Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

In certain churches on the east coast of America, the pedal steel guitar is the featured instrument of worship and boys growing up in church aspire to be pedal steel players. The genre of music they produce blends blues, gospel and country and is called sacred steel. Robert Randolph was a church prodigy who took the music outside the sanctuary walls and 'Colorblind' is his third release. Overall, perhaps the best way to describe this is soulful rock since all his influences are rolled into one gorgeous stunning sound. From the funkiness of "Angels" to the attention grabbing whoomph of the opener "Ain't Nothing Wrong With That", this is his most accomplished set yet. Obviously his pedal steel is all over everything with jaw dropping results. One absolute highlight is the cover of the Doobie Brothers' song "Jesus Is Just Alright" with Eric Clapton. Randolph has been opening for Clapton and the collaboration is amazing and I can't think of many other times when Clapton has contributed to a song and been overshadowed! It's the album's diversity which makes this so superb. Dave Matthews and Leroi Moore show up to sing on the horn drenched "Love Is The Only Way" and I confess that I love the heavy groove of "Diane" which makes me want to get out my seat and dance! For people who think that Christian music is just a bunch of people copying mainstream fads, here's a true genre-crossing originator leading the way astride his pedal steel guitar!

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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