Rating:
Genre:
Country
Release Date: 04/11/2006
On his second album,
Leave the Light On,
Jeff Bates remains an appealing singer, blessed with a smooth, deep baritone that gives his music an earthiness even when it gets a little bit sappy. But if his 2003 debut,
Rainbow Man, leaned heavily on love songs, this 2006 effort is a leaner, straight-ahead
traditionalist country record. Each cut has a bit of grit in it, whether it's on the rollicking, twangy
"Good People," George Jones-styled barroom weepers like
"The Woman He Walked On," or even a cover of
Billy "Crash" Craddock's early-'70s hit
"Rub It In," a greasy slice of
Southern soul 'n'
country that for most 2006 listeners will unfortunately bring to mind Glade's
Plug It In, Plug It In campaign of the '90s, yet it's a testament to
Bates' strengths as a vocalist that he makes this song work despite that association. Not that he pulls off every song here -- the opening cut (and lead single)
"Long Slow Kisses" stumbles in its attempts at seduction, while the closer,
"Mama Was a Lot Like Jesus," is unbearably heavy-handed and mawkish -- but even when the songs don't work,
Bates and his studio band sound good, helping to make
Leave the Light On a strong sophomore release from this skilled singer.
~Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
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