Eric Bibb
Album: Me To You
Label: manhatton
Tracks: 14
Website: http://www.ericbibb.com

Eric Bibb often describes himself as a troubadour and he has certainly clocked up the miles during his long career.

A four-decade career, 35 albums and counting, countless radio and television shows and non-stop touring have given Eric Bibb a world view that's tempered by curiosity and compassion.

To his fans he is a genius and the only surprise is that's he's not better known.

The re-release of this 1997 album is an opportunity to catch up with some of Eric earlier material.

This album is something of a surprise, it features Eric's slinky smooth vocals of course, but a lot of the tracks have a distinct disco/funk feel to them.

Sing Your Song (with Taj Mahal) , Catch Up To Your Heart and Something Much Greater (with Pop Staples) have almost "pop" feel to them. With a lot of production going on in the background. And the less that's said about I'll Be Your Car, the better!

Eric is often at his best when it's just him and his guitar and a stripped down sound as in I Need A Vacation. Great rhythms from the guitar and drums make this song a winner. This was the formula Eric was to follow on many of his later albums.

Standout track on this album is just Eric and his guitar - Gonna Walk This Road - is sublime.

Eric has surely walked many roads and it is interesting to hear where's he's come from.

John Knighton