Front and Center Stage
5 Out Of 5 Stars
James Lee Stanley has been around the block a few times. His first album appeared on Wooden Nickle records (home to the early Styx albums) in 1974. He worked in the Cali-pop galaxy that predominated the scene at that time, yet something wonderful slowly happened in the ensuing decades. James Lee Stanley just kept getting better and better. With "Backstage At The Resurrection," he hits a fresh peak.
Working the rich folkish vein he's been mining since the mid-90's, James continues to find new depths in his songwriting. In particular, there are two songs on "Backstage" that really strike me. The title track is a political screed that taunts with Bob Dylan lyrical imagery and a hard-driving guitar solo by Len Ruckel at its conclusion. Then there is "What Would You Do?," a song so invigorating and uplifting, it could easily be gospel. Like the call for balance, "Change," on 2007's "The Eternal Contradiction," "What Would You Do?" is a thing of beauty.
"Backstage At The Resurrection" handles its messages with an adept hand, as James' voice glides silky-light above it. From Memphis blues to snappy pop to the expert folk that inhabits "Backstage," James Lee Stanley has crafted a terrific album that his fans and acoustical music types will fully enjoy.
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