Artist: Keb’ Mo’
Album: Good To Be…
Label: Rounder Records
Year Of Release: 2022
Format: FLAC (tracks+.cue)
Tracklist:
01. Good to Be (Home Again) (3:31)
02. So Easy (3:08)
03. Sunny and Warm (3:26)
04. Good Strong Woman (feat. Darius Rucker) (3:19)
05. The Medicine Man ( feat. Old Crow Medicine Show) (3:37)
06. Marvelous To Me (3:34)
07. Lean On Me (3:54)
08. Like Love (3:41)
09. All Dressed Up (4:14)
10. ’62 Chevy (3:28)
11. Louder (4:24)
12. So Good To Me (3:46)
13. Quiet Moments (feat. Kristin Chenoweth) (3:54)
As an album title, Good to Be… drifts off on a wave of ellipses, but on the record itself, it’s presented as “Good to Be (Home Again),” making the spirit of Keb’ Mo’s 15th studio album explicit: he’s settled into a comfortable groove, appreciating good vibes and mellow grooves. Despite cameos from Darius Rucker and Americana stalwarts Old Crow Medicine Show, there’s not a pronounced country or folk undercurrent here. Good to Be… is cut from the same cloth as 2011’s slick, soulful The Reflection, only it’s even smoother and mellower — so low-key, it can veer into adult contemporary territory, a connection underscored by Kristin Chenoweth’s appearance on the album closer “Quiet Moments.” If Good to Be… sometimes is a little too cozy — it’s executed well and its unifying spirit is evident, but a cover of “Lean on Me” still feels a little overly familiar — it’s nevertheless a warm, welcoming album that’s every bit as soothing and comforting as Keb’ Mo’ intended it to be.
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
