Tall, Dark, and Handsome

Vinyl LP pressing. "Roots music visionary" (Rolling Stone) Delbert McClinton returns with thje swaggering and swingin' new album, Tall, Dark & Handsome. Featuring 14 new, original new songs - all written or co-written by Delbert - the album dives deep into the blues, Americana and beyond, bursting with horns, fiddle, accordion, blazing guitar work, back-up singers and McClinton's charismatic rasp, proving Lyle Lovett's claim that "if we could all sing like we want to, we'd all sound like Delbert McClinton." Tall, Dark & Handsome features Delbert's band the Self-Made Men + Dana: Dana Robbins (saxophone), Jack Bruno (drums), Mike Joyce (bass), Bob Britt (guitar), James Pennebaker (guitar), Kevin McKendree (keyboards), Dennis Wage (keyboards). It's evident from the first downbeat that McClinton and company had a blast making the record, shining a raucous light on the swinging, jazzy virtues of Texas blues. Opener "Mr. Smith" is a joyous shuffle. "If I Hock My Guitar" is sly and self-deprecating, the story of a down n' out axe-man who weighs his craft with a visit to the pawn shop. The album hurtles forward with a red hot energy, with only a couple cool breaths along the way, like on "Any Other Way," a ballad that starts with "Just another lovely day / a low-flying angel got in my way."