In Time

The Mavericks

The Valory Music Co., 2013

http://www.themavericksband.com

REVIEW BY: Jason Warburg

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 06/11/2013

Some bands are so unique that they can get away with disappearing for years at a time, only to re-emerge and reintroduce themselves once again. When the band in question sounds like a country-gospel-lounge act perched on a high wire strung between New Orleans and Havana—and plays every single song like it’s the most important one ever written—all you can do as a listener upon their return is sit back and grin (or get up and dance).

The secret ingredient to the Mavericks’ best work—a club into which In Time will undoubtedly be inducted—is joy. These guys *love* making this very, very unique music, which there is really no simple way to describe, which is part of the reason they never broke through more than momentarily in the country genre into which the industry slotted them. Certainly, there are country elements in the music—story-songs and a fair amount of horsey/twangy rhythm section work from drummer Paul Deakin and bassist Robert Reynolds—but there is also Tejano, rockabilly, country-blues, gospel, folk, Americana, and more than a little nightclub jazz panache.

At the center of this frothy sound lies The Voice. Raul Malo is—no exaggeration—on par with Elvis, Sinatra and Roy Orbison in the department of pure vocal charisma. The dude has got a stupefyingly great voice that he wields like a velvet hammer. (The faintly hilarious part is that Malo frequently uses his magnificent instrument to sing about feeling lonely and blue and being mistreated by women… yeah, like my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250 that happened…!)

The entire first half of this album is brilliant, starting with bouncy opener “Back In Your Arms Again” with its rippling Eddie Perez guitar hook, moody Jerry Dale McFadden organ and Latin horns. “Lies” has more of an upbeat honky-tonk feel to the thrumming arrangement, though Malo again plays the unlikely victim. “Born To Be Blue” feels a little obvious lyrically, but the airy, steady-on arrangement is spot-on and Malo dependably nails the vocal.

Batting cleanup, “Come Unto Me” is a sturdy single with an echoey, dangerous Perez guitar riff offset by McFadden’s accordion, an intriguing yin-yang contrast that Malo rides over the top, declaring his undying passion and demanding his lover’s attentions. The cherry on this sundae is the choruses, where rich, spicy Latin rhythms overtake the melody, presaging the Spanish version of this tune that closes out the album.

“In Another’s Arms” follows, a classic Mavericks weeper—so sad, so sad. At least, until “Fall Apart” arrives on its heels like a fiesta in your ears, galloping rhythms embellished with sassy horns and accordion on the choruses. The first half finishes with “All Over Again,” whose galloping rhythms and mariachi horns are juxtaposed with country slide guitar accents.

The third quarter of the album is its only weaker patch, as the ballad “Forgive Me,” and the mid-tempo “Amsterdam Moon” and “That’s Not My Name” entertain without really igniting the way their predecessors do. Ah, but then it’s time for the big finish…

The steady-rocking “As Long As There’s Loving Tonight” is the Mavericks at their most roguishly playful, featuring Malo’s teasing vocals over Perez’s stinging rockabilly licks and McFadden’s ringing piano. “Dance In The Moonlight” sizzles along nicely, paving the way for the grand finale. Closer “Call Me When You Get To Heaven” puts the exclamation point on this album, clocking in at more than eight minutes, the first four building slowly but steadily to the last four, which feature Malo trading lines with a gospel choir over a circular jam that grows from intense to delirious to ecstatic.

If you were expecting to be let down after being graced by only one Mavericks album—2003’s rather tepid self-titled disc—in the last 14 years, brace yourself. In Time is a genuine return to form for this great band; the Mavericks are back, and the world is a happier place for it. Rarely has such a range of styles meshed so beautifully, and with this much pure joy behind every note.

Rating: A-

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© 2013 Jason Warburg and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of The Valory Music Co., and is used for informational purposes only.