Raisins in the Sun
For Raisins in the Sun to be called a supergroup would require chutzpah, sinceChuck Prophet,Jules Shear,Jim Dickinson, and Harvey Brooks are hardly household names, though among them they have worked with superstars fromAretha FranklintoBob Dylan. Rather, Raisins in the Sun's self-titled debut recalls the type of record that theEagles, theStones, and theBandused to make. Here the singers and songwriters create a varied program within a unified sound. Prophet's wry vocals on "Candy from a Stranger" contrast nicely with Shear's romantic reminiscences in "Old Times Again," much likeGlen Frey's frat-boy enthusiasm used to temperDon Henley's dark visions. "Post Apocalyptic Visions" is a Keef-style raw rocker, but while the CD is off-the-cuff and unpolished, it's never slap-dash.--Michael Ross