Raul Malo Albums (6)
What The Critics Say
Raul Malo has kept a certain distance from his creative past in the Mavericks on his solo releases, choosing to focus on his pop, jazz, or Latin influences rather than the more country-accented tunes that put his old band on the charts. However, Malo's sixth solo effort, Lucky One, more clearly recalls his work with the Mavericks than anything he's done since the group called it quits. Admittedly, this set suggests the style of Music for All Occasions and Trampoline, where Malo and his bandmates began throwing off the restrictions of traditional Nashville record making with gusto, and anyone expecting a sequel to What a Crying Shame is going to feel let down. But the deep, twangy guitars of "Something Tells Me" and "Crying for You" call up the shade of Malo's most famous work, and though "Hello Again" and the title cut are more strongly pop-influenced, his soaring Roy Orbison-influenced vocals will certainly please anyone who loved the way he sounded on his hits with the group. Don't get the idea that Malo has turned away from the stylistic shape-shifting of his more recent discs; the easy swagger of "Moonlight Kiss" makes him sound like the lost member of the Rat Pack, he slinks through some slow supper club blues on "Ready for My Lovin'," delivers a lively Mex-Tex two step on "Lonely Hearts," and puts his heart on his sleeve with "So Beautiful," the love ballad that closes out the set. Producer Steve Berlin dresses these songs in clever arrangements that honor Malo's many musical moods and give the melodies a satisfying, emotionally honest core that holds this album together. Lucky One isn't the Mavericks, but it's closer to what made that band great than anything Malo has recorded in a while, and shows that he remains a great singer and powerfully imaginative musician regardless of the context. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
'Marshmallow World and Other Holiday Favorites'
Release Date 9/18/2007
Tracks 11
Label New Door
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What The Critics Say
Raul Malo seemingly thrives on creative eclecticism, and he's clearly delighted to be showing off his many musical moods on his first seasonal album, Marshmallow World and Other Holiday Favorites. The twangy baritone guitars on "Not So Merry Christmas" suggest his latter-day work with the Mavericks; "Jingle Bells" is Malo in full-on lounge lizard mode; "Marshmallow World" speaks of smooth pop with just a touch of swing; there's a swaggering blues accent on the two Elvis covers ("Blue Christmas" and "Santa Claus Is Back in Town"); "I'll Be Home for Christmas" is appropriately forlorn; the arrangements head south of the border for the Latin-tinged "Silver Bells" and "Feliz Navidad," and "Silent Night" is reverent and touching. Malo does so much aural shape-shifting on this album that it never quite establishes a strong personality of its own, beyond the fact all the songs deal with Christmas and Malo is in typically strong form on these sessions, singing with estimable power and casual authority no matter what style he adopts. Malo also produced this album with Jim Weaver and Evan York and they're smart enough to know how strong to play the retro vibe of these sessions, aiming for a classic sound without sinking into the quicksand of fake nostalgia. (The photos of Alisha Murray in the liner booklet will also bring a smile to anyone who remembers Herb Alpert's Whipped Cream & Other Delights.) Marshmallow World and Other Holiday Favorites almost tries too hard to cover so many stylistic bases, but that's an improvement over the tossed-together sound of so many seasonal albums, and it offers further proof that Raul Malo is one of the best vocalists at work today; this will sound fine while you're relaxing by the fireplace with someone special on Christmas Eve. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Raul Malo's greatest commercial success has been as lead singer with the progressive country group the Mavericks, but since launching his solo career in 2001, Malo has displayed little interest in catering to the country audience, preferring to indulge his passion for Latin sounds and retro vocal jazz. The set list on 2007's After Hours might suggest to some fans that Malo is keen on winning back the country audience, since it features ten songs made famous by the likes of Eddy Arnold, Ray Price, Hank Williams, Buck Owens, and other old-school country & western heroes. But rather than treat these tunes as relics from Nashville's noble past, on After Hours Malo honors them as standards -- object lessons in great songwriting -- and interprets them as swinging pop tunes (as he reimagines "Cold, Cold Heart" and "[Now and Then There's] A Fool Such As I") or polished late-night supper club laments ("Welcome to My World" and "Crying Time"). The closest thing to a clear country influence on this set is the pedal steel guitar that supports the arrangement on Roger Miller's "Husbands and Wives," but if Malo has taken these tunes out of their traditional context, there's no doubt that he's captured their heart and soul as few singers have; the sadness and desire of "For the Good Times" has rarely been communicated with the strength Malo commands in his performance, and as playful as his take of "Cold, Cold Heart" may be, he gets the essence of the song on tape with accuracy and freshness. Anyone who harbors doubts about Raul Malo's status as one of America's best contemporary vocalists will be pleasantly surprised by the craft and maturity of After Hours, and he does wonders for the classic Nashville songbook at the same time; with any luck, this will be the first in a series from Malo of classic country interpretations. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
'You're Only Lonely'
Release Date 7/25/2006
Tracks 12
Label Sanctuary
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What The Critics Say
Raul Malo's voice is one of the great natural resources of American music, and anyone familiar with his work with the Mavericks or as a solo act is already aware that the man can seemingly sing anything he puts his mind to and make it sound wonderful. However, in many ways You're Only Lonely feels like a concerted effort to present him in a new light to a new audience. Produced by Peter Asher, best known for his work with Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor, You're Only Lonely dials down the country and Latin accents that have long been a large part of Malo's music in favor of smooth and elaborate MOR-style arrangements (complete with a shimmering string section) and a set list dotted with such familiar classics as "At Last," "Tomorrow Night," and "Games That Lover's Play." (Malo does get to tear into a solid Cuban-style number here, "For You," and covers Willie Nelson's wonderful "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground," but there's no arguing that both numbers boast significantly more polish than they would have received on Malo's earlier projects.) Much as Linda Ronstadt's albums with arranger Nelson Riddle in the '80s (produced by Peter Asher) seemed designed to convince an older and more musically sophisticated audience that she was a "real" singer rather than just another rock & roll belter, You're Only Lonely plays as Malo's calling card to people wary of his country background, demonstrating he can sing supper club blues, standards and jazz-leaning ballads as well as anyone. Malo certainly handles this material with seasoned panache, his vocal chops are as solid as ever, and there are a few idiosyncratic but inspired song selections, including Harry Nilsson's nostalgic "Remember" and the early Bee Gees' hit "Run to Me." But for all the superlative craft displayed on You're Only Lonely, Asher's production has buffed most of the texture out of this music, and there's a sadly noticeable lack of passion in most of the performances; it's a collection of glorious surfaces that ring just a bit hollow, something you can't usually say about an album featuring Raul Malo. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
'The Nashville Acoustic Sessions'
Release Date 1/1/2004
Tracks 11
Label CMH
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
True to its title, The Nashville Acoustic Sessions is a set of acoustic-based music that finds the Mavericks frontman Raul Malo collaborating with three well-respected Nashville musicians (guitarist/mandolinist Pat Flynn, Rob Ickes, and bassist Dave Pomeroy). The acoustic setting results in much more pared-down arrangements than Malo's recent records (whether with his band or his one solo outing, 2001's Today). This disc of cover tunes is also Malo's most twang-centric in years; however, it doesn't lack eclecticism. Songs are drawn from country icons Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, and the Louvin Brothers, as well as more contemporary figures like Gordon Lightfoot, Gram Parsons, and Bob Dylan; there are also a pair of standards: "Moon River" and "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons." The disc starts off with a solid yet obvious selection, Roy Orbison's "Blue Bayou," as Malo's vocals have long been compared to Orbison. Although he doesn't soar to Orbison's otherworldly heights, his passionate singing conveys the song's melancholy mood. After a decent but rather sedate rendering of Lightfoot's "Early Morning Rain," the album picks up steam with the gospel-tinged Louvin Brothers tune "Great Atomic Power," which is followed by an aching rendition of Williams' "Weary Blues From Waiting," and Dylan's "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go," which gets a spry country workout here. The disc's second half -- demarcated by an "instrumental break" of Jimmie Rodgers' "Waiting for a Train" -- is more of a mixed bag. The highlights include strong versions of Gram Parsons' "Hot Burrito #1" and Van Morrison's "Bright Side of the Road." However, both "Moon River" and "Sentimental Reasons" come off sounding a bit too lounge. These tunes accentuate the slicker qualities of Malo's otherwise wonderfully rich vocals. The nimble but easygoing performances delivered by the trio of instrumentalists perfectly suit this disc's relaxed feel. Flynn and Ickes particularly stand out on the touching version of "When I Stop Dreaming," the record's other Louvin Brothers number. While this all-covers collection doesn't reinvent the wheel, it provides 40 minutes of classic tunes delightfully done up as good, old-fashioned country music. ~ Michael Berick, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
From the start, it was obvious that the Mavericks were comprised of a more interesting variety of flavors than most C&W hitmakers, and by the time they released Trampoline in 1998, the band had evolved from an eclectic country-accented outfit into an adventurous adult pop group willing to dip their toes into practically anything. So it shouldn't surprise anyone that Raul Malo's first solo album doesn't have a single country bone in its body, but not everyone might have expected Malo to walk so boldly in a single direction. Malo began exploring his Cuban musical heritage with a few Latin-flavored numbers on the Mavericks' Music for All Occasions and Trampoline, and on Today he steeps himself in Latin rhythms, from the fiery dance groove of the title track and the sensuous tension of "Every Little Thing" to the jazzy sway of "Ya Tu Veras" (four of the album's 12 cuts are sung in Spanish, and Malo's estimably rich voice communicates beautifully in either tongue). Today bears more than a few hallmarks of Malo's earlier work along the way; the sly humor that marked the Mavericks' best work is evident in a playful duet with Shelby Lynne on "It Takes Two to Tango," his Roy Orbison-esque way with a ballad doesn't escape him on "Let's Not Say Goodbye," and Malo's fondness for lounge jazz takes the place of his Latin sounds on the closing track, "Since When." In terms of style and approach, Today isn't what most people might expect from Raul Malo, but one listen makes it clear the man has a great voice, sure instincts, and talent to spare -- and anyone who has ever listened to his music ought to be well-aware of that. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
