First heard about him a year or two ago on NPR. More recently, NPR profiled THE WORD and I had to buy it. Absolutely FIRST RATE
cuts. Medeski et all have put together an album of instumental music that challenges the listener beyond their views of what Gospel is and what it can be and updates the use of the Pedal Steel Guitar far beyond the Tex Ritter and Dick Curless genre. Truely a "Joyful Noise"! (PS - I love Tex Ritter and Dick Curless too by the way...)

The first time I'd heard of this band was a few weeks ago. A friend who had seen them at The Birchmere in Virginia and another friend who is a rabid Robert Randolph fan, tipped me off. Their advice and having just recently seen the North Mississippi Allstars live for the first time, had me eagerly anticipating the release of the this CD. That anticipation of this all instrumental recording was well rewarded! The Allstars provide a rock-solid foundation for the fabulous pedal steel guitar work of Robert Randolph and the keyboards of John Medeski. Though I'm not a fan of Medeski, Martin and Wood, Medeski's playing in this context is outstanding. The group calls this a "gospel record" and indeed it is based on the bluesy, gospel style of music played in House of God churches. Robert Randolph learned his chops playing in the church, where the steel guitar is a featured instrument. There are several songs where Randolph and Luther Dickinson, of the Allstars, trade guitar licks that are reminiscent of the Allman Brothers in their heyday. Other songs have a Hawaiian slack-key guitar sound. This is a great CD and one that I highly recommend purchasing. I hear these guys are fantastic live, so if you have a chance to see them, do NOT pass it up!

The Word, comprised of John Modeski (Modeski, Martin & Wood), Robert Randolph and the North Mississippi All-Stars, has supplied us with an amazing combination of rock, funk, jazz and even gospel. Learning to play the Sacred Steel (his steel-pedal guitar) in church, Robert Randolph will be a household name through his driving sound. It is music that attracts music lovers of all generations and tastes. One of the best I own, and certainly the best new cd of the past couple of years.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this record, because I wasn't real familiar with any of the musicians except for Robert Randolph. However, after listening, I was very happy I bought this record. I found it strange that those few who gave a bad review of this record said that Robert's guitar was out of tune most of the time, because I am a musician who has perfect pitch, and I didn't notice anything severely out of tune. Believe me, anything out of tune drives me crazy, but all of the tunes on this record flowed nicely. To be truthful, Robert's guitar is out of tune a lot more severely when he's playing live, than on this record, so I'm not sure what those people are thinking. Oh, well, to each his own. Robert's my Hot Chocolate, and I'm giving this record five thumbs up.

Being familiar with gospel, I was somewhat skeptical this CD would live up to it's billing. This rag tag group of musicians I've never heard of was going to impart the soulful sounds I grew up with (before I converted to Islam), with a PEDAL STEEL LEAD GUITARIST?! They may fool some people with their jive, but ain't no way they going to lay down God's music with that outfit. Organ, bass, guitar- those are your gospel instruments, but pedal steel.... well you might as well bring in a banjo, or mouth harp. That stuff belongs at revival meetings, along with healing hands, snake shaking, what have you. Forgive me, but pedal steel just seemed redneck. That is before I heard Robert Randolph shape those notes into spirits. The Holy Ghost speaks through that boys hands. The CD is truly bluesy, sometimes a little loud for my tastes, but during the quieter parts you can listen to notes that sound like choir voices. All the tunes have bouncy rhythms, and although no vocals are sung (they might check and see what Aretha's doing for the next album) they play over in your head after the first listen. Very upbeat and positive throughout, you feel as though you've actually heard the Word in a church ceremony. I would highly recommend this to all fans of gospel, blues, rock, instrumental music. It's the product.

This is one of those CD's where the assemblance of talents truly blend in well. John Medeski is an organ virtuoso and the North Mississippi All-Stars play with a soulfulness beyond their years. "Joyful Sounds" and the rendition of "I'll Fly Away" in partuicular are good for what ails ya.

Now on to the center of attention on this CD, the star of the future Robert Randolph. If you're a song-surfer when it comes to CD's, be a little patient with "Without God." It starts off rather slowly and cuts loose about midway through. I recently had the privelege and honor of seeing Robert Randolph perform with his Family Band in Charlotte, North Carolina. This was the most exciting concert of new music that I've been to in YEARS and they had the crowd going INSANE in a way not seen since the early days of James Brown and The Beatles! If you can't get enough of Randolph after hearing THE WORD, go to Randolph's website to order "Robert Randolph and the Family Band Live at the Wetlands." But back to THE WORD. Given the performances here of Randolph, Madeski, and the North Mississippi All Stars (who are also in their twenties), we can breath a sigh of hope that the future of REAL MUSIC (i.e., non-synthesized music) is at last in good hands.