Penguin Audio: what your ears want to hear   In association with Amazon.com
 Location:  Home» Jazz » General » Orange Blossoms  
Departments
Album Rock
Alternative
Ambient
Arena Rock
Blues
Boom Boxes
British Invasion
Car Stereo
Classical
Classic Rock
Compact Stereos
Country
Dance
Electronica
Folk
Hard Rock
Hip Hop
Home Theatre
Jazz
Latin
MP3 Players
New Age
Pop
Psychedelic Rock
R&B
Rock
Satellite Radio
Speakers
Stereo
Techno
Trance
Trip Hop
Vocalists
Other Penguins

Penguin 64

Penguin CPU

Penguin Cameras

Penguin Kitchens

Penguin Videos

Related Sites

Liberal Media News

OS X Mart

Ultra Mega Mart US

Plenty to Buy

Very Big Bookstore

Geek Book Store

Books, DVDs, and More

Cameras and Photo

Anime Canyon

Just Books for Kids

the Celiac Shop

the sensible celiac

Boolean Sales

Downloads
Apple iTunes

Orange Blossoms

Orange Blossoms
Creator: Jj Grey & Mofro
Label: Alligator Records
Category: Music

List Price: $17.98
Buy New: $13.99
You Save: $3.99 (22%)



Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars 12 reviews
Sales Rank: 2745

Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4

MPN: 4925
UPC: 014551492528
EAN: 0014551492528
ASIN: B001BWQA5A

Release Date: August 26, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Promotion: Save $10.00 when you spend $50.00 or more on Qualifying Items offered by Amazon.com. Enter code BMLSAVES at checkout. Terms and Conditions
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Tracks:

  • Orange Blossoms
  • The Devil You Know
  • Everything Good Is Bad
  • She Don't Know
  • The Truth
  • WYLF
  • On Fire
  • Move It On
  • Higher You Climb
  • Dew Drops
  • Ybor City
  • I Believe (In Everything)

Similar Items:

  • Country Ghetto
  • Lochloosa
  • Blackwater
  • Skin Deep
  • Mudcrutch

Editorial Reviews:

Album Description
ORANGE BLOSSOMS, produced by long-time cohort Dan Prothero and Grey, was recorded in north Florida and boasts some of Grey's most profound and moving music to date. The album features 12 songs (including 11 Grey originals) inspired by Grey's life experiences and visionary observations. With long-time friend and guitarist Daryl Hance, bassist/organist Adam Scone, drummer Anthony Cole, and the Hercules Horns of saxophonist Art Edmaiston and trumpeter Dennis Marion, Grey moves effortlessly from gospel-tent fervor to Southern-fried rockers to deeply emotional soul. ORANGE BLOSSOMS is a groove-driven masterpiece fueled by JJ's gritty, smoldering vocals and intense, funk-infused guitar and keyboard work.

Album Description
With 2007's Country Ghetto, the fan base for JJ Grey & Mofro's gritty, funky Southern rock `n' soul grew by leaps and bounds. The title posted a 50% increase in sales over their previous release (2004's Lochloosa), scanning over 30,000 units in less than 18 months. With Grey's new release, Orange Blossoms, he and Alligator are gearing up for another jump in sales. Orange Blossoms is a masterpiece of soul-shaking music, as JJ's deep Southern roots and skill as a storyteller shine through, whether he's rocking with gospel-tent fervor or slowly winding his raspy voice around a lyric of heartbreak and loss. It's an aggressively groove-driven record fueled by JJ's gritty, smoldering vocals and funk-infused guitar playing.


Customer Reviews:   Read 7 more reviews...

3 out of 5 stars Not bad, but not one of their better outings   November 11, 2008
R. C. Schmults (Brookline, MA USA)
These guys are a great band with a range of musical styles. One of the reasons I wasn't blown away by this outing is it is mostly a "blue-eyed soul"/R&B set, unlike their other stuff which is more wide ranging. I love the inspirations behind this sound: the late 60's early 70's sound that had a fat horn sound, background singers who step in to hit chorus with a wavering note, organ lead-ins, and funkified twangy guitar. But in a lot of places he moves past that period to something closer to the later 70's where it was losing its edge. Think of the difference between early Sly Stone, Dobie Grey, or Al Green and their later stuff -- it became over produced, the horns became trite vs insipired, the background vocals headed toward soft rock. On this dics you get the gamut. You have tunes that hit the mark like "Everything Good is Bad" (could be a great Sly Stone tune), "On Fire" (a raw funky number), and "I Believe" (which has the build of a classic R&B ballad). But others that don't seem up to J.J Grey's previous high standard like "Orange Blossoms" (seems like an attempt to craft the Gulf Coast answer to Seger's "Night Moves"), "The Truth" and "Dew Drops" (cheesy strings), and Move it On (intended to be a sexy groove, instead borders on Broadway). If you are a J.J. Grey fan, there's enough here to like to make it worth buying (or cherry pick the tunes you want via download). If you are new to J.J. Grey, go with the albumn Country Ghetto instead -- better introduction to the tremendous talent this guy has.


5 out of 5 stars Mofro does it again!!!   October 13, 2008
M. Cerra (Florida Keys)
This album is outstanding - from the first song to the last. JJ Grey & Mofro just keep getting better. The horns are awesome and the music just makes you want to move - just awesome.


5 out of 5 stars Just gets better   October 13, 2008
Leigh E. Williamson (Bilgola, Sydney, Australia)
I started out listening to this band with the purchase of their album Lochloosa.Totally blown away by the sound and soul of these guys.Think of sitting around on the weekend having a few drinks with friends and totally enjoying the atmosphere with this band playing in the backround or foreground, whatever floats your boat,and you have the makings of the perfect evening.They know how to touch on every day life with their lyrics and music.I have purchased Country Ghetto and Blackwater their debut album as well as this one and have yet to be disappointed.Rock on JJ and the gang and keep up that great music.By the way Amazon, thanks for making the albums available down here in OZ as not many retailers know about JJ Grey and Mofro downunder.


3 out of 5 stars Good record, but lacking some of the usual feeling   September 30, 2008
SRVCAT (Boston)
In Mofro's previous three albums (Blackwater, Lochloosa, Country Ghetto) the songs have been a soulful gumbo of blues, funk, rock, and gospel. Slow rollers, mid-tempo groovers, juke house rockers, and soul-baring gospel (some of my favorites). Most songs represent poignant reflections of southern living, whose lyrics often transcend the normal bounds for blues ballads. Some of the best songs of the decade in my opinion. Their simplicity (in instrumentation, arrangement, and emotive delivery) is the key to their resonance with listeners.

Although Orange Blossoms includes some beautifully polished soul recordings, tight musicianship, and JJ's gutsy vocals, Mofro seems to have strayed from a winning formula a bit. Daryl Hance's slide guitar, always subtle, is mostly lost behind the horns and strings. The mid-tempo groovers dominate the record, making many of the songs sound basically the same (Devil You Know, WYLF, On Fire, Higher You Climb). The tempo goes from slow to slower on She Don't Know, The Truth, and Dew Drops. The more upbeat Ybor City is a straight-ahead blues shuffle that lacks the edge that usually makes Mofro stand out. Funky, yes. Dynamic, not so much. The lyrics just don't seem to resonate quite as well as in previous records, and the subject matter is much more typical of the genre (girls, relationships, etc.).

If you're a Mofro fan you'll still really like Orange Blossoms. It's just a little more over-produced than you're used to. If you're just getting to know these guys, check out Country Ghetto or Lochloosa first. I hope JJ and Mofro get a little more back to basics on their next release.



5 out of 5 stars ORANGE BLOSSOMS   September 30, 2008
Jamie P. Holcombe
MY SON IS THE ONE THAT TURNED ME ON TO MOFRO ....
I LISTEN TO WHAT IS IN THE CD PLAYER IN MY CAR OR AT HOME AND THERE WAS
ALWAYS BLACK WATER PLAYING . I BELIEVE THIS IS THIER THIRD CD AND I LIKE
THIS ONE THE MOST , JJ GREY HAS SUCH A SOULFUL VOICE AND THE GUITAR RIFTS
ARE SO WONDERFUL . I LIKE THIS CD BECAUSE ITS MORE PERSONAL ABOUT
LOVE AND LIFE ... I THINK HE MUST HAVE A MUSE .... USUALLY ITS ABOUT HOME
AND FLORDIA AND GRANDMAS COOKING .. THIS IS ABOUT A GIRL .......


Apple iTunes

Downloads
Apple iTunes