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For sheer vocal command nobody can beat Sam McClain's red-clay roar. He's riveting, whether slowly chewing the syllables of the country-flavored soul ballad "Learn How to Love You Again" or bending words of devotion into breathy melismatic arches on "Here I Come Again," one of the many songs here that allude to McClain's deep spiritual convictions. Like all the songs on his six 1990s CDs, these are his diary pages. They refer to his childhood escape from an abusive home, his days on skid row, and the comeback that has put him at the apex of the traditional soul-blues world, second only to his idol, Bobby "Blue" Bland. McClain even revisits Patsy Cline's "Sweet Dreams," which he first made an R&B hit in 1966. Unlike the big, exuberant, horns 'n' rhythm sound of Aretha-era Muscle Shoals soul that typifies the rest of this album, his "Dreams" sticks to a spare piano and guitar framework, providing McClain the space to dig so far into his heart we can hear it beating within the tearful shake of his voice. It's high drama--proof that after nearly a half century of struggle, this mighty singer is living his own sweet dreams. --Ted Drozdowski
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By R. Weinstock (Falls Church, VA USA)
Originally published in the DC Blues Calendar in late 2001 and I would rate this 4 1/2 stars.
Since his "rediscovery," the former deep soul legend Mighty Sam McClain has slowly developed a following with a number of very fine releases, the latest of which, "Sweet Dreams," has been recently released on Telarc. McClain certainly stands as one of the finest singers working in the soul-blues vein, with a delivery and voice that should appeal to fans of Bobby Bland. McClain also wrote many of these tunes, exceptions being the
soulful transformation of the title track which is one of the tunes country legend Patsy Cline is best identified with and the Staple Singers'
hit 'Respect Yourself.' With a solid band anchored by Bruce Katz on piano and Barry Seelen on the B-3 and a solid horn section, McClain belts out a variety of tunes with standouts including the country-flavored ballad
'Learn How to Love You Again,' and 'Nothing But a Feeling,' a nice slow blues with nice solo breaks for tenor saxophonist Chuck Langford and pianist Katz. While capable of belting out a lyric with the best of them, what makes McClain so special is that he delivers the songs so soulfully without shouting the lyrics except for emphasis. Perhaps some of the tunes are somewhat generic shuffles and slow blows and the horns play somewhat generic riffs, but McClain is one of those vocalists that one would not mind listening to sing about anything.
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