Album Review: Robert Randolph and the Family Band – ‘Colorblind’

By Patrick Luce Sep 20, 2006, 15:05 GMT

Colorblind isn\'t an adequate title for this album. Randolph\'s follow-up to 2003\'s Grammy-nominated Unclassified is bright and energetic as a tie-dye-patterned pinwheel. Mostly its 11 tunes are about grooves plucked from the era of Sly Stone and Stevie Wonder, dappled with brilliant classic rock musicianship (think Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Beck) and driven by frenetic verve. When things slow down, it\'s usually to let the young pedal steel virtuoso revisit ...more

Robert Randolph and the Family Band’s ‘Colorblind’ is an album filled with 11 tracks of guitar driven rock that will remind fans of styles ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Stevie Wonder with even a little Led Zeppelin thrown in for good measure.

The album features Randolph’s astonishing pedal steel guitar playing leading each song, and also has guest appearances by guitar legend Eric Clapton, and Dave Matthews. Every song on the album is a winner, and features the band’s unique sound which is a blend of funk, rock, blues, and some pop.

While Randolph’s past albums have captured the magic of his live shows (the band has toured with music giants like Clapton and Carlos Santana), ‘Colorblind’ features a more polished studio sound, and it is easy to see Randolph’s musical influences on many of the songs.

The album kicks off with the rocking “Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That” – which screams Jimi Hendrix meets Stevie Wonder thanks to its driving drum beats, vocal harmonies, and Randolph’s guitar. “Deliver Me,” and “Diane” keep the vibe running strong, and help get you hooked on the album’s more rocking sound.

The album slows down for the quasi-ballad “Angels” which shows a bit of Randolph’s softer side. However, Randolph quickly returns to the rock with the cover of “Jesus Is Just Alright” which features Clapton on guitar and is one of the best songs on the album.

While all of the songs on ‘Colorblind’ are solid, it does get a bit repetitive after the fifth track. Randolph keeps the pace balanced between slower songs like “Stronger” (which features Leela James), and more funk/rock influenced tracks like “Thankful N’ Thoughtful.”

Thanks to the album’s blend of music genres, ‘Colorblind’ has something to offer everyone. Fans of guitar driven rock will be blown away by Randolph’s pedal steel guitar solos, but fans of Stevie Wonder’s style of music will love the band’s more funk/rock sound.

I wasn’t too sure what to expect when ‘Colorblind’ arrived. I liked the first song “Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That,” but the two follow-up tracks kind of lost my interest. The album won me over again with “Angels.” Overall, it is a very good album, and one that I would recommend to fans of Robert Randolph and the Family Band.

If you have never heard of the group, ‘Colorblind’ is a good place to start, and worth taking a chance on if you enjoy rock mixed with a little funk. Randolph and company make sure all the songs on the album have something to offer listeners.

‘Colorblind’ is now available for pre-order at Amazon for a Sept. 26th release. Visit the music database for more information and a complete track listing.