CD Review

Reagon, Toshi
The Righeous Ones
(Razor & Tie)

Toshi Reagon continues to head off into pop-rock land with this album. She leads off with a nod to her folk heritage as mom's Sweet Honey in the Rock back her up on "Real Love," but by 2:20 into the song, she's kicked it into high gear and rarely looks back. Blending a Motown sound with California rock, there are a few moments that left me thinking of Cheryl Crow, other times Jackson Five. "There Are," is a standout track. It lays down a soulful chant of personal and political woes that succeeds in sounding timeless and communal:

There are
those who give you nothing but
They keep on eating your pie
There are
those who walk all over you
But they're never telling you why
There are
some who fight forever
Now they are never getting old
There are
some who are full of riches they have
what cannot be sold

Still, there's no new insight in this either. "Mean Ol' World" also takes risks and succeeds, a kind of spiritual/field holler with dissonant voices droning over a synthesized koto-like ostinato. Seems like there should be much more in this rich vein, since the more pop-oriented love songs are unremarkable and the album seems to run out of steam during the last three of them. Then, after half a minute, there's a full-fledged thrash song called "I'm Just an Egg, Don't Mind Me." It may not be folk, but it's a bold move. Serves as an odd confession, though - so many of this album's boldest experiments are just hatching. -HB