Face In The Crowd
The good news concerningA Face in the Crowdis that Leon Russell in his late 50s sounds a lot like Leon Russell in his early-30s commercial prime--old. Or perhapsseasonedis a more appropriate word, since the veteran rocker's appeal has always centered around his mushy, been-around-the-block vocals and sophisticated R&B-; and gospel-flavored songs. This 12-track collection finds the Oklahoma original playing more lead guitar than one might expect from a man best known as one of rock & roll's premium pianists. The album's opener, a pummeling blues original called "Love in a Battlefield," lays the groundwork with Russell'sAlbert King-inspired guitar in the fore. "Down in the Flood" finds Leon pumping away back at the keys. "Blues Eyes & a Black Heart," "Mean and Evil," and "Don't Bring the Blues to Bed" indicate his mind is suitably in the mire. IsFace in the Crowdup to standards set in the early 1970s withAnd the Shelter People? Not quite. But it does demonstrate that the Russell of the late '90s isn't far removed from the natural-born musician who once rubbed shoulders withPhil SpectorandGeorge Harrisonand was a linchpin forThe Concert for Bangla Deshand Joe Cocker'sMad Dogs & Englishmen.--Steven Stolder