Review: Janiva Magness ‘Back For Me’
By Hal Horowitz
There’s no doubting that blues/soul chanteuse Janiva Magness has, since the beginning of her career nearly thirty years ago, excelled at crafting material initially written and/or performed by other artists into personal statements. Describing her versions as merely “covers” doesn’t reflect how she discovers and often reinvents songs originated by others. Once Magness lays her powerful, controlled, husky pipes into a tune, she transforms it into one of her songs, regardless of its author.
While some choices may be familiar to those in her genre (she delivered a full album of John Fogerty material in 2019), Magness more frequently digs deeper to reveal concealed gems from lesser known sources.
That’s the case for the selections on ‘Back for Me,’ her 17th (!) album. She returns to respected roots label Blue Elan, home to most of her releases since 2016, for these tracks produced once again by longtime associate/guitarist/songwriter and artistic shotgun-rider Dave Darling.
It’s not knocking Magness’ obvious outstanding vocal talents to credit Darling for much of her success over the past decade of their fruitful association. His swampy, emotional approach accents the tough tonal touch Magness naturally exudes. He brings just the right amount of Southern R&B to these performances, tapping into the sound of such legendary labels as Hi, and Stax while crafting a Memphis/Muscle Shoals base for Magness to jump from. It’s a fruitful musical marriage that keeps getting better.
The singer tackles generally obscure material penned by Bill Withers (“The Same Love That Made Me Laugh” grinds out with chunky guitars, organ and thumping drums straight out of Otis Clay’s recordings), Ray LaMontagne (she scorches on the slithering night club jazz inflected “You Can Bring Me Flowers”) and the criminally under-recognized Tracy Nelson (a searing, soaring blues/gospel ballad of lost love “Down So Low”) with arguably more emotion than the originals.
She and Darling take “I Was Good to You Baby” down to the swamp, cranking the guitar distortion to what feels like something from the North Mississippi Allstars on a track that Nelson also successfully tackled in 1996. Joe Bonamassa (when does he sleep?) brings extra sting to the opening rugged Chicago shuffle “Masterpiece,” a Darling composition which allows Magness to ramp up her anger with the fiery “I made a lot of mistakes but you might be my masterpiece.”
YouTube was the source of “Holes,” written by Canadian Julianne Marie Guidi and given a rock punch from guest Sue Foley in full plugged-in mode. Also in the guest department is Jesse Dayton, fresh from a terrific recent solo album and work with Samantha Fish. He slathers grease over the New Orleans-inflected closing “Hittin’ on Nothin’” credited to Naomi Neville, Allen Toussaint’s alias.
Magness uncovers a Memphis pearl in “Do I Need You” (written by Ann Peebles with husband Don Bryant and others), urging it on, singing “I need some sunshine in my life/I can’t stand the rain’.” Two crunching guitars and churning organ whip out the gutsy, soulful Southern grit, elevating Magness’ granit-solid vocals into greatness.
‘Back for Me’ is another highlight in a catalog filled with them for Janiva Magness, one of our finest and most passionate blue-eyed soul singers. She lights the fuse on these ten sticks of musical dynamite, each another example of her sizzling vocal prowess and explosive interpretive skills.
Pre-order the album here.
“Holes”
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