Jon Randall – Walk Among The Living

Artist: Jon Randall

Title: Walk Among The Living

Label: Sony

Rating: 7/10

FILE UNDER: A little bit of country. A little bit of rock ‘n’ roll.

CORPORATE LINE: On ‘Walking Among the Living’ singer/songwriter/guitarist Jon Randall took the piano-drenched tune “My Life” by Grammy winning songwriter Robert Lee Castleman and turned it into a rousing bluegrass homage with the help of some of his heroes.

“I wanted to include a bluegrass showcase on the album. Producer George Massenburg (Bonnie Raitt, Little Feat, Linda Ronstadt, Earth, Wind & Fire) and I were just going to find a good Flatt & Scruggs song, or a Stanley Brothers tune. But there are so many to choose from. Where do I tip my hat in this area?” explains Randall.

At the same time, Randall was also looking for an excuse to work with members of the New Grass Revival, a band he says has been “the biggest influence on me. I got into those guys in junior high school and was still their biggest fan when they broke up.” He called on band members Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, and John Cowan to add the “new grass” style he adored. The jam session was recorded live and the banter and laughter that precedes the song infects it throughout.

‘Walking Among the Living’ tell stories of deceit (“I Shouldn’t Do This”), suicide (“Whiskey Lullaby”) and lost love (“Baby Won’t You Come Home”, “Lonely For Awhile”) and fittingly ends with the resolution “The world keeps spinning round and round / No matter what / In my life / Cause it’s my life, even if it’s out of control.”

THE GREAT:
“Baby Won’t You Come Home” – Definitely hit material.
“Whiskey Lullaby” – The Randall penned song sounds more haunting here than Brad Paisley’s rendition.
“Coming Back For More” – Definitely sounds like a classic Eagles-style track.
“Lonely For Awhile” – A beautiful ballad.
“No Southern Comfort” – Another wonderful ballad with Alison Krauss contributing a hauntingly beautiful harmony.
“My Life” – A bluegrass dirt kicker that will get you up and out of your seat with a bit of pep in your step.

THE AVERAGE:
“In The Country” – A really upbeat song that sounds mysteriously familiar—not only to a previous Randall tune but to a lot of other new country songs.
“Long Way Down” – The kind of song you can listen to in your car and would fall into the background.
“Austin” – A good toe-tapper.

THE BAD:
Nothing.

FRANKLY: Jon Randall has some really nice songs. And yet you have to wonder what might distinguish him from all of the other country artists who are looking for their turn in the spotlight.

+ Rae Gun