J.J. Cale - 5

Somehow I managed to listen to this record without reviewing it. I listened to it right after Naturally, but  somehow skipped the review. Time to right that wrong.

5 is another strong set of laid back blues from J.J. Cale. Each tune is laced with folk, country, and Cale's special ingredient, which is made from masterful instrumentation, thoughtful lyrics, and vocals which perfectly compliment the whole laid-back vibe. As a longtime fan of The Band, it refreshing to find another artist which such a boundaryless view of genre.

On the whole, 5 isn't quite as strong as Naturally, because it doesn't have as many memorable songs. Even so, 5 is still a very enjoyable album, and Cale's performances are great as they've ever been.