The Road Home

by David Blue
http://www.netrhythms.co.uk

The follow-up to her excellent debut, Red, White & Blues, this is a more gospel and roots led album. It opens with the traditional song, Wayfaring Stranger, which is given a good rendition with the spotlight on top-notch vocals and harmonies. Robin gives us three Blind Willie Johnson songs here and Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning is the first of them. She turns in a mesmerising performance with a metronomic feel to her excellent guitar playing.
I Am A Pilgrim is another traditional song that Robin makes her own before she unleashes her dulcimer for The Promise and Balm In Gilead. The former is the first self-penned track and the sound of the dulcimer makes the song. The latter is a return to the traditional genre of tune that Robin plays and sings so well. The second Blind Willie Johnson song is Nobody's Fault But Mine. This is one of my favourite songs from the set and Robin shows her gritty side here. The traditional, Guide Me O Great Jehovah is, quite simply, sung beautifully, a capella.
Psalm 23 (The Lord Is My Shepherd for those heathen amongst us!) is given a folk treatment and comes off quite well, more than the second of the self-written songs, Blessed Are They. This is probably the weakest track on the album and is let down by the poor quality of the bass. Robin is back on form though with the last of the Blind Willie Johnson offerings, God Don't Never Change. This is a highlight and, vocally, it stretches her to the limit. She turns in another flawless performance on Mississippi John Hurt's Glory Glory before treating us to some of the best guitar work of the album on the final self-penned song, The Road Home.
She finishes with an instrumental version of Psalm 23 and this brings a peaceful end to an album that will leave you with many things to think about but mainly is an uplifting experience.